Remploy closures

[Slacker]

Posted this under local rather than general as there is a protest in town on Saturday (don't yet know details).
You couldn't make up the timing, changing the rules on disabled being fit for work whilst closing down a specialist employer.

[Fly]

I gave them a pip of the hooter as I passed them today.
Would the gov sooner they sat at home doing jack sh*t on benefits,

[k4blades]

I don't know enough about it to be sure but I have seen some disability groups on the TV supporting the closures, for 2 reasons,
1) Remploy is in effect creating a two tier system where disabled people are given special priority for jobs compared to the rest of us, when many disabled would rather be employed in the normal work place, that is what equality is all about.

and 2) It is also very inefficient in terms of creating jobs, and disabled could be helped better, £ for £, using other methods.

I don't know the rights and wrongs, but as always, there are 2 sides to the story, and theres always someone on the losing side that will object. 

[Fly]

Remploy employ disabled people who want to be in a work environment.
Probably because 'normal' employers don't want disabled employees.
Equality, boll***s. It's out there, trust me.

Yes, Remploy was/is gov funded.
They may not be a £ for £ plus option, but there's disabled people there who are happy.

Where would you sooner see them go, Ashbrook day centre, or the Ringwood day centre.
Oh no, stupid me, gov have shut them both, lack of funding.
Not Tory Bashing, Labour are probably just as guilty.

So what do we do with all the disabled people in this country ?

Perhaps if gov per-se took a little cut in wages, and tried to think about people less privileged than themselves, or started to spend less on think tanks and other bulls**t, the disabled may be thought about more.



Bit of a rant, but nowhere near what I wanted to say 

[Slacker]

There are some people with disabilities who would prefer to work in a "normal" work environment and others who wouldn't cope. From what I've heard locally the workers are pretty upset about it.

[k4blades]

Fly, I wasn't giving my opinion, just repeating what I had heard some disabilty groups say on the news. I'm not well informed enough to say one way or another.

In terms of cost, my understanding is that overall the same amount of money will be spent but the idea being that if done in the normal workplace you could subsidise 2 disabled people for the price of 1 at Remploy.
Like I said, winners and loses whichever way you look at it.

[Old Cruser]

Remploy has given employment to people with disabilities who have wanted it for years, it is sad this is being taken away.
As stated - some people who are disabled can work in an ordinary work place some can't whilst others maybe 'could' if a little support was provided and the work place accessible, onlt that doesn't happen a lot as far as I am aware, someone else on here may know different.
As Fly stated, closures to some of the day centres have been made, with the service users being told other individual groups would be set of for different interests - which I well knew was the buggest load of bull ever, and I wasn't very popular at the meeting when I challenged it - I was right though, as now many of these users are now isolated at home.
Nice one government -- but of course you need to save money to line your own pockets don't you! 
That's my rant over

[chesterfieldchris]

POST DELETED AT USER'S REQUEST

[Alsatian]

As Fly stated, closures to some of the day centres have been made, with the service users being told other individual groups would be set of for different interests - which I well knew was the buggest load of bull ever, and I wasn't very popular at the meeting when I challenged it - I was right though, as now many of these users are now isolated at home.
Nice one government -- but of course you need to save money to line your own pockets don't you! 
That's my rant over

Yep! My sister went to Ashbrook from when it first opened, fortunately we were luckily enough to get a place at Ability Day Centre on Victoria Street when Ashbrook closed. I certainly don't see closing Day Centres/Work places as progress.

Yes, there will always be disabled people who can fit into a workplace, but these will mostly be people with a single disability (ie Physical OR mental), people with multiple disabilities will always end up in 'no mans land' and rely on places like Ashbrook (who used to do a lot of contract work for Robinsons) and Remploy.

@OC - that's my rant over! 

[Old Cruser]

@ Alsatian, is Ashbrook the place Ashgate way?
I remember a few years ago I used to take a young person there to the snoozlem they also had a pool.

[Alsatian]

@ Alsatian, is Ashbrook the place Ashgate way?
I remember a few years ago I used to take a young person there to the snoozlem they also had a pool.

Yes on Cuttholme Road, Ashbrook was for people aged 16+ and Ashcroft was for under 16s. The pool facilities were housed at Ashcroft.

[Fly]

@K4 Twas but a rant, not aimed at or in reply to anybody in particular.
@Cc "Labour are probably as guilty".  I didn't check but it doesn't surprise me one bit.

I've taxied special needs and disabled kids and adults for years.
If I've got to pay my taxes and see a return on my money, this is one of the areas I'd sooner see some of it spent on.

[Old Cruser]

@ Alsatian that's probably where I get them mixed up then.
I only remember phoning and booking us in on some Saturdays he was with me, but then they stopped that facilitie and it was only used for schools etc.
Also had a Makaton update training at one of them I believe it had accomodation for respite or living in - not sure which. Long time ago now though as this particular young person is in there 20's

[k4blades]

Skinner raised the question in the commons today.
IDS replied that the initative was started by HIS party when in power and that it was in response to lobbying from disabled groups who want the disabled working in mainstream jobs.

As I keep saying, its easy to bash the Tories if your too lazy to look up the facts!

[Fly]

@All Read the comment at the bottom of the link.
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Loss-dignity/story-16781139-detail/story.html

@K4 IDS is a tory. Fact. Or did you mean something else ?
Labour started Remploy in 1945/6 Also fact.
www.remploy.co.uk/about-us/whoweare.ashx

Spelling edit: else not eles