Person centred newsletter may 2013

............. Northcott Person Centred Newsletter • May2013 • 1 ............

Our monthly newsletter offers small and real examples from people we support

who are having a stronger voice, more control over their lives and more choices.

New champions

working well

May 2013

Supporting people to develop the confi dence and skills to

have stronger and more effective voices is one of the key

outcomes of Northcott’s Champions Program. Ellen Howe,

a new Champion, charts the Champions’ fi rst steps:

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As one of the new Champions, I wanted to tell you how we are all doing.

We have 9 champions – 4 staff and 5 clients - across Roselands and

Casula offi ces. Everyone is enjoying being able to help others in their own

way. I feel that staff and clients are working better on getting more voice

and control – here are some examples:

Voice:

• I have always wanted to help others like me with Charge Syndrome.

In July I am going to the 11th International CHARGE Syndrome

Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona (www.chargesyndrome.

org) and I plan to tell some of them about person centred

tools when the opportunity arises.

Skills and Tools:

• A lot of us are using the assertiveness tools we learnt in

the training and it is really helping. Clients and staff are able

to tell other people how they are feeling using the ‘When

you do that, I feel like this’ formula and it has really helped.

• I am now able to tell people “No” if they try to push me.

Just today someone pushed me at Bankstown Centro and I said,

“No thank you, I can do it!” In the past I would have let them push me

up the hill. I, myself, feel that I am becoming better a person because

I am able to do more for myself be more independent, without staff

having to direct me.

Control:

• One of our PATH goals was to start up a Coffee

Club. The purpose of the Club is to discuss how we

can have more control over our program. Aaron has

been helping in everything; he also runs our Coffee

Club and makes sure everyone is on the right track.

Ellen Howe

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Dubbo PATH day

The Dubbo team took a day

out recently to refl ect on their

rich person centred culture

and to envisage what their

services might look like in a

year’s time. They focused on

how to:

• Reach out to the people

and families in Far West

NSW

• Enhance staff skill

development

• Be more visible in the

Dubbo area

• Provide services to more

people and families in the

Dubbo area.

How Dubbo team members felt about their PATH experience...


Our Group CultureDubbo office

We will be

responsible and

accountable

We will treat each other and everyone who comes into our office with dignity and respect

We will be polite,

welcoming and helpful

We will listen to each

other, by hearing and

observing We will celebrate each

others' differences,

acknowledging and

embracing uniqueness

and knowledge

We will take the time to understand others and appreciate them

We will be

encouraging and

compliment each

other on a job well

done

Asking questions

is encouraged

We will work together and be

a supportive team

We will uphold Northcott's values of being:Friendly and ConsiderateInnovative and Responsive

Ethical and CourageousProfessional and

Competent

We will remember to maintain the privacy and confidentiality

of others at all times

Taking advantage of being in Dubbo meant that Ben and Sarah had a stroll and peddle around Dubbo’s Western Plains Zoo.

Families seeking ideas and answers!

Families and Northcott staff from the Dubbo area came to a short presentation about person

centred practice to seek ideas on how person centred approaches could improve their child’s life.

Most families were also curious to know more about how the NDIS would affect them in the future.

The NDIS website had a 'Frequently Asked Questions' section which might provide some answers!

(http://www.ndis.gov.au/about-an-

ndis/frequently-asked-questions/)

haaakingg advantageg of being in Dubbo meant that Ben and Sarah

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Nick and his Aunty Sharon, come along to hear about Person Centred support.

The Dubbo team displays their Group Culture poster for all staff, people and

families to understand the values underpinning their service


Imagining Better - What would it

look like if your service was better?

You probably work or use a service that is quite person centred – the people are friendly and the

service is good – but have you ever asked yourself, “What would it look like if it was better?” The

importance of having a vision and imaging better was the take-home message for Northcott's

Family Therapist, Sue Campbell-Ross, who was inspired by Michael Kendrick’s mantra of

‘Imagining Better’ at the Centre for Disability Studies' Breakfast Conversation recently.

Michael recalled Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream...” speech in

which King imagined a land in which black and white people would co-

exist peacefully, a world that at that time did not exist. Over 50 years

later, an African-American is President. Michael Kendrick encourages

people to question systems, challenge them and imagine how they

could be better.

