Petition Tag - funding

When a party fails to reach the required number of seats in an election they don't automatically get funding as an opposition, they get the same pay rates as any other MP or senator. The Prime Minister has the power to, and normally does give them opposition status.

The purpose of this petition is to let the next Australian Prime Minister know we do not want that to happen.

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An early years experience can transform people's lives.
It's too important to lose!

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21st November 2012

The Australian Federal Government, Department of Health quietly announced the withdrawal of
70% funding for the chemotherapy drug - Docetexal.

Grave concern has been expressed by Health providers, insurers and consumers.

If this funding is withdrawn, this sets a dangerous precedent for any other cancer treatment or vital medical treatment.

We are protesting the withdrawal of this funding and any future funding for cancer treatments and life threatening illness treatments.

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The current waiting list for Microarray testing in Wales is 5 years, because the Welsh Assembly do not fund for it.
My plan is to change that with your help.

Why is it important that they fund for this test?
This test can help doctors to diagnose conditions in babies, children and adults.

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Currently the City of Halifax drastically underfunds its large arts organizations compared to other Cities in Canada. Recent annual grants were at approximately $18,000 for Symphony Nova Scotia compared to $500,000 in London, a similar-sized Canadian City with a similar-sized orchestra.

A City with a strong infrastructure for funding its orchestra ensures continued health of its arts community. This is a benchmark for attracting new businesses and citizens to the area. Without sufficient City funding, organizations like Symphony Nova Scotia struggle to make ends meet and cannot implement meaningful initiatives such as innovative programming and education programs for outreach to the youth of our communities.

With the huge financial gains HRM makes from having a vibrant and innovative arts community, it makes sense to create infrastructure for ongoing yearly appropriate funding that doesn't require ongoing re-application. HRM needs to fund at a level that ensures the lasting health and prosperity of such organizations as Symphony Nova Scotia, the Atlantic Film Festival, Brookes Diamond Productions, 2b Theatre Company, Dalhousie Centre for the Arts, Mermaid Theatre, Theatre Nova Scotia, Halifax Pop Explosion, Onelight Theatre, LiveArt Dance, Eastern Front Theatre, Music Nova Scotia, Neptune Theatre, Halifax Dance, Scotia Festival of Music and all local writers and publishers and visual artists.

You can share this petition by going to the top left of the page and clicking on "Tell" or forward this petition link to your email and social media lists. Thank you!

Your civic and email addresses are not visible on the internet.

www.snsplayersassociation.ca

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Taking effect in 2013, the government intends altering teacher- student funding ratios, and to cease the funding of specialist technology teachers in Intermediate Schools.

The staff within New Zealand schools work very hard to provide all children with a broad, engaging and challenging curriculum. And realistic class sizes and specialist technology teachers have been fundamental platforms upon which schools throughout New Zealand have developed this engaging and challenging learning environment for their students.


The government has also suggested Boards of Trustees have choices when addressing these changes. Schools have been advised to redistribute their limited funding to maintain suitable class sizes and the teaching of Technology. The choices many school boards face are these: either they increase homeroom class sizes to 40, or they no longer offer Technology as part of the curriculum.

The consequences of either choice would be devastating to New Zealand schools, and to our children's education. The current homeroom class size allows teachers to work with children personally and as members of small reading, writing and other peer groups. Class sizes of 40 would severely compromise this from 2013 onward. And secondly, we know how important the art, cooking, specialist ICT, and hard/soft materials classes are to our children.

New Zealand schools would be much less vibrant places without Technology in our children's day.

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The nursery at Poppleton Ousebank School will close 1 week earlier than the school - Friday 13th July. (This is to enable staff to undertake home visits that have historically taken place in September when the child begins at the nursery).

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Honourable James Moore
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A5

March 20, 2012

Dear Minister Moore,

The BC Touring Council is a not-for-profit organization serving presenters and touring professional artists for over 35 years. Included in BCTC’s purposes is to support the work of regional performing arts presenters through a networking marketplace, and to promote and support the coordination of tours for primarily BC and Canadian artists.

