Building confidence Developing resilience Gaining independenceassist-trust.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/AT... · provided taxis. Our own in-house Occupational Therapist and the

Progression services for people with learning difficulties

2016–17

Building confidenceDeveloping resilienceGaining independence

“Yes I feel confident. I feel more confident now. I am a nice person. I’m not shy, I don’t feel shy anymore. I talk in groups, I like talking. I feel settled.” Gary

Contents

Introduction 3

Testimonials & endorsements 4-5

Isabelle’s Progress 8

Message from the Member’s Committee 9

The new Travel Training Scheme 10

The Assist Café at the Norman Centre 11

The Assist Trust festival 12-13

The 2016 Gardens Open Day 14-15

Member’s work placements 16-17

Outcomes 18

Financial Information 19

Acknowledgements 19

Paul’s Progress 20

Message from the Trustees 21

Plans for the future 22

Dates for the diary 23

ASSIST TruST 16-17 3www.assist-trust.co.uk

Introduction

Confidence. Strength. Resilience.

These are the ingredients that all of us need to make progress and succeed in our lives.

In order to support the 137 adults with learning disabilities that currently attend through the week, the Assist Trust has developed unique services to help people succeed in the real world, in their own communities.

This review describes the wonderful achievements that the members at Assist continue to make, while reflecting on the highlights of 2016 and looking forward to exciting plans at the Trust for the years ahead.

Lots more information about the work of Assist can be found on the website www.assist-trust.co.uk but for those unfamiliar with the organisation, services can be outlined as followed:

• Helping people to gain confidence and speak up

• Helping them to learn about expectations in the real world

• Supporting individuals to gradually take on real responsibilities

These foundations apply to all members attending Assist, whatever their levels of ability might be. Once they are in place, and depending on what goals are appropriate…

Once these foundations are in place and depending on what goals are appropriate, Assist will then support individuals to:

• respect themselves and others

• Do more for themselves and for others generally

• Do more daily living skills for themselves (cleaning, tidying, budgeting, shopping, cooking, DIY, gardening etc.)

• Get around in the local community

• Travel on public transport

• Travel train out of taxis (see page 8 for more information on the new travel training scheme at Assist)

• Access supported work placements

• Live more independently

Richard WardCEO


“She has come a long way, and the improvement seen since she has been coming to Assist has certainly hastened this”. Parent

From Catherine underwood, Acting Executive Director of Adult Social Services, after visiting Assist Trust

“I found it really inspiring to hear about your way of working and the aspirations you share and realise with people using the service. It’s great to have the chance to see first-hand the difference the service and the team are making”

From parents, carers and relatives over the past year

“Assist Trust has been invaluable for my brother and many others like him. It provides my brother with independence, a sense of worth, social skills, increased confidence, learning new skills and much much more”.

“May I take this opportunity to thank all staff involved with [the Assist Trust member], for making his Thursdays so enjoyable for him and for assisting him with his personal development which we have seen improve and his life skills develop during his time with you…

From employers

“She [member that attends] is always polite and cheerful and getting more confident with the customers.

Occasionally I ask her to look after the shop while I’m busy upstairs and she really likes this and seems proud to be trusted. Generally she is a highly valued member of the team.”

”From the Members

“If Trish and Lucy tell me about a new group, it makes me feel good to say I’ll give it a go. If don’t like it, I’ll go and speak to someone”.

I speak up now. I don’t feel nervous.

The café is going really well. I really enjoy talking to people. I like wiping the table but I don’t like washing up because it’s a tiny sink and I have to bend down! I was proud being able to do the coffee machine on my own”

Laura

“It’s really hard to speak up but I feel proud when I do. I feel more confident talking to people now. It’s good because last time I told Trish and Lucy I wanted to do Music and now I am going to be. So it was good to tell them.

I like the Sports group, it’s fun. We beat the other team at bowls, it was great!

