From big to small . . .

Julian has been attending services in Chesterfield for many years now, he was one of around 180 learners who attended the large day centre ‘Ringwood’ when MacIntyre took over supporting individuals in Chesterfield and NE Derbyshire.

This story tells of the change from a traditional large day centre to a smaller community based hub and the positive impact that, and our way of working, has had on Julian’s life.

Julian spent a lot of his time in Ringwood not doing a great deal, preferring to sit alone or in a very small group of friends throughout the day. He showed little or no interest in joining activities.

Julian was supported to make an informed choice as to which new hub he wished to attend and following a thorough consultation he elected to move to the New Square hub in the centre of Chesterfield.

In the early days at New Square Julian continued to not engage with either activities or staff, continuing as he had been doing for many years now. However, slowly, and with lots of small and positive interactions from staff, Julian started to express more and more interest in participating and staff identified that Julian wanted to learn how to make a hot drink.

Julian did not always vocalise when he wished to make a drink and at times would attempt to do it independently. This was congratulated by staff and positive encouragement was given along with appropriate support to ensure Julian was aware of the potential risks associated with the task. The staff team were required to be extra observant in recognising when Julian wished to make a drink so that they could respond and offer the appropriate support. After about 3 months Julian was able to make drinks independently and safely, and he continues to do so.

Julian's success within this task has resulted in him wishing to make further developments and become more involved in the running of the hub. He is now an active member of the kitchen team that cleans down after lunch, helping with the washing up, and is starting to attend the weekly hub meetings.

Julian’s development over the last year has been tremendous and proven beyond any doubt that working in a facilitative way, in a smaller setting with a person centred focus and positive re-enforcement, has enabled him to become more independent and start to fulfil some of his goals. Each member of the staff team has played their part in Julian’s development and continues to do so. He has acted as an inspiration to everyone and we are all very excited about the future development of the learners we support across the Chesterfield hubs.

Simon Birds
Senior Learning Support Worker, Chesterfield

Bread and butter issues

Q: What’s the best thing since sliced bread?

A: Toast

I recently attended the next wave of Great Interactions training.

As an activity, we worked out that...

...there are 52 steps to making a piece of toast.

From removing the lid of the bread bin...

...FIFTY TWO STEPS...

...to achieving mouth wateringly, worth every effort, hot buttered toast!

So what now?

If making toast requires 52 steps, then other ‘bread and butter’ activities may need to be made into steps too. For example, ‘breakfast time’ requires many steps, an array of supporting signs and visual prompts, as well as clear and concise verbal support.

We continue to support in a way which enables everyone to be included and develop skills, no matter what they are doing.

Our understanding of the next wave of great interactions and facilitating to support continual progression, alongside our signing skills, provide the concept and framework for this.

What follows is just one example of our NEW communication tool; ‘Pictures Paint’, which seeks to communicate to everyone, every time, the important steps of any particular routine.

By breaking down what we are trying to achieve into steps, it is much more likely that we will have success. The person is being actively involved, taking control and learning new skills. It’s definitely about the small things. Step by step.

The next step for us is...

‘Putting a key into a lock, turning it and opening a door’,

Certainly more control...

...but that’s another ‘Pictures Paint’

Roma Taylor, Senior Support Worker

Great Interactions in Action

There is a small, but very well formed staff team at Oxford Lifelong Learning; one that is conscientious, hard-working and committed to providing the best possible support for the people who access the Learning Centre. Seeing the Great Interactions policy being taken on board so fully, and implemented into everything within the Learning Centre, has given me great pleasure. Staff, volunteers and students have also enthusiastically welcomed the policy and the Great Interactions book.

But it is seeing Great Interactions in action that has moved me most and I want to share an example of this.

I was supporting ‘The Friendship Ring’ at one of their Tuesday sessions and it was a musical night of, singing, dancing and playing instruments. Everyone was having fun and beginning to relate to each other in a deeper way, but I was struck by one particular interaction that I saw taking place. One of our learners finds it harder to step forward and tends to hold back from full engagement in activities, but this all changes when he can share in the fun of making music. What impressed me so much was seeing how the principles of Great Interactions turned what might have been a solitary and internalised pleasure into an outgoing, sharing, and empowering activity. I saw eye contact, positioning, warmth, creativity, responsiveness, and good communication turn a lone individual into a fully participant member of a music group.

There can be no doubt that when we experience ‘Great Interactions’ we are left feeling satisfied and valued. However, the benefits are not just for the recipients of consciously or naturally inspired Great Interactions, but also for those of us that put it into practise. I have seen how it gives us a valuable key to unlock the potential that all our learners have within them.

Penny Canwell
Locality Manager