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Viewpoint
Chairperson
My name is Stephen Browne and I am the Chairperson of ‘Viewpoint’ – Sunbeam’s Self-Advocacy Group. We are a rights-based group that meet once a month to speak up for ourselves and for all men and women who attend Sunbeam. Viewpoint works together with Sunbeam management to make sure people have an equal say in how services are provided.
“Viewpoint believes in the motto ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).”
Stephen Browne
Viewpoint ChairpersonViewpoint speaks up and takes action on issues that are of concern to us and our fellow colleagues. These are issues that affect our daily lives. Our motto is: ‘Talk To Me Not About Me’.
F.A.Q.
About Viewpoint
Viewpoint is the self-advocacy group for adults who attend Sunbeam House Services (SHS). The group provides a space where people can share their views, raise concerns, discuss important issues, and work together to influence change. Viewpoint is built on the principle that the voices of people who use services should be heard and respected, ensuring that decisions are guided by the message: “Nothing About Us Without Us.”
Viewpoint supports people to learn about their rights, speak up on issues that matter to them, and take part in shaping their communities, services, and society. Through meetings, campaigns, presentations, consultations, and community projects, members work together to promote inclusion, equality, and human rights.
Promoting Rights and Inclusion
One of Viewpoint's most significant pieces of work has been the development and promotion of the Viewpoint Charter of Rights. The Charter was created to place rights at the centre of everything SHS does, support the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), and encourage meaningful conversations about rights across services and communities. Viewpoint also helped create easy-to-understand rights information for people supported by SHS.
Join Viewpoint - Talk to Us!
Viewpoint welcomes all adults who attend SHS services. The group wants to hear people's voices, concerns, ideas, and aspirations. By joining Viewpoint, members can meet new people, learn about their rights, influence change, and help create a more inclusive future for everyone.
Together, Viewpoint is helping to ensure that the voices of people with disabilities are heard, valued, and acted upon at local, regional, and national levels.
If you would like to join please email: Viewpoint@sunbeam.ie or contact Tracey McKenna on 086 1300734. .
Want to find out more about Viewpoint? Why not chat with one of our members? They can tell you about the group, the campaigns and projects they have worked on, and how Viewpoint helps people make their voices heard. We love welcoming new people and sharing what we do.
Projects and Campaigns
Over the years, Viewpoint members have been involved in a variety of projects and advocacy initiatives, including:
Human Rights Advocacy
- Supporting the relaunch of the Viewpoint Charter of Rights.
- Producing a Staying Safe video to promote the right to safety.
- Sharing stories that highlight rights in action, including the right to work, education, housing, and community participation.
National Advocacy and Campaigning
- Speaking at Leinster House about inclusive education and the need for improved funding for transport, health, social, and personal supports.
- Working alongside Inclusion Ireland on national rights-based campaigns.
- Contributing to the"1,000 Voices, One Message: Invest in Our Rights" campaign, highlighting issues related to education, housing, health, and the cost of disability.
Community Education
- Delivering disability awareness presentations in the community.
- Speaking to Transition Year students about disability rights and inclusion.
- Encouraging greater understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities.
Creative and Heritage Projects
- Creating a Covid Time Capsule project documenting people's experiences during the pandemic.
- Donating the Time Capsule video to the National Library of Ireland, ensuring that the voices and experiences of people with disabilities are preserved as part of the national record.
Influencing SHS Services
- Supporting service users to participate in staff recruitment through interview skills training and recruitment panels.
- Raising issues affecting people's everyday lives, including transport, social opportunities, communication, employment, and access to supports.