The vitality of the presenting and touring sector is demonstrated with nearly $1,000,000 to be paid to BC artists, and another $746,000 going to Canadian artists, in this current season. The vitality of presenting is clearly demonstrated during the 2011-12 season when BC presenters paid $1.8 million in artist fees for over 500 performances in their communities. The revenue is anticipated to exceed $5.25 million.

The BC Touring Council works with more than 90 presenters in every part of British Columbia. These include volunteer organizations, festivals, municipalities, universities and schools, all of which share a common passion of supporting and developing artists, and building community.

With continued support for 20 years from Canadian Heritage, the BC Touring Council has hosted its signature event, Pacific Contact; a 3-day annual trade show and booking conference bringing together over 200 presenters, performing artists and artist management and agencies.

The conference includes:
• Over 40 juried live performing showcases;
• The ‘Contact Room’ where the buying and selling of shows occurs;
• Professional development;
• Networking opportunities with peers from across the province and the country.

In January, with less than three months before Pacific Contact, the BC Touring Council was informed that our funding request to the Canada Arts Presentation Fund was not approved. This represents a cut of approximately 25% of the budget. After a long history of funding, and without forewarning, the complete cut was a blow to the organization and members.

As a testament to the recognized value of this conference and the work of BC Touring Council, many supply companies and individuals offered deep discounts and personal donations to ensure the March 2012 event will be successful. The BCTC board and staff also adopted a number of cost-reducing measures. This is not a sustainable situation.

BC Touring Council Directors and staff have taken steps to understand the rationale for the withdrawal of funding including several meetings with officers from Canadian Heritage. We would like to know what funding criteria we did not meet this year that we have been meeting since 1992.

The real beneficiaries of the work of the BC Touring Council are the communities and residents of BC. Located in smaller communities throughout BC, our many members are volunteer organizations that wholly depend on the work of the BC Touring Council to introduce them to new performing artists, and to support their efforts in providing a variety of professional artistic experiences in their communities.

The BC Touring Council is one of a number of presenting and touring art service organizations across the country. The BC Touring Council is the only provincial presenting arts service organization in the country to have its Canadian Heritage funding withdrawn. With provincial arts funding already one of the lowest in the country, this cut will further impact the ability of the BC Touring Council to support presenting in the communities throughout the province. The loss of funding in BC also weakens the entire Canadian touring and presenting sector.

Funding support to the BC Touring Council from Canadian Heritage is vital and essential and we believe continues to meet the CAPF program objective which is to give Canadians access to a variety of professional artistic experiences in their communities. We ask that you reconsider our application and to restore Canadian Heritage funding to the BC Touring Council so that we can continue to support the work of artists across Canada and presenters in communities in British Columbia.

Sincere regards,

Margo Gram
Chair, BC Touring Council
Manager, Centennial Theatre North Vancouver

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Sign up to ask the Federal Government to help pay for Frankston’s new pool so ratepayers don’t carry the full burden…

• Research indicates there is a gap in the region for quality aquatic leisure and well-being facilities;

• The proposed aquatic centre at Samuel Sherlock Reserve, Frankston is a regional aquatic solution, creating a contemporary purpose built space providing long-term health and well-being benefits, hundreds of local jobs and an estimated 500,000 visitors to the region each year;

• The previous Victorian Government has already invested $12.5 million to the project, this is to ask for a contribution from the Federal Government;

• The proposed features of the aquatic centre will include: a 51.5m Olympic size swimming pool; a learn to swim and leisure pool with play area; café; gymnasium; waterslides; splash deck; warm water therapy pool, spa and sauna; crèche; and health and wellness centre.

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The music group "Raise the Bar" was created by Mick Quinn – musician/singer and qualified working special Ed teacher, to provide a social network and creative outlet for youth with differing abilities and their families.

"Raise the Bar" perform a range of popular songs, with members participating at their own individual level . It is very interactive – whether by singing, percussive beat and rhythm, dancing or simply quiet enjoyment. The focus of the group being - teamwork, fun and socialisation.

Concerts/social nights are held every 2 months at the same venue. This is a wonderful opportunity for group members to perform in front of family, friends and other community groups. Parents get to unwind, have a few drinks and enjoy a range of local entertainment including the successes of their son or daughter, as well as socializing with other families in their community.

