Theroleofauserledorganisation.docVIP

The role of a user led organisation What do we mean by “user”? The term “user” refers to people who use support services in a local authority area. This includes people with disabilities, such as those with physical impairments, sensory impairments, learning difficulties or mental health issues. It also includes informal carers (as opposed to paid personal assistants). It also includes parents of disabled children, people with life-limiting and chronic illnesses, people with acquired brain injury, people with HIV / AIDS, and people identified with alcohol and substance misuse issues. It also includes other users of services such as asylum seekers, people in the criminal justice system and victims of domestic abuse. In short, in includes anyone who uses or who would be eligible to or benefit from using support services from a local authority social services department. (People who would benefit from a service but are not currently using one may include those who don’t through choice, self-funding, lack of knowledge of support services, or exclusion due to eligibility criteria.) These categories are what we might call “client groups”. It’s also important to remember when thinking about service users that geography and demography are also important. This means that user led organisations should seek to include people not only from the above client groups, but also from all geographical areas within a local authority, both urban and rural, and also have representation from the locality’s demography, such as people from BME (black and minority ethnic) groups and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) groups. What is a user led organisation? A user led organisation is one that is run and controlled by people who use services. Such an organisation can be said to reflect three basic criteria – values, power and knowledge – which differentiate them from traditional voluntary sector organisations. Values: these are around independence, involvement