If you want to be part of it - please reply to this post and say what you can do/will do.
I have started it off here or more to the point continued what others did from 1998.
I will offer my experience and thoughts and a fair financial contribution.
Firstly, we need a website and a way of contacting by phone and being contacted by phone and letter so we also need a physical address - maybe a Post office Box number as long as there is someone willing to collect the mail and tell others so appropriate responses can be given.
We need to act as a charity and can then claim government support on any contributions from taxpayers.
Charity Registration can come later - so we need to have a bank account and someone to run it.
I suggest someone (younger than my 75 years) approaches NCVO as an early move
The big issue is decision making - informality can work well but eventually a structure is needed.
The key to an organisation is that no individual is more significant than any other and especially the views of those who are at variance with the majority need to be considered and not disregarded.
Nobody should be expected or allowed to do any job for more than an agreed time without a decision of the whole group.
Clear aims are needed.
I have probably said too much already so when you read this please reply with your top three ideas
I think there definitely needs to be a federated and/or coordinated approach. I think any new charity or social enterprise arising out of the ashes once the dust settles needs to have a sustainable operating/funding model.
I know some are angry about the collapse of the DF and are saying the new CEO was too inexperienced. I worked for a charitable organisation in my first job back in the mid-late 90s and I'm glad there was no finger pointing except at the TEC who cancelled our funding. Our then Chief Exec was something of a Europhile back when there were EU grants. though to be fair I'm not sure if there's as much to be had from anywhere in current troubled and unsettled times.
Tom
Moderator/Administrator
With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
I blame myself for not paying proper attention and attending annual general meetings since two bad experiences attending several years ago, when I concluded my sort of interest was not welcome. I assumed those elected as trustees at least had the skills to keep a functioning organisation even at a minimum level.
I have always thought the priorities should first be coordinating member meetings and collaboration at small self funded events in Church Halls and the like
DANDA failed for similar reasons because there were not active groups around the UK. Sadly organisation is a not a strong skill for most dyspraxics and we need support in to make and publicise arrangements in a co-ordinated way.
The lack of responses to this and another post elsewhere suggests people are not prepared to say what they can do and thus leave it to others to all our disadvantages.
Regrettably this forum is something of a backwater these days and doesn't get the level.of activity that many of the social media platforms get.
Also I think people are still in shock and/or waiting for more details to emerge.
I think the key questions and needs to be met are
How in the current climate can a sustainable model be created that meets the varied needs of parents looking for support for their children across great Britain.
Helping and supporting teens/young adults making the transition into their working lives
Help for adults who've been missed and are suffering/struggling to find their niche.
Help and support for older dyspraxics who are nearing or at the end of their working lives and whose needs may be missed or unmet by charities helping older people.
Cooperation and partnership with other orgs that can deliver support and opportunities without losing our dyspraxic identity.
A way to bring the community together or at least reduce division between those with different viewpoints
While people may feel understandably let down /angry about by DF's excecutive team's failure to prevent the charity's collapse, I'd challenge anyone to be able to keep a small disability charity afloat in the current climate. If there's no money, there's no money.
Tom
Moderator/Administrator
With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
Regrettably that link doesn't work for me and I'm wondering if it's a post in a closed, members only group?
I'm aware that former employees of the DF are looking to preserve and make available online, the info that was available on the DF's website.
Tom
Moderator/Administrator
With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
Updated. Now I've had chance to look more closely at the link on my main computer I see it's in the DyspraxiaUK group on FB. Regrettably I'm not rejoining that group any time soon on a matter of principle.
Tom
Moderator/Administrator
With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
