One Place East For Change
What is One Place East for Change?
One Place East for Change (OPEC) is dedicated to supporting change both within One Place East but also in our wider society, especially when it come to access to services and support for Disabled people.
Over the past year, we have been involved in many activities, including:
Campaigning
Working with groups and experts to identify key issues—such as transport and access to local services—that our community needs to address.
Community Involvement
Organising consultations with council colleagues and running a husting for local MP candidates to ensure our community’s voice is heard.
Collaboration
Meeting with leaders from organisations like the Alliance for Inclusive Education and Inclusion London to explore the Social Model of Disability and effective campaign strategies.
Representation
Participating in internal meetings (e.g. Learning Disability Partnership Board, service user networks) to stay connected with broader developments in the disability sector.
Our once‐monthly meeting tried to bring all these elements together into one session. However, this approach spread our time and focus too thinly, leaving little opportunity to tackle any single area with the depth it requires. Group members are therefore keen to try a different approach going forwards.
A New, Focused Approach for Future Meetings:
To better serve our community, we’re introducing a two‐tier meeting structure:
- Campaign Priority Meetings (Twice Monthly): These sessions will be action-focused and informal, giving us dedicated time to develop practical campaign strategies and steps that can lead to real change.
- Information Sharing Meetings (Monthly): These meetings will serve as a concise roundup of updates. We’ll share feedback from service user networks, insights from training programs, reports from external forums, and key points from the One Place East Board—keeping everyone informed.
Together We Can Make a Difference
We know the year ahead presents significant challenges for people with disabilities. Community members are regularly describing their frustrations that include:
Continued difficulties accessing appropriate health care services and support
Worries related to DWP benefit changes
Frustrations at the lack of accessible, affordable and safe transport
The One Place East for Change group has agreed that revising the meeting format will help strengthen our collective voice and ensure that every concern is given the attention it deserves. We’re excited about this new direction and invite both current and new members to join us as we work together to create meaningful change.
Thank you for your continued commitment to One Place East for Change. We look forward to building a stronger, more focused community with your help.