A Cumbrian charity is to receive £100,000 in emergency funding from a multinational bank.
People FIrst, an independent customer-led organisation that has worked in Cumbria for more than 30 years, is one of a hundred charities to become a Barclays UK charity partner.
The fund recognises the vital work the charity is doing to support people with learning difficulties and/or autism in Cumbria throughout the pandemic and beyond.
The £100,000 funding from Barclays will enable People First to develop its COVID-19 emergency response project, Keeping People Connected.
The Keeping People Connected project provides vital advice and support to people with learning disabilities and/or autism in Cumbria via telephone and video call.
This support is designed to keep people safe, well, informed and ‘connected’ during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Due to Barclays Funding, people accessing the Keeping People Connected service are now able to join existing, or newly emerging, self-advocacy groups facilitated by dedicated People First staff.
Self-Advocacy Groups are made up of people with learning difficulties and/or autism in Cumbria who come together online and, when safe, in person, to share their experiences.
The groups provide an environment for local people to become self-advocates, to speak up for themselves, to learn from each other and grow as part of a community of peers.
Self-advocacy means that people with learning difficulties and/or autism are able to ask for what they need, want and inform people about their thoughts, feelings and wishes.
A powerful example of this in action came in February 2021. Self-advocates, supported by People First, took part in the ‘Beyond Urgent’ campaign; a petition to government to move people with learning difficulties higher up the vaccine priority list. This campaign saw nationwide coverage and resulted in a life-saving change.
David Blacklock, People First CEO, said: “Self-advocacy makes a life-altering difference to people with learning difficulties and/or autism. We all thrive as part of a community.
“When we share our stories with others, when we hear other perspectives we grow, and we feel part of something bigger than ourselves. That’s what self-advocacy does and that’s what this hugely generous donation from Barclays is enabling us to bring to more people than ever before.’
“We are profoundly grateful that Barclays has chosen People First as one of its charity partners. Their backing is an endorsement of how crucial self-advocacy and advocacy services are to vulnerable people during extremely challenging times and beyond’.”