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The proposed cuts to the 'Supporting People' funding for A2Dominion Sheltered Housing sites within the borough will adversly affect the physical, mental and practical support for the elderly and vulnerable residents resulting in the loss of their Sheltered Housing officer (Warden).

The residents currently believe that their well-being, safety on site, site management (housing stock), mental and physical health are greatly cared for under scheme as it currently stands. That the Care Line system is not adequate to replace this, that the quality of support will diminish rapidly and be another faceless representation of community care.

The consultation deadline is 31 October 2011 so this is URGENT please. The council must receive our views so you can sign this petition and /or write to Representations, Supporting People Team, Third Floor Orange, Perceval House, Uxbridge Road,Ealing,London W5 2HL or by e-mail:spteam@ealing.gov.uk.

THANK YOU, we really need and value your help.

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From The Age, 14th July 2011:

"State government plans to slash library funding
Reid Sexton

VICTORIA'S public libraries could face shorter opening hours and cuts to internet services and other projects after a Baillieu government decision to slash funding.

The multimillion-dollar cut to operating costs has left councils scrambling to make up the shortfall, with the Municipal Association of Victoria saying the revelation came as a shock.

The association says it will leave councils with around $5.7 million less to spend on libraries over the next four years while opposition local government spokesman Richard Wynne has warned it will punish some of the poorest people in Victoria.

Councils and regional library corporations, which are run as joint ventures by regional councils, learnt about it in a letter sent as part of the Public Libraries Grant Program earlier this month.

The letter was written by Local Government Victoria, which is part of the Department of Planning and Community Development, and outlined how much libraries were to receive from the program over the next four-year funding period.

Municipal Association of Victoria president Bill McArthur said the cut was the result of the government reducing the overall funding amount and removing its indexation.

Mr McArthur said the loss would affect IT services and staffing, raising the possibility of reduced opening hours.

''We are surprised and shocked because there was no notification, no consultation it was just one letter that said … [funding] has decreased,'' he said.

''They [have] failed to consider the impact on communities or library services.''

Recent departmental figures show Victoria has around 290 permanent libraries and 26 mobile libraries, with 2.5 million Victorians members of their local libraries.

In March Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell said the Coalition was a strong advocate for improving libraries in Victoria.

And in a 2006 policy statement, the then Liberal opposition said Labor provided a ''miserable'' 19.9 per cent of the overall cost of running public libraries.

But Mr McArthur said that figure had slipped to 19.2 per cent in the 2009-10 financial year and was likely to fall further under the new arrangements.

''The government has made a number of statements that says it supports libraries and that it recognises them as important community assets, but their actions don't support those words,'' he said.

Numerous councils have expressed deep concern over the cut, with City of Hobsons Bay mayor Michael Raffoul saying it would cost the municipality at least $19,000 this financial year alone.

Moreland City acting mayor Alice Pryor said it would leave the council around $25,000 short this year. She said the council would have to look at cutting back staff levels and projects like Live in the Library, where musicians perform in the municipality's five libraries.

''That amount is half of someone's wage,'' she said.

''In … parts of our city, we are well below the average with people with computers at home.

''We do our best to provide those services but it's hard when our funding is cut.''

Mr Wynne said the cut would affect those people who used a library to access services they could otherwise not afford.

''This is a cruel cut which means that core services of libraries will be diminished,'' he said.

It is understood the government will provide around $32 million in operational funding over the next four years.

A government spokesman did not respond directly to the association's concerns but said it had provided around $55 million in the budget for library upgrades, funding and key programs such as the Premier's Reading Challenge.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/state-government-plans-to-slash-library-funding-20110713-1hdyf.html#ixzz1S4vtHzRh"

Public libraries are an integral part of local communities and offer services and facilities that benefit everybody - not least those who cannot afford such things themselves. From 'Dollars, sense and public libraries: The landmark study of the socio-economic value of Victorian public libraries' (March 2011):

"Victorian public libraries return $3.56 for every $1 spent."

With such a return, how can any funding cuts possibly be justified...much less considered, in light of the incredible benefits public libraries bring to communities? The full report can be accessed here: http://www.publiclibrariesvictoria.net.au/sites/default/files/20110318%20SL_PublicReport_LoRes_FINAL_1.pdf

Let's band together to ensure the Baillieu Government understands what is at stake here - and that Victorian residents will not support this decision!

