Merton Centre for Independent Living

Merton CIL is disappointed to learn that plans for step-free access at Haydons Road Station have been blocked by Govia Thameslink because of concerns it would lead to vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

Merton CIL has published a new report about Deaf and Disabled people’s experiences of the Covid 19 pandemic and lockdowns in the borough. The report details the impact the situation had on Deaf and Disabled people in Merton from early 2020 through to mid-2021 when restrictions started to ease.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has launched an inquiry into people’s experiences of challenging or trying to challenge council decisions about adult social care. This includes decisions about whether people are entitled to support from adult social care and what type of and how much support they get.

Merton CIL has heard from Disabled people who live on streets that have been made into school safety zones are having problems. While people with Blue Badges can use the streets without problems, we have heard from people who have carers visiting them who have been fined and who have had difficulties getting taxis and cabs to pick them up during the times that the roads are closed to most traffic.

Merton CIL’s shares the concerns of many other Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations about the government’s new disability strategy. The strategy falls at the first hurdle as it hasn’t been co-produced with Deaf and Disabled people and has ended up being a mishmash of old promises repackaged and plans for more consultation, with very little that is going to have a great impact on the lives of Deaf and Disabled people.
 
Merton CIL supports the view of the Disabled People’s Forum that any plan to improve the lives of Deaf and Disabled people needs to be based on UN Convention on the rights of Disabled people.

You can read the National Disability Strategy here - https://bit.ly/3ypJz55
You can read an easy read version of the strategy here - https://bit.ly/37jpQbg 

Over the next 5 years, City Bridge Trust – the City of London Corporation’s charity funder – will help Merton CIL to increase independence and inclusion for the local Deaf and Disabled community in Merton after awarding the organisation £247,300 to continue delivering and developing an accredited, person centred and accessible home visiting advice and advocacy service.

Merton CIL’s board of trustees decided to move to a new and innovative management structure, where the four members of our skilled senior management team now co-manage the organisation. The co-management structure that we opted for instead of hiring a CEO allows us to provide interesting and varied routes into leadership work and skills building for Deaf and Disabled people and individuals with lived experiences of issues faced by our Deaf and Disabled service users. 

We are seeking a committed and organised individual to join our team as an Office Administrator. You will be joining our team to provide administrative support to the organisation, as well as board of trustees. This role is key to ensuring that the organisation runs smoothly and that we achieve our aims. Deadline for applications is 9am on 10th May 2021. 

We are seeking a passionate and committed person to join Merton Centre for Independent Living as a Disability Hate Crime Caseworker. Merton Centre for Independent Living is a values-based, user-led charity which supports Deaf and Disabled People in the London Borough of Merton to live independently, challenge discrimination and achieve change locally.

We are wishing you all a lovely Easter and relaxing bank holiday weekend. It has been a hectic few months and we will be taking a short break over Easter. Our office will be closed on Friday 2nd April and Monday 5th April. If you need support or have an update for us please leave a voicemail on 0203 397 3119 or email us at info@mertoncil.org.uk and we will get back to you in our return. You can find a list of organisaton that can provide support while we are closed here - https://www.mertoncil.org.uk/useful-information/chapter-1-advice-advocacy-an/

Merton CIL has responded to Merton Council’s draft new planning framework with a call for more plans to maintain and develop disability access. The New Local Plan will set out the Council’s planning framework for the next 10 years with strategies for new housing, economic growth and development and addressing climate change.

As an organisation that is committed to challenging discrimination and inequality, Merton CIL stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and Black communities in the UK and worldwide. We are hopeful that we can all come together and achieve real change. Our organisation will listen, learn and understand. We will address the needs of Disabled people who have lived experience of exclusion and discrimination because they are Black and Disabled – which is referred to as intersectional discrimination. We will support people to speak up about issues that matter most to them and help make change happen.

We are seeking a passionate, committed Deaf or Disabled person to join Merton Centre for Independent Living as a Trainee Caseworker. People who live with a long-term health condition who may not consider themselves as Disabled are invited to apply. Merton Centre for Independent Living is a values-based, user-led charity which supports Deaf and Disabled People in the London Borough of Merton to live independently, challenge discrimination and achieve change locally.

Merton CIL will close for the holiday season on Thursday 24th Dec 2020 at 3pm. We will reopen on Monday 4th Jan 2021 from 9am. While we are closed you can still contact us via email or leave us a voice mail if you need support and we will get back to you when we open. If it is urgent please try and contact one of the organisations who are proving support over the holiday season mentioned below. 

Help us raise money this holiday season to keep our important work going in 2021 and be in with the chance of winning a hamper with over 20 goodies inside. You can enter the raffle in two ways: 1. Donate £5 here - https://bit.ly/3krBHbv or 2. Complete our (short) annual survey and leave your contact details here - https://bit.ly/2H7ZNdE

Welcome to the 25th edition of our CIL Matters Newsletter. This is the first CIL Matters newsletter presented by the Senior Management Team (SMT) of Merton CIL – Charlet, David, Stuart & Michael. We are honoured and excited to be co-managing the organisation. You can read about our new management structure and what we have been up to over the past year in our newsletter, where we provide an update of what happened at our annual general meeting, share our new impact report and more.

Merton CIL is supporting a government plan to increase the number of accessible homes.‘It’s surprising and really unacceptable that new homes are being built without the access features they are meant to have,’ comments Merton CIL’s Policy and Strategy Manager Michael Turner. ‘But that’s the situation we’ve been in for many years and we now have the prospect of action to improve things.

Merton CIL has given a positive response to the recommendations of the independent Commission on Social Security. The Commission was set up by Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations and claimants and user groups. All the commissioners have lived experience of the benefits system.