An innovative Kilkenny group is seeking funding and recognition from the government for the work that they do for people with disabilities.
Seasamh has planned a march on the Dail in October in a bid to demonstrate their needs to those in power and to lobby the government for independent funding for the organisation.
Seasamh is a forum for people with an intellectual disability, run by people who access intellectual disability services, with independent support. It is supported by the SOS in Kilkenny and based at their headquarters at Seville Lodge on the Callan Road.
The Seasamh model promotes an atmosphere of social acceptance, facilitates participation, and decision-making that affects the lives of those involved.
Paul Crilly is PRO of Seasamh and speaking to the Kilkenny Advertiser this week he said that the group which was established in 2004 as an advocacy group in Kilkenny focusses very much on what service users need and want.
“Most of the people involved with Seasamh are service users. We meet several times a year when people from all over the south-east get together and discuss what issues are affecting them. There is a Seasamh ‘Parliament’ that also meets separately and we plan events for the group. The last event was a meeting with the minister with responsibility for disability John Maloney. During our meeting we outlined the plans for our group and we asked him to consider funding us as a separate entity. We are hoping to access funding in the near future and that is what our Dail march will be focussing on,” he said.
The Seasamh model facilitates simple participation, recognising every degree of inclusion.
It empowers participants, through discussion to take responsibility through voluntary self-nomination. Candidates are elected in open elections on a centre by centre basis to the leadership team or ‘Parliament’.
Mr Crilly is concerned about further cutbacks to the services that are already in place for people with disabilities and he is hoping that this won’t happen in the upcoming budget later this year.
“Cutbacks have affected our services already, particularly respite care and of course disability allowance. All of this has a direct impact on the lives of people with disabilities,” he pointed out.
Mr Crilly is pleased that the group has already secured the support of Junior Ministers Mary White and Sean Connick and he hopes that his will help with gaining recognition for the group at budget time.
“The main issues that keep reoccurring at our meetings are issues surrounding socialising. Carers are often only working between 9-5pm and therefore there is nobody to take people out, outside of these hours.
“We also want to address the stigma that is still attached to having a disability — lots of people have learning disabilities and we want to educate people about this. There is a great course that takes place in WIT — Certificate in Leadership & Advocacy, which goes about educating society and advocating leadership and this is a very positive step,” he said.
Seasamh has long since agreed the need to develop national recognition. The organisation however, struggles to provide a high level of support and follow up on key issues due to limited staffing. Recently they have been supported in employing a Seasamh representative for 8 hours per week. And they are seeking for further staff and more hours for those already employed.
“We already represent about 500 people across the south-east and we want to make our organisation a nationally recognised organisation so that everyone can benefit,” said Mr Crilly.
There will be further updates on Seasamh’s upcoming demonstrations in coming weeks.