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I have seen homeless people on the street, but I never give them money because of fear that they would spend it on drugs and alcohol. This is not to due to prejudice at all; I would not give any stranger money because of this fear.

Homeless people are still people! One of the reasons why people are homeless is because they do not want to have to go into shelter because they do not want to lose their dogs. The answer to this would be to create more dog-friendly homeless shelters where the people have their own rooms where the dogs can be kept in to stop the risk of allergy in the other people. Another reason why people are homeless is due to not having enough money to afford household costs.

The answer to this too would be to use old buildings where possible and to build new homeless shelters, as well as to reduce household costs. Another common reason is due to family problems such as divorces and abuse. The solution to many of these domestic problems would be to promote the charity Samaritans more so that they can talk to these people.

If we do not help the homeless, they will be less inclined to want to help us if we ever need help for them. Also, we need to consider the people themselves as well. How would you like to have to sleep on a pavement all night and eat scraps and cheap food for your only meals?

As well as this, animal welfare may also suffer because they may sometimes get an even worse deal. This is not the homeless people's fault. Rather it is because they cannot afford good food and veterinary treatment for their dogs and live too far away from clinics that offer free animal health care.

In my vision, Homeless Awareness day would involve people from homeless charities coming around to different schools and collecting money as well as people who have been homeless before coming to do talks and answer students' questions about what it's like to live on the streets.

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What is happening schools? Children who should be on Individual Learning Plans because they are so far behind in literacy, are getting the same homework as the rest of the class.What's the point? Worse still ,are those children who need extra help ,one to one assistance,but due to no funding,they don't receive the help they need.

It is tragic,that more and more funding is being taken out of the classroom. It is a money game for the schools trying to balance and share out what meagre monies they do receive. They receive money for children with a formal diagnosis, but even that is not much in the scheme of things.

So, we see teacher's aids shared around the school, between children with the greatest need- usually literacy programmes are left to the over stretched classroom teachers, and thus we see children slipping further and further behind. If the school is lucky, they may have a specialist coming in once a week, who will write recommendations, but its up to the teacher to find the time and resources to implement.

Parents are very often brought in to help in the classroom, but these children need one to one individual help. So what is the answer?

Parents and teachers alike, must petition government at all levels to make literacy a priority.

Every child must have access to quality, individualised literacy intervention.

Sign this online petition and comment.

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It has been announced that funding will stop on the 31st December 2011 for for the Take a Break Occasional Child Care program provided at neighbourhood houses and community centres across Victoria.

This program provides a valuable service for carers to take a short break, they are affordable to all and encourage stronger, closer more caring communities.

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We are writing as a group of concerned students and staff in response to the announcement on 9 May 2011 to set undergraduate fees from 2012/13 £9000 per annum.

We are aware that this decision is being taken by Goldsmiths as a consequence of the coalition Government's policies on Higher Education and sharp cuts to HEFCE funding and understand that it is motivated by the necessity to make up for this funding loss whilst keeping the institution financially viable. We should be clear however that no level of fees offers safety for the principles of access and educational quality to which Goldsmiths is committed.

We agree with Goldsmiths Students Union’s opposition to a rise in fees and its statement that:

‘participation in Higher Education should be based on a student's ability to benefit from it, rather than their ability to pay. All society benefits from large numbers of graduates (who if they are fortunate enough to earn more will of course pay more in income tax). Public funds spent on Higher Education generate a huge return on investment and forcing the costs onto students through tuition fees is misguided, shortsighted and will deter students from less well-off backgrounds from applying.’

The consequences of the vast majority of universities in the country deciding to charge £9000 fees are going to be disastrous for access to higher education in England, and will dramatically affect prospects for social mobility. With the economic viability of the fee system in shreds (a 70% default is projected) its imposition is manifestly driven by a reckless ideology of privatisation.

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The school board and administration at Hobson Public School in Hobson, MT (http://www.hobson.k12.mt.us/joomla) is calling for the need to eliminate art programs in the high school curriculum.