My money skills are alright. Money Skills helps. I can count 10ps, 20ps and 5ps. I did it on my own yesterday”

Lauren

Testimonials & endorsements


“She has come a long way, and the improvement seen since she has been coming to Assist has certainly hastened this”. Parent



Message from the Member’s CommitteeWe have all been very busy over the last year. We enjoyed the Christmas Party in December and held another very successful Open Day in June. There was a brilliant Zumba demonstration, a BBQ, inflatable tenpin bowling, and the opportunity to buy delicious home-made jams as well as lovely soaps, notice boards and bunting (all courtesy of the Preserve Making and Upcycling groups).

There was a first at Assist in August – a festival at Lazar House! We enjoyed mocktails, a BBQ and some great (and very loud!) live music from Smokes, George Wilson and LOST? (featuring our very own staff member Roger on drums!) followed by a disco. We

enjoyed it so much we have been thinking about having another one next year, but we’ve also been coming up with new ideas, including a Christmas Quiz and a Sports Day (eggs and spoons at the ready!).

There have been lots of changes to the staff team at Assist Trust over the last year. Whilst we miss those who have moved on, we are enjoying getting to know the new staff members and they are settling in well. We would like to say an official welcome to them all.

Looking ahead, we are excited about having a new kitchen installed at the Gardens next year, with brand new equipment and mains electricity. The generator has served us well but definitely deserves to retire soon! It also got us thinking about making some improvements to our Colegate building, and we are currently planning a facelift for the Green Room (soon to be the Cream Room?). We are hoping to get lots of members involved, in planning, painting and decorating as part of the DIY group and Members Committee on the new timetable.

It’s been a busy but great year, and we plan to make next year just as fun!

Isabelle’s Progress

“I am speaking up in my groups, I’m thinking about myself. I like it when I get asked what I want to, it’s good. I think I am doing well, I’m proud”.


With the help of funds kindly donated from Trusts and organisations keen to see the members progress further, a new travel travel scheme was recently launched to support individuals out of County Council provided taxis. Our own in-house Occupational Therapist and the Employment team at Assist both helped to fine tune the systems already in place and success for the members has quickly followed.

Claire

“I get the bus home on my own. I feel very happy with being independent. The buses are more better for me, than taxis. They are easier.

“I can go in the city by my own. I meet my fiancé and we stay together, we hold hands”

From parent of Assist Trust member

“Very happy with the overall service. I would not have thought of the many ways that you had thought of [to support the person]. She is very pleased with herself that she is now travelling independently. Very pleased with the service you provided. Updated regularly and phone calls most evenings. Always phoned when you said you would.”


The new TravelTraining Scheme

“I can travel on my own on the bus. I feel good, I am more independent I can go home on the bus. I like the peace and quiet, no taxis. And its really really expensive in a taxi!” Kerry

Gentleman who frequents the indoor bowling venue at the Norman Centre

“I really like the café at the Norman Centre now, it is the highlight of my visit. It is so nice to visit now – organised, clean and the staff are really friendly… It must be a lovely place to work as both the staff and the members at the café always seemed happy”

From Mystery Visit report, undertaken by Leisure-Net

“Staff were friendly and polite. The Assist scheme is a lovely idea, the staff (members of Assist) were encouraged and helped, giving a polite and efficient service”

The Assist Trust Café at the Norman Centre

“Please thank everyone there for the hard work they (the members) and your staff put into the café. It is clearly making a huge difference to the centre and to the lives of the young people involved in the project” Brenda Arthur, then Lord Mayor


The Assist TrustFestival

“It was a really awesome evening! We loved meeting everyone and watching people do the moves to the Zumba covers! Thanks for having us!” The band ‘LOST?’, who performed at the festival



The Assist Trust2016 Gardens Open Day

Another very successful Open Day at the Gardens took place this year, with lots of visitors enjoying the good weather and the performances on show.


Member’s workplacements

“It’s helped me with my confidence. It’s helped me know the bus route a lot better.

I can use my own initiative to get the stuff at Lazar” Sarah re. Courier Job

“It’s a really good job. My favourite thing to do is the tidying up. I work hard - I am independent because I walk there on my own” Claire

Quakers

Brooklyn House

The Kings Centre

Notre Dame Kitchens

St Francis Church

Sainsburys

Co-op

Beechwood Pet Stores

British Heart Foundation

RVS and Norfolk & Norwich Hospital

SENSE

The Phoenix Centre

Mollys Cycles

Oxfam Book Shop

UEA Overseas Development Group

Dawns New Horizons

The Brickmakers

Stonemasons

Sue Ryder Vintage and Retro


Assist currently works closely with the following employers in order to develop suitable opportunities for Assist Trust members. All placements are fully supported and risk assessed as they start and as they progress, with help on hand whenever it may be required.

