Changing Our Lives has appointed Daniel McNamee as a part-time paid Self-Advocacy Officer for Mental Health. He will be working across our mental health projects, auditing services, supporting Patient Councils and developing a new mental health People's Parliament. Dan said:  "I am really pleased and am looking forward to my new job at Changing Our Lives.  I hope to use my own experience to put into my new role as a self advocacy officer to make a difference and make sure that the rights of people with mental health and disabilities issues are spoken for and maintained.  I want to make sure that the services and treatment are the best they can be and if not I hope I can make change.  Getting this job has made me to chuffed to bits and has made me feel like I have a purpose. I look forward to working with the team and can't wait to start".

Changing Our Lives champions the employment of people with disabilities and has for the past ten years employed people with disabilities as part of the staff team. Some of these positions have been part-time fixed term contracts and some people have been paid as self-employed consultants. Jayne Leeson, Chief Executive of Changing Our Lives said, "Employing people with disabilities not only means we are putting into practice what we preach, but in my experience the people with disabilities we employ are hard working, committed, rarely have time off sick, understand the issues experienced by their peers and are the best placed to champion disability issues."

Changing Our Lives recently received funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to work on an exciting new project that researches the history of people with learning disabilities and mental health needs in secure settings since 1948. The project is extremely significant because it will also explore the lives and experiences of a group of local people who have used secure hospitals. We hope to uncover how it felt to stay in secure settings, what treatment people had and to find out how life has changed for people who are now living in the community again.

In common with much of our work, the project is built upon co-production, and sees Changing Our Lives working closely with a group of self-advocates who have previous experience of researching historical issues affecting the lives of people with learning disabilities. The group will do a number of things with the information that we learn including creating an accessible website and a book.

We are always interested in capturing people's stories and experiences and would welcome the chance to talk with people with learning disabilities who have used secure hospitals who would like to be part of this project. For more information please contact Ruth Clinton on 0121 533 7174.

Following a truly fantastic evening at the Spotlight 2012 Final last November we are ready to welcome old and new performers to this year's Open Mic nights.  
Spotlight is a celebration of the often hidden artistic talents of people with disabilities across the Black Country. Leading up to the grand final at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on 31st January 2014 (we've really thought big this year!), there will be regular open mic nights where anyone can perform. Talent Scouts will select acts to compete for the title of Spotlight Winner.  So, whatever you're good at – dance, song, comedy, drama - get in touch and book your slot to share your talent with all of us. We look forward to seeing you, the dates for your diary are:

19th April, 6-8pm - Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton
24th May, 6-8pm - Dudley College
19th July, 6-8pm - The Public, West Bromwich
20th September, 6-8pm - Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton
22nd November, 6-8pm - Dudley College