They feel that the art program is an excuse for students to avoid doing actual work. However art has proven to be therapeutic and involve deeper trains of creative thought, and encouraging creativity in students is one of the reasons that keeps them coming to school. Art programs have proven to reduce stress levels in students as well as give them an outlet for necessary creative thought.

Many schools in cities across the country have eliminated art programs and faced the consequences of higher drop out rates. Since art has therapeutic effects such as eliminating anxiety and lifting depression, as well as rejuvenating the mind and body; Montana (who has the highest teen suicide rate in the nation) should utilize the effects art programs have on teenage minds.

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The United States has continued to funnel billions of dollars to the Pakistani armed forces in sophisticated weapons and cash – most recently a $3.4 billion package announced in October 2010 under the State Department’s Foreign Military Finance Program, and another $3 billion is scheduled to go to Pakistan this year.

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Sure Start is the Government's programme to support children and families by delivering the best start in life for every child and to help parents balance their work and family commitments.

Manchester's Sure Start children's centres are reshaping early years and family services all over the city, building on existing services, so that more young children and their parents can access high quality integrated services at neighbourhood level. Centres offer childcare, family support and a range of health, training and employment services depending on local need.

They’re somewhere your child can make friends and learn as they play. You can get professional advice on health and family matters, learn about training and job opportunities or just socialise with other people.

Children’s centres are developed in line with the needs of the local community so no one children’s centre is the same. However, there is a core set of services they must provide. Child and family health services, ranging from health visitors to breastfeeding support.

Most centres offer high quality childcare and early learning - those that don’t can help advise on local childcare options, advice on parenting, local childcare options and access to specialist services for families like speech therapy, healthy eating advice or help with managing money, help for you to find work or training opportunities, using links to local Jobcentre Plus offices and training providers.

IF SURE-START IS SO IMPORTANT WHY HAS MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL DECIDED STOP FUNDING IT?

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The South East Coast Specialist Commissioning Group (SECSCG), consider funding applications on behalf of Primary Care Trusts in Surrey, Sussex and Kent.

The SECSCG have placed a blanket ban on funding Cyberknife Stereotactic Radiotherapy, and state that they do not fund Cyberknife Stereotactic Radiotherapy under any circumstance. We argue that the grounds cited by SECSCG for this blanket ban do not meet Department of Health guidelines, are based purely on cost, and provide no evidence whatsoever that would support a blanket ban. We also argue that as Cyberknife is now becoming available within NHS Hospitals, and is funded by 28 PCT's in other parts of the Country, that this ban is a poor use of exisiting NHS resources, and is unjust.

Cyberknife is a specialist form of radiotherapy that is so accurate that it can be used on tumours that conventional radiotherapy cannot be used for - such as tumours in the Brain, Lungs, Liver, Spine etc. Additionally, because it is so accurate it can be used at a potentially curative dose.

Cyberknife radiotherapy is highly regarded amongst the medical profession. There are currently over 200 Cyberknife Machines used around the world, and it has been the subject of over 400 peer reviews. Mount Vernon NHS Hospital recently acquired Cyberknife and now accept patients. Similarly, The Royal Marsden, in London, St. James Hospital in Leeds and Derriford Hospital in Plymouth have also purchased Cyberknife, and will start accepting patients this year (2011).

NICE are still deciding if Cyberknife actually requires evaluation, but in the meantime the Department of Health have told PCT's that they must conduct their own reviews, and that these reviews must take account of the NHS Constitution and the Human Rights Act. Unfortunately, SECSCG have not conducted their own review, but have relied on a 2003 Canadian Public Health Report, which only considered the cost effectiveness of Cyberknife - not the clinical effectiveness. Furthermore, the report only considered cost effectiveness for the treatment of certain cancers. So, SECSCG have no evidence whatsoever that would support refusing to fund Cyberknife for all cancers (even just on cost grounds).

Twenty eight PCT's around the Country do fund Cyberknife, but not one of these is in Surrey, Sussex or Kent. This is not only unfair, but a crazy waste of NHS resources, given that we have Hospitals in the South East able to accept patients.

If we can successfully challenge the SECSCG, then other PCT's may recognise that they cannot refuse funding on such flimsy grounds.

Please sign the petition, and write to your MP now.

