EAST Enders with disabilities have been recruited to help others understand the huge changes to social care being brought in.
Tower Hamlets Council has paired up with disabilities organisation Tower Project Job Enterprise and Training Service to offer placements, which are also aimed at giving trainees the skills to find work.
The trainees have been helping to run roadshows explaining the new policy of “personalisation” that the government is phasing in.
Personalisation will give users control of their own budget to buy in the care they want.
They will also be able to choose support workers and book themselves more creative alternatives to traditional care.
In line with other cuts, it is expected that the council’s budget for social care will drop in the coming years.
Poplar resident Samantha Walker, 33, worked as a trainee during the roadshows which took place between January 17 and 22.
She said: “As part of my role I was meeting and greeting people on the welcome desk and handed out leaflets on services they may not know about like personal budgets.
“The roadshows were fun because I got to meet lots of people and I felt I was providing an important and useful service.”
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