Activities
Working from a strengths-based approach enables us to be person centred and look at a collaborative process that draws on the strengths of the individual and assets within their support network and how these can fit into their community.
With all existing and new service users we offer an inhouse service that focuses on individuals’ goals and aspirations. A Support Worker will offer some short bursts of 1:1 time in order to have an open conversation with the individual to discuss their goals and aspirations and how they can realistically be achieved. The goals may be big or small, achievable or unachievable, but it is goals they set that enables progression and inspire them to work towards achieving. The most important aspect of our role in supporting them is to engage individuals to look ahead and consider how to achieve their goals, they may believe some goals to be ‘off limits’ to someone with a disability. Some of the individuals’ goals may relate to many of the activities that we offer at MCH, this also encourages others to think ‘outside of the box’ when it comes to personal strengths and abilities.
We offer a selection of activities both internally and externally, the activities within MCH include cookery and life skills, arts and crafts, sports, horticulture, computers/iPad training, performing arts, multi-sensory/desensitisation work, dancing, keep fit, health and wellbeing sessions, healthy relationship discussions, visits from Podiatry and other agencies for example the learning disability team and Healthy Cornwall. Activities are person centered and ever changing to meet the needs of those who choose our day opportunities service.
In line with our contract with Cornwall Council and our strengths based perspective, all service users have the opportunity to regularly engage and access services within the local community. You'll often see us out and about, at the leisure centre, attending a partnership board or scoring a strike at the bowling centre.
By enabling all individuals to have a voice they chose where they want to go and the venue, some examples have been attending a local church, library, museum, shopping at local shops, swimming, attending a Halloween Disco, sports events and meeting with other services which strengthens their links and friendships. We go for walks which includes clay or forest walks and beach trips. As an example of being a person centered service, a service user who is a keen photographer, so we supported the a group to the poppy fields near Newquay, they found this a wonderful experience and the interested photographer is now compiling the photos in order to produce his own calendar. The group also go on much loved pub lunches, they are encouraged to order their own food/drink of their choice and we promote their independence by enabling them to go to the counter and pay for their meal and drink themselves, they find this particularly good for confidence building.
We work in partnership with other agencies and attend (with members of the group) to our regular Learning Disability Partnership Board. We normally have a group of 5 or 6 who like to attend and the subjects are varied but all comment on being able to ‘have a voice’ and feel that they are being listened to. We are regularly asked ‘when is the next meeting?’. We have strong links with Cornwall Council and use the facilities of Health Watch Cornwall and promote this to the group.
We provide a healthy eating scheme; we have fresh fruit available to all individuals, with a ‘help yourself’ policy. We encourage those that are able to make themselves a hot drink to do so, they often extend this by making drinks for their friends and peers.