New email group for people with disabilities

Gloucestershire Choice Network have just launched the Unified Voices Project, “No decisions about us without us”. As someone with a disability, sensory impairment, mental health issue, or as a carer or
older person in Gloucestershire, you may be dismayed at the number of health and social care decisions being made today which you know will impact on your life, but about which you have no say.

GCN want to change that. The Unified Voices Project, which is being run by a group of key
user-led charities in Gloucestershire, believes that together we CAN be stronger, by making
common ground, and speaking up jointly about our lives and experiences. This is an important step in helping get heard the voice of those who receive services....

Would you like to become a member of a representative email group they consult with, as and when the need arises? Here is what they write:

To be eligible to join the Unified Voices Email Group you need to:

• Be someone with a disability, sensory impairment, mental health issue, older person or a carer living in Gloucestershire
• Have access to email and check it once a week or be assisted in doing so
• Be happy to receive and complete one survey per month for a period of one year.

The Unified Voices Email Group:

• Provides GCN with the opportunity to gain views and experiences from across Gloucestershire without holding time consuming, difficult to get to meetings
• Is easy to use - we try and keep to a limit of no more than 15 separate questions concerning one subject matter per survey
• Is the best type of survey tool for people who have visual impairments and use reader activated software.

We will always give feedback to everyone involved in the survey, so you know your time was well spent and that your concerns and opinions are important and valued. To join the Unified Voices Email Group or for further information please telephone Sarah Everitt on (01452) 389342, or email, severitt@carersgloucestershire.org.uk