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Hampshire County Council is proposing to make cuts in the services they provide for people with learning disabilities.

Part of these cuts include the closure of Meadowcroft.

Meadowcroft is the only facility of its kind in the Rushmoor and Hart area and provides a life line to parents and carers knowing their dependant is happy in a safe familiar environment.

It is proposed to close Meadowcroft in August 2011 but it is hoped that a new facility will be built in 2015.

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Proposed cuts in public funding for ESOL

People who move to the UK need English language skills to access training, gain employment and participate in society. Enabling new arrivals and longer-term residents to fulfil their potential is essential. Migrants bring with them valuable skills, qualifications and experience which can lie untapped unless they have the chance to learn English.

The best way to achieve this is through publicly funded English language provision known as ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages).

Adequate and sustained funding of ESOL is not a luxury. It is an essential public service. This was recognized by Skills for Life, the national strategy for the improvement of adult literacy and numeracy. Thousands of migrants achieved levels of English which enabled them to join the jobs market, access training and participate more fully in their local communities. The strategy created a national curriculum for ESOL, training and qualifications for ESOL teachers and a research centre, the National Research and Development Centre. But now, the funding made available through the strategy is under threat and the good work begun by Skills for Life could be lost.

The government proposals indicate that:

- Full funding will be only be available for unemployed people on job-seeker’s allowance (JSA) or on employment support allowance (ESA), described as ‘active benefits’.

People on other benefits, described as ‘non-active benefits’, such as income support, or on low wages, and their dependants will have to pay the co-funded rate of 50% or the full cost of the course.

- Asylum seekers and people on Section 4 support will not be eligible for full public funding - they will be expected to pay 50%.

- There will be no public funding for ESOL in the workplace. Learners or employers will be expected to pay full cost.

- Since 2007, ESOL learners on benefits or low incomes have been able to get help towards fees from the discretionary Learner Support Fund for ESOL. We fear this will be unavailable in 2011-12.

- The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) grant which provided support for 16 - 18 year old ESOL learners will be withdrawn.

- The weighting for ESOL and Literacy, which was reduced from 1.4 to 1.2 in 2009, is to be further reduced to 1.0.

We predict devastating effects on ESOL provision, teachers' jobs and ESOL students. We believe that people on low wages, women and asylum seekers are likely to be worst hit.

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The citizens of Rural America face challenges daily attempting to access healthcare. Awareness of the issues that Rural residents face when obtaining healthcare needs to be publicized.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services has made a tremendous effort to bring awareness to the many barriers of healthcare for Rural Americans by publicizing many documents and through an informative website www.Healthcare.gov . Shockingly almost one third of adults living in rural areas are in poor to fair health. This shocking statistic is a result of the lack of access to adequate healthcare in rural areas.

Adequate healthcare is difficult to obtain in Rural America. The rural communities of America lack primary care physicians, adequate funding for health programs and preventive healthcare. Residents of Rural America struggle to obtain transportation to obtain healthcare because there are few local physicians and the healthcare providers available are a distance away. Many low income and impoverished rural families do not have transportation or their transportation is limited.

Like any other citizen insurance and unaffordable costs are factors hindering rural Americans from obtaining healthcare. The economic downfall has caused a rise in unemployment rates as well as the number of uninsured. Many Rural Americans are either uninsured or underinsured not able to cover the costs of healthcare. The government implemented and funded programs are not publicized in rural areas as much as they are in urban areas. The resources that larger and more urban areas have should also be available to rural America.

Government officials have continuously overlooked the issues that hinder so many families from obtaining healthcare. Many of the rural communities do not even have a local hospital or any type of educational health programs. There are very few almost no free health screening in rural areas. The rural community cannot be over looked any more the health of Rural American communities is suffering. Sign this petition to bring awareness to these issues and solutions and funding to Better the Healthcare for Rural America.

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Barnet Council proposes to withdraw all funding for Barnet Museum from 1 April 2011.

The museum was established in 1938 to house Barnet and District Local History Society's extensive collection and provides a centre for Barnet studies for all age groups and for enquirers from all over the world. It is entirely staffed by volunteers many of whom have a great deal of local knowledge and is an irreplaceable, Barnet resource for local schools and neighbouring Barnet College.

