Go that extra mile, or even a few inches!!! To have a positive interaction and make a difference to someone’s life.
Often people say to me “Oh the people you support in your service are always:
· So busy”
· Doing exciting new things”
· Going to new places”
· Being recognised in The Mag” which is an excellent place for people to show and celebrate their achievements.
This does not happen without a lot of hard work from a dedicated and motivated staff team. Since I have been lucky enough to participate in the Great Interaction training I have been able to pass this learning to my staff team and this alone has made the team more motivated and excited about their role. Instead of just offering the support that people have asked for, or providing just enough stimuli to achieve a contented and happy life, they all use their facilitation skills, which some of them have had to really think about, to sow the seed of excitement and achievement.
Our team moto is - Tell us and we will listen
The staff team listen and respond to requests from people they support, in weekly meetings and monthly reviews, but they are also more subtly picking up on titbits of conversation and observing body language and comments made when people are watching TV, doing a hobby or activity or even looking at magazines. We try to be reflective and to come up with ways of supporting people to achieve as much as they can.
Last year a new person moved into Newborough Close. Ann needed full time support as she had lived with her Mum all of her life and her Mum had done everything for her. Over the first few months staff got to know Ann and observed that she could actually do some things for herself with little support or just a few prompts. Staff started to ‘step back’ and Ann began to take control. It took a little longer for tasks to be achieved but with patience, just the right amount of prompts and plenty of praise Ann grew more confident. She was so pleased to be able to do things that she had never done before.
As the weeks and months went by, Ann progressed by leaps and bounds and the more she achieved the more her confidence grew. Staff were constantly thinking of the next steps for Ann, always promoting her independence at a pace that suited her.
Today Ann is a happy, independent young woman who has minimum support, and her Mum is so overwhelmed at how the staff at Newborough Close have supported Ann to achieve so much and take control of her life.
Ann Fox
Senior Support Worker