Hertfordshire
Libraries Training October 2011
The V.I.P. group ran their fifth training session
for staff from Hertfordshire Libraries. Fifteen
librarians attended the day. There was not only laughter but also tears from
the participants when the V.I.P group told their stories.
`I attended
a Learning Disabilities training day provided by One to One for Hertfordshire
Libraries, Culture and Learning staff 4th October 2011.
The training was very thought provoking and made a huge
impression on me, and I know I'm not the only one! It was good to have a
'safe space' and supportive group to enable us to explore the many and various
issues, concerns and ideas we all had about working with people who have
learning difficulties and who may have additional or different information
needs.’
Kym Hirons
Performance
Analysis Officer
Libraries
Culture and Learning, part of Health and Community Services
Hertfordshire County Council
Hi my name
is Chriss and I attended the training session on
Wednesday 1st September taken by your group at Palmers Green Library.
So I am
just e-mailing you to say a really big thank you for the day it was one of the
best courses that I have attended in a long time. You all explained
different experiences that you’ve all had to go through having a disability
and made me understand how it affects you all and your daily life.
You should
all be very proud of your self’s achieving what you have and by what you
were telling me, the outing and
trips that you go on and the evening social things that you do sounds great
fun. I felt quite worn out just listening to you.
I will try
and come down to see you but I don’t live in Enfield so it takes me quite a
long time to drive to Edmonton. But I do work in Oakwood Library so if ever
you are passing please pop in and say hello it would be nice to see you
again.
So take
care of your self’s and keep smiling and once again thanks to you all.
Chriss Wardell
Customer
service Officer at Oakwood Library (September 2010)
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“The (VIPS) …really opened up about themselves…. It (brought)
home to us the suffering and prejudices they have had to bear”
“For once we could get the first hand view and not the view of
the second party”
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“Very varied activities, which were
fun, relevant and put the points across well. Thank you
to the VIPs for a very successful course”
“Very moving fun and relevant, increased awareness and
confidence-really helpful”
“Meeting people with learning disabilities who were so open and
honest, and listening to their experiences has given me so much to think
about”
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(Hertfordshire Libraries)
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“Understanding why people with learning disabilities may be
carrying a lot of negative psychological baggage when they engage the person
at customer services desk”
“Meeting the people who could be our customers and learning from
their experiences/stories”
“The various different tasks and the ways in which the tasks
brought further awareness regarding mental health/learning difficulties
etc., also being able to hear everyone’s
stories and experiences gave me a greater understanding in how
people should be treated and their expectations”
“I enjoyed every aspect of the training”
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“The VIP group made people realise the untold events that happen
regularly and their tales of suffering that goes untold. As such it’s a
great eye opener to those that don’t know much about hate crime committed
against people with learning difficulties”.
It was a “thought provoking experience” for the
participants attending the hate crime forum.
My title is Detective Chief Inspector Safer neighbourhood
policing and partnerships.
I have 23 years in the Police service serving mostly as a
Detective I voluntarily asked for a transfer back to Borough policing from
a specialist unit at Scotland Yard as I felt I had lost my way. I joined
the Police service to make a difference to the lives of Londoners
particularly those who could not or were not in a position to defend
themselves for different reasons.
I was invited to speak at the hate crime forum to highlight how
the police deal with hate crime in its different forms. Before my slot I
was privileged to see a production that put into context my whole Police
career and made me think that I had made the right decision in coming back
to community Policing. The VIP group in the one production reignited the
fire that was on its way out. I am again excited at the prospect of
doing what I wanted to do from the outset which was to make a difference to
people with different needs.
Thank you VIP group I now have a path to follow again.
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