We believe that the museum belongs in the historic town of Barnet and should remain there with its dedicated staff.

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In the Comprehensive Spending Review the Con Dem Government decided to scrap EMA, an allowance of between £10 and £30 per week, which is currently paid to 16-19 year olds continuing in further education and training, from households with incomes below £30,000.

EMA has had a fantastic impact in Sheffield, last year it helped over 6,000 16-19 year olds to continue in post-16 education and training. The decision to scrap it will impact on the life-chances of young people from Sheffield and will particularly disadvantage young people in lower socio-economic groups and from minority backgrounds.

We also urge you to support the national Save EMA Campaign, which has been endorsed by Shadow Education Secretary Andy Burnham http://saveema.co.uk/

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Central Government cuts in funding to Haringey Council threaten the loss of 51 school improvement staff based at Haringey Professional Development Centre. These staff have helped to raise pupil achievement by providing:

• Training courses for newly qualified teachers;
• Quality CPD for serving teachers and school leaders;
• Initiatives that promote healthy schools ;
• Out of hours study support for needy pupils;
• Advice for young people on sex and relationships;
• Expertise in helping schools deal with bullying, drugs
and alcohol;
• Strategic and day to day support with ICT;
• Training for teachers who help children who are left
behind in reading;
• Projects which have set up French and Spanish
teaching in 95% of our primary schools;
• Projects which involve parents in their children’s
learning;
• Advice and support which improves schools and
prepares them for OFSTED inspections;
• Specialist subject support with Maths, English and
Science;
• Training for school staff in moderating assessments
• Support for SENCO’s and for school staff working with
pupils with specific difficulties such as Down Syndrome
and Dyslexia
• Advice for schools on raising the attainment of black
and minority ethnic children and those with English as
an Additional Language;
• Support for parents from ethnic minority communities;
• Help for schools to promote community languages;

Schools will be left without this support from April 2011 unless these cuts are stopped.

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For years students such as myself have been planning what they will do with their lives. Many of us intended to go on to university to study hard, have fun and then make something of our lives. That whole dream can exist for anyone from any background.

The university fees have already been put up for the class of 2012 forcing us to all have to consider alternative routes if there are indeed any and then the EMA bonuses were stopped and now there is talk of totally scrapping EMA all together. I ask how is it fair that the cuts to education are ALL affecting the students born of 1993 and 1994? There are people on job seekers allowance who sit at home doing nothing while the people in education do not even receive half of what they do.

There are people who i know for a fact don't work because they are ex addicts that earn more than my mother who works in a job she hates just to keep our heads above water. understandably they need the money as they are listed as unable to work yet they are able to do voluntary work that they enjoy and spending time at home with their children where as working parents are not. Money has begun to be more valuable than flesh, blood and bone, the human race. How can it be argued that that is right in any kind of way?

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Individuals with Developmental Disabilities are having Adult Day Program hours and services cut and sometimes eliminated when they are funded through the Medical Assistance program in Maryland. Individuals, caregiver's and care providers and teams that support them have requested that their Adult Day Program funding be switched to DDA funding.

Individuals who have their services cut are experiencing differences in services from those funded through the developmental disabilities administration. Elimination of tracking, reviewing and reporting of social/learning goals, community activities and a drastic cut in the amount of hours that they will be served are some of the services being affected.

This is placing an insurmountable burden on caregiver’s and family members and the individuals with developmental disabilities that are in need of these services.

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Following the deaths Charlie & Kian Jones from a congenital heart defect (CHD) called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), the Charlie Jones Foundation was established.

They endeavour to raise awareness into HLHS and to also fundraise for our local PICU.

CHD's a the number one killer in babies and many often go undetected until the child dies and a post mortem is carried out. There is hardly any research into heart defects in this country yet the Government plough money into cancer research when statistics show that the highest number of infant and child deaths is due to a heart defect and not cancer.

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Monash University is currently withholding 50% of Monsu Peninsula's 2010 funding in breach of the funding agreement they signed in 2007.

Without these funds, Monsu Peninsula cannot continue to provide students with the services that they are renowned for. From Thursday 16 September, all student union services will have to be suspended until the grant monies are paid in full by Monash University.

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