“I like going on the bus by myself.

I feel happy after my placement because I like it”

Emma


Outcomes in 2016

Assist Trust members are currently supported in work placements in the community. This includes 9 individuals who started external placements for the first time

ASSIST TruST 16-17 18www.assist-trust.co.uk ASSIST TruST 16-17 19www.assist-trust.co.uk

Financial informationFor the year ending 31 March 2016

Income (£) 2016 2015

* Donations 98,917 2,205

Investment income 399 213

Incoming resources from charitable activities 879,307 827,578

Total income £ 978,623 £ 841,310

Expenditure (£)

Establishment 162,413 167,453

Wages and salaries 530,391 529,316

National Insurance 43,170 43,180

Depreciation 14,724 21,054

£ 750,698 £ 761,003

Support costs 88,240 48,740

Governance 3,300 3,200

Total expenditure £ 842,238 £ 812,943

Surplus of income over expenditure 136,385 28,367

Surplus brought forward 395,270 366,903

£ 531,655 £ 395,270

Represented by:

Fixed assets 51,578 66,302

Debtors 74,182 69,717

Cash at bank 432,494 286,064

558,254 422,083

Less creditors due within a year (26,599) (26,813)

£ 531,655 £ 395,270

AcknowledgementsThe Assist Trust would like to thank the many individuals and organisations that have helped us to support the progress of the members over the course of this year:

Mrs L Wix

Mr Sargant

PR King

Mrs Tatchell

Mr & Mrs Haydn

St Francis Church

ME Williams

Mrs Mash

L Peniniket

P Locke

The David Solomons Charitable Trust

The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund

The Pennycress Trust

The Bank of England


Education Foundation of Alderman John Norman

The Oliver Ford Charitable Trust

Lady Hind Trust

The Smith & Mount Trust

Laing Family Trusts

The J and D Hambro Charitable Trust

Paul Bassham Charitable Trust

The Geoffrey Watling Charity

Norwich Consolidated Charities

The Woodroffe Benton Foundation

The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust

The Goldcrest Charitable Trust

National Lottery: Awards for All

The Jules Thorn Charitable Trust

The Grey Court Trust

The Barnabas Trust

The Albert Hunt Trust

Souter Charitable Trust

The Alchemy Foundation

The Lynn Foundation

The D C Moncrieff Charitable Trust

The Big Lottery

Norwich City Council

The Norman Centre

Angel Road First School

Norfolk County Council

Parents and Carers of all members attending Assist

All the many local employers listed under the Member’s Work Placements section...

…and all the many Supporters and Friends of Assist that have helped us again this year, our heartfelt appreciation goes to you all.

52

73individuals were supported in external work placements in the community over the course of the year, including 34 at the Assist Trust café at the Norman Centre.

93%of those attending (127 individuals) showed an ability to manage more responsibility while being supported by Assist

95%of individuals attending (130 individuals) managed to maintain or increase good levels of confidence and self-esteem

22members have been supported to travel more independently around the community. This includes 3 individuals helped to travel to and from Assist without using taxis.

70The number of individuals over the course of the year who were supported with internal work placements. Internal jobs are an excellent way for individuals to test their work skills in a manageable way, before considering other opportunities

* The substantial increase in donations received in 2016, in comparison to 2015, represents the way successful drive to secure funds for improvements to all services at Assist. This includes the purchase of new IT equipment for the members, improved facilities and resources throughout and salary costs to allow support at the Norman Centre Café and support for members to find more employment opportunities and to travel more independently in the community

“I laugh until I nearly cry, except I’m not crying! My confidence has gone up since coming here. Coming to Lazar and Assist has been better for me.”

As the photos, comments, quotes and outcomes in this review testify, the Assist members have enjoyed another very successful year at the Trust, as they strive to make more progress in their lives.