This Conversation stopped me in my tracks and forced me to ask myself

the question, “What would my role look like if it was better?” It helped

me to broaden my view, which tends to shrink when I am busily trying to

just get on with the job of the day. With the families that I support, this

question helps them to look beyond the practicalities and overwhelming

concerns of today and focus on how they would like things to be. It

is easier for an exhausted family to answer, “What would it look like

if it was better?” than to be asked to create a vision or a list of goals.

As families reveal how things would look, it helps me as a worker to

understand where we can offer support and focus our attention. In

my experience, this builds hope and capacity and gives the family

something to work towards.

Kendrick detailed that creating a picture of ‘better’ is the beginning.

Persistence and courage is needed for ‘better’ to evolve. A vision

will often challenge us, it will crash and burn, be rebuilt, tested and

problems will be solved or learnt from.

So, be courageous. Build a vision. Encourage hope. The future is

waiting to be born!

Sue Campbell-Ross


Moving from 'system-centred' thinking

to 'person centred' ways of being

Lorna Sullivan, the Executive Director of Disability ACT challenges organisations that wish to innovate to focus on what is possible. Don’t waste time focusing on money or disability, both are secondary issues. Focus on:

• What could be possible in this the life of this person?

• What would make their life better, more enjoyable?

• What are they passionate about?

At the CDS Breakfast Conversation No 4, Lorna suggests that we have to challenge the stereotypes and assumptions we have about people with disabilities as organisations often refl ect society’s view of disability, thereby reinforcing it. Ask yourself, how many people with disabilities are employed in my organisation. Not many? Why’s that? What can do you do about it?

Having been challenged by Lorna, the fi rst step I'm taking is asking the three questions to some people I know who have told me that they want to have bigger and better lives.

Liz Hopkins

Shirls and Lorna having a chat about how to innovate

• Read more about

Lorna on Disability

ACT’s website:

http://www.dhcs.

act.gov.au

• Read more about

ImagineBetter, the

organisation which

Lorna used to work

for: http://www.

imaginebetter.co.nz


The people who know me well and see my ability, support my choices.

If people can’t see my abilities, then they don't know who I am, or what

I am capable of, and they treat me differently. People who know me, are

supportive and encourage me to do my best.

When I realised that technical innovations like iPads, emails and

iPhones would help me to communicate and express myself, I wanted

to use them so people would hear my views, my opinions and ask

me questions. I now have independent communication and that feels

great. People now see me as more than my disability.

Shirls Wong

Seeing past my disability to what is

possible – a personal reflection

CDS Breakfast Conversation 4: Innovation


What is Grets up to with her

Self Managed Package?

Grets is using her Self Managed Package to attend University of Western Sydney.

Hey guys, I'm sorry for not writing in a while, I've been loving Uni!

So, in terms of my Self-Managed CPP program it's going along great, although only some of my personal staff have been trained up. I've been loving getting to know my Northcott carer, Kylie, who comes to Uni for me for two hours over lunchtime. I'll be stoked to be working with her on some Tuesdays in a few weeks. I am also excited to start with two of my personal carers in a few weeks, this will mean I will have the opportunity to start my recreation activity like swimming, horse riding and getting involved in social events such as political stuff.

Grets Serov

Grets at Uni


If you have any small example of people having greater choice, voice or control in their

life or in the work place, we would love to tell others about it in our Newsletter – so

please give me a call on 9890 0517 or email me on [email protected].

Thanks, Liz Hopkins.

Send us your great person centred news!

FOCUS ON ANDY WAITE: Northcott’s

Website Designer and Developer

Ben Keyte interviewed his friend and fellow Australian Powerchair Football player,

Andy Waite, on what his job means to him.

My job is Website Designer and

Developer for Northcott, I’ve been in

the job since April 2007. Most of

it’s pretty good, sometimes it’s a

bit boring, but you get that in most

jobs!

Before I started work, I completed

a Cert IV course at TAFE, and I

was then supported by Transition

To Work (a program at Northcott,

which supports people into

employment). I had some work

experience in Northcott’s I.T. team,

which then became a proper job.

I’d say my biggest achievement is helping set up Northcott’s intranet,

which is called NIGEL. My main job is now to keep NIGEL up-to-date.

My plans for the future are to continue with this job as long as possible.

I’ve also started my own business as well, which is in the ‘start-up’ stage

-that’s to make a bit of money on the side!

For me having a job is a huge part of being independent. Although staying

at home can be cushy, having a job gets me out of house every day!

Andy Waite

i t Northcott’s intranet

Andy & crew!

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Person centred newsletter may 2013