Getting Included

Getting everyone included in what is going on in the community is what we do. It is not just about supporting people to change their lives, it is also about other people in the community changing their lives too! Making our own unique plans enables us to live the lives we choose. Brandon Trust want to develop services that help people get included.

Making sure that the people we support are included at every level of Brandon Trust is important. Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Cornwall all have Local User Forums. They meet once a month; anyone who is supported by Brandon Trust can attend their particular Local Forum. Each Forum is facilitated by an independent person. Topics which people have recently been involved in are 'Green Policies', Transport and Finance. All the the Forums meet regularly with Brandon Trust's senior management.

Each Forum is linked to specific members of the Brandon Board of Trustees. Every six months these members attend their particular Local User Forum to hear what the group are currently talking about. This is just one way in which we try to ensure that the people we support get their voices heard. Another way is the Consultative Committee, which is made up of three Trustees and four people who are supported by Brandon Trust. They meet four times a year and talk about important issues - for example, recently they looked at 'places' to live; talking about tenancies, shared ownership and living independently. Getting included means getting organised, this is how we do it!