As a body whose job it is to oversee and monitor the overall health of the organisation, the board of Trustees can once again express their delight in the successes being witnessed. Supporting the members in such consistently honest and respectful ways is not an easy thing to maintain and it is a credit to everyone involved that this support remains so closely linked to the real needs of those attending. We share the pride that is evident in all levels of the Trust and remain committed to supporting its development long into the future.

Promises Kept

Supported Work Placements and Travel Training

In previous years, we have detailed the demand within the Assist membership of having more opportunities in the workplace and more support to travel to and from work (as well as to and from home and around the community generally).

Fundraising efforts under this heading helped us to employ an in-house Occupational Therapist and allowed the launch of a whole new travel training initiative, as detailed earlier in this review. Extra staff cover also allowed an expansion to the existing Supported Work Placement scheme, meaning that more individuals are being helped to access the opportunities available.

Paul’s Progress

Message from the Trustee’sImproved Facilities and New IT Equipment

After many years of making do with some very old and outdated IT equipment, funds have now been secured to improve the networking and communication systems across all sites at the Trust. On top of this, we have also been able to purchase 24 new tablets for the members to use in their groups, which are proving to be very popular and accessible for all.

At the same time, funds were used to improve all of the equipment and facilities at the Heath Gardens project in particular, replacing much of the old and damaged stock that was still in use. Members and staff are now busy putting those new tools to good use as they improve and develop the whole site for the benefit of all.


Plans for the future

Improvements to Heath Gardens

Demand has reached such a point at the Heath Gardens kitchens that current facilities are now struggling to cope. Existing equipment was installed over 10 years ago and a sizeable fundraising drive is currently underway in order to completely refurbish the building, to install new accessible kitchen facilities and to connect the whole site to mains electricity. We believe this will cost close to £50K to complete successfully, but we are hopeful that funders will recognise the clear need and help us reach our target.


2017 Diary Dates

Closure days for staff training Monday 23rd January 2017

Tuesday 14th March 2017

Wednesday 7th June 2017

Thursday 12th October 2017

Friday 1st December 2017

Independence Day Celebrations 4th July 2017 at the Forum in Norwich!

We plan to hold a major celebration of the independence gained by Assist Trust members and all people with learning disabilities across Norfolk, at the Forum next year – on the glorious Fourth of July! We will be sending out more information on this nearer the time…

All other events to be confirmed. Please check our website for details www.assist-trust.co.uk

The members already enjoy a very wide range of groups and activities hosted and run by Assist, but plans for improvements are always being developed. Again, in direct response to their needs and wishes, Assist now plans to expand facilities in the following ways

Housing provision

The 2 houses and 4 flats that Assist currently sublets to its members have been fully occupied for some time and a significant number of individuals attending are now keen to find other housing opportunities. A recently conducted feasibility study showed that Assist is well placed to both link in with other providers and seek to extend its own provision. Funds have already been set aside to work towards the purchase of suitable housing stock, while plans are in place for greater support for independent living to all the members attending.

More travel training and employment support

Given the success of the travel training scheme already, we want to help ensure that this valuable service is maintained into the future. As well as approaching sympathetic grant making Trusts who might see the significant benefits this scheme is bringing to the individuals involved, we will also be talking to Norfolk County Council about continuing to meet the evident demand.

Co-operative working

Assist has a long tradition of working openly and positively with Norfolk County Council and we hope to continue finding innovative, effective and affordable ways to support the member’s independence going forward.

We recognise the significant challenges faced by the Local Authority as further cuts are made to their budgets and we remain committed to showing how the Assist Trust model can provide affordable essential support, as savings are made to Social Service budgets. The travel training scheme is just one example of the ways that Assist can directly save tax payers money, as it enhances the independence skills of the members attending.


assist trust

20 Colegate

Norwich NR3 1BQ

T 01603 230200

F 01603 612398

E [email protected]

www.assist-trust.co.ukRegistered charity no. 1057772. Registered company no. 3206320

Documents

Building confidence Developing resilience Gaining independenceassist-trust.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/AT... · provided taxis. Our own in-house Occupational Therapist and the