It has been an incredible couple of months settling in but it has been a very rewarding one too. My introduction to MacIntyre’s Great Interactions pretty much started immediately as I observed the staff team and spent time with the people supported to get to know them. It was really important to give people the opportunities to build their trust in me as the new manager, in order to feel safe and secure again after Carol, the previous Head of Service, moved to her new MacIntyre role. I spent time with everyone getting to know them, being responsive to their needs, attending their social clubs in the evenings and supporting them with their life skills within the service: cooking, art & craft and going out and about.
I was also introduced to the e-learning module ‘An introduction to Great Interactions and Facilitation’ and the Great Interactions book. I had done something similar in my previous role which is Intensive Interaction, but I find the MacIntyre way far more interesting and adaptable. It’s amazing how positive interactions are without realising how much we use them in our everyday lives and in our roles within MacIntyre. The trainer who introduced me to Intensive Interactions first told me about MacIntyre Great Interactions and said it was a really positive way of interacting with people and developing positive relationships in the workplace.
In our monthly team meetings we discuss the 10 facilitation skills using My and I find this is a positive way for staff to share the Great Interactions they’ve had with the people they support and it’s an opportunity to also discuss when things haven’t gone so well and what could be done to improve on this in the future.
On the 26th June for our tea party we have an Elvis Tribute coming which I’m sure will be lots of fun for everyone involved! Everyone contributed to this discussion and felt it would be a positive, fun event and some families are also coming along. Although I know Great Interactions is about the small things that happen every day, I’m quite sure there will be lots of Great Interactions happening at this tea party!
Emma Lee-Tobin
Frontline Manager
Westonia Court
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