Page 20 - Community Living Magazine 33-4

diary

An eye-opening life in lockdown use a website, this has often led me back
to the info@ scenario, which is annoying.
Even more frustrating has been when
my only option was to use the website’s
Suzanne Gale experiences the best and the worst of providers, contact form. This requires me letting
has to show she’s not a robot to secretive companies and looks them know where I found out about
them, who I work for, whether I want to
into the lives of young people on TV receive any other information from them
and, if so, whether I’m interested in
fundraising/good news/bad news.
s someone who enjoys a challenge the bigger picture and asked the local Then I also have to prove I’m not a
and the pressure of hitting the authority for a reasonable, transparent robot by clicking on numerous images
Aground running, I have to admit contribution to keep their service users that either do or don’t have a mountain in
that I found the first week of this and staff as safe as possible. them. How is this accessible?
lockdown quite fun. The best providers have worked in
I was up and in my home office bright partnership with families and funders so Normal, sad and happy
and early, webcam at the ready, to attend we can all do the best we can. For years, There’s some inspirational representation
the early meeting where we’d discuss the I’ve been either requesting or agreeing to going on TV-wise.
latest government guidance and address contingency costs depending on which Although I felt completely wrung out by
the new round of problems to solve. side of the negotiation table I’ve been on. the emotional rollercoaster of Channel 4’s
But it’s got so real now and I can sense Born To Be Different, this was probably
that those working behind the scenes feel my favourite visit to the young people as
increasingly powerless. Of course, we’re I have to click on numerous they were entering a world of adulthood,
not dealing with the front line and I images that either do or don’t less protected and really growing
wouldn’t begin to compare our situation into themselves.
with that of a care worker or nurse. show a mountain in them. Yes, we’re seeing the effects of their
Yet, as we try to make limited funding How is this accessible? disability, which is sometimes hard to
stretch and take another call about watch and adds an obvious layer of
another death, it’s a low-level, relentless challenge to their lives. We’re also seeing
stress that can be seen in people’s faces the people behind the disability as they
during the video meetings we have to If ever there was a time to use contingency succeed, fail, change their mind, worry that
stop us feeling too isolated and to keep us funding, a pandemic is definitely it. Sadly, they’ll never meet "the one" or continue to
putting faces to names. some are too worried about their bank love their childhood sweetheart. By
balance and stakeholders to use it. showing their difference, the programme
Wheat versus chaff has also shown their normality.
If there’s one positive thing to come out I, robot? And then we have the joy of
of the Covid-19 situation, it is that I’ve become increasingly aware that only The Undateables, also on Channel 4. I
providers have shown their true colours. very rarely will anyone give me any refused to watch this at first as I thought
There has been a clear line between information about a specific member of it was going to be an appalling
those that instantly demanded a huge staff in an organisation over the phone. exploitation of people with support
amount of money with a threat of I’m generally asked to send an email to needs. How wrong I was. It’s a huge
downing tools if this was not forthcoming something like info@… Sometimes I get a celebration of difference and, sometimes,
and those that took stock, thought about helpful response – often I don’t. If I try to if we’re lucky, brilliant quirkiness.
Again, it acknowledges that people have
a range of support needs but it really
focuses on what they want from life.
Dates sometimes do not develop into
something else because the people don’t
like the same kind of music or one isn’t
outgoing enough. Sometimes they do,
because they fancy each other like mad.
The stars of the show experience
nerves, disappointment, heartbreak and
elation. It’s an excellent demonstration
that people who don’t fit the norm are
still entitled to normal lives. It reminds me
why I do what I do and why I challenge
the risk adverse. I’ve said it before – if we
don’t allow people to be sad, how will
they know when they’re happy? n Seán Kelly/www.seankellyphotos.com

Suzanne Gale works with commissioners
Take a card, any card: the magical David Munns conjured up what he wanted from life when he and providers to achieve equal opportunities
appeared on Channel 4’s The Undateables, and high standards of provision
20 Vol 33 No 4 | Summer 2020 Community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk