Frustration at findings

Press, 6 October 1987, Page 9

Frustration at findings

Frustration at being unable to force changes in the Canterbury Sheltered Workshop Association was expressed at a meeting last evening by a group concerned about the running of the workshop. “What is going to make them (the association’s ruling council) change?” asked one woman.

About 25 staff, former staff, parents of trainees, and other concerned persons met Mr Richard Higham, the author of a recent report on the activities of the workshop. They questioned his findings and his lack of comment on the well-being of the handicapped trainees at the workshop.

“I find it a very serious lack in the report that it makes no references at all to the trainees themselves,” said Mrs Helen Garrett “Their wellbeing, their happiness, and their state of mind are not mentioned.”

Many of the group had applied to become members of the associations, but had had their applications declined. Only members can vote in council elections, and at the last annual meeting of the association only members were allowed to attend. “How can we change anything if we are not allowed to become members of the association?” said one woman.

Mr Higham said the procedures of the association were “out of kilter” with what could be expected but it had not done anything illegal. Many of the people present felt that Mr Bigham’s report merely repeated criticisms made in a 1981 report, and that there was nothing which could force the management to change. Mr Higham suggested that the group Sheltered Workshop present the Association with names of "trusted” people to go on the proposed new board of trustees.

He said that the group had managed to force the association to undergo an

independent review, which he had just completed, and it could continue to put pressure on the associations.

At the end of the meeting, the group resolved to continue working towards the "improved, open and democratic operation of the Canterbury Sheltered Workshop Association."

“We need a structure where we can discucss the problems of the association . internally," said Mr Richard Cotterill. “We do not want to drag this through the papers and television, but at the moment there is ' no alternative for people with grievances.”