“Making disability information accessible to individuals from Black & Minority Ethnic groups”

A review of current findings and thinking

The areas identified for specific focus are:–

1. Visual Impairment (VI) –

Reason – while there is a higher incidence of certain eye conditions in people from BME communities, failing eyesight is often associated as an inevitable part of growing older and so that people do not seek support
Outcome sought –
- increased awareness of support available
- increased registration on sight register
Type of work envisaged –
- work with Surrey’s sight register to look at BME monitoring
- In partnership with local VI organisations - run a workshop with this client group to identify best ways of raising awareness
- In partnership with local VI organisations - produce and disseminate publicity materials
- Find and write up examples of good practice (we believe that these exist but are often not written up) to support development of this area of work by local VI organisations

2. Refugees and Asylum seekers –

Reason –
- the information provided to refugees and asylum seekers is generally related to their legal status, but often does not include information on the additional support related to any disability they may have, since this is not the area of expertise for their primary information providers
- with both Gatwick and Heathrow on the borders of Surrey, we are in a good position to impart information at the point of entry to the UK
Outcome sought –
- increased awareness of primary information providers working with refugee and asylum seekers of the disability support services available
Type of work envisaged –
- Identify the key organisations in Surrey working in this area and arrange meetings/networking
- work with In partnership with local organisations to produce and make available information via a database and written material

3./4. Older people re benefits take up –

3. Muslim community in Woking
4. Chinese community in Epsom

Reason –
- older people from within BME communities are often unsure as to their eligibility for benefits and assume that entitlement would mean an automatic payment. Under claiming of benefits is likely to have a significant impact on the quality of an individual’s life and their ability to make choices about how they lead their lives.
- The two communities selected represent the two single largest BME groups in the county
Outcome sought –
- increased take up of benefits checks available in Surrey via the Pensions Service outreach programme, Age Concern services and Citizen’s Advice Bureau
Type of work envisaged –
- Establish links with pensions service, Age Concern groups and CABx re this issue
- Identify current levels of benefit take up in the two communities identified nationally and locally
- In partnership with local organisations and with a benefits specialist - run a workshop with this client group to identify best ways of raising awareness
- In partnership with local organisations - produce and disseminate publicity materials

5. Travellers and Gypsies

Reason –
- Surrey has the fourth largest traveller community in the UK, approximately 10,000 individuals
- Travellers and Gypsies have particular health issues especially associated with anxiety
- They have difficulties in accessing information presented by both a transient lifestyle and a lack of access to education
Outcome sought –
- Improved knowledge of most relevant health conditions
- Increased awareness of the local support services available
Type of work envisaged –
- Establish links with Traveller Community Development Workers in Surrey
- Identify and source health promotion materials used effectively in other parts of the UK
- Identify most effective formats and routes for disseminating information in Surrey
- Produce material that development workers can use to develop their own knowledge of disability services and to pass on to Traveller and Gypsy communities