ISSUE 3 2016
Previously known as Circle of Care
IN THIS ISSUE
• All aboard the Polmont bus! • Allarton is on the move • Me and My Job: Kelly Ireland
• Focus On...Fundraising • Guest Writer Dr. Donald Macaskill • Caring Across Scotland
Meet the Convener Interview with Bill Steele inside
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Children and Family Counselling and Support Criminal Justice Homeless People
• • • •
Learning Disabilities Mental Health Older People Substance Misuse
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DID YOU KNOW? CrossReach is one of the biggest employers in the social care sector with over 1,800 staff working in our 70 care and support services across Scotland.
FEATURES Guest Columnist
Dr. Donald Macaskill from Scottish Care explains why providing social care is a human gift. Page 7 All aboard the bus!
Find out how a double decker bus is helping families of prisoners in Polmont. Page 6 Me and My Job
News EDINBURGH Right Rev. Dr. Russell Barr, Moderator of the General Assembly, has decided that the Moderator’s Challenge this year will be golf related to raise money for CrossReach. Dr. Barr was a schoolboy golf champion and had aspirations to be a professional before going into the ministry. Details of the challenge and how to book can be found on the back page.
GLASGOW This autumn the Tom Allan Centre in Glasgow will again be offering the COSCA Certificate in Counselling Skills. The course is very popular and of particular interest for Ministers, Elders and anyone with a pastoral role in their church. Please contact: 0141 221 1535 for more details about how to apply.
SCOTLAND
Employee of the Year Kelly Ireland describes her ‘fantastic journey’ working for CrossReach for the past decade. Page 11
Congratulations to marathon runner Ian Dorey who completed the 100 mile Umstead Endurance Run in North Carolina State Park in America. Ian finished 112th in a time of just over 27 hours. He was sponsored to raise funds for the CrossReach Learning Disabilities National Forum which takes place in November.
Editorial I have never been sent to prison except if you count a visit to Polmont Young Offenders a few years ago when CrossReach was tendering for a piece of work with the prisoners. When we arrived at the entrance, we passed through a security scanner similar to those at airports. Then we were escorted through a series of locked doors which were slammed shut and re-locked behind us. (They probably sounded louder than they were, but it reminded me of the opening titles of ‘Porridge’). Eventually we reached the room where we did our presentation, after which the whole process was reversed. I have never been so happy to be back in the freedom of the outside world. Recently I was back at Polmont to see the Family Bus and I got chatting to a mum and dad arriving to visit their son in Polmont. They said they too felt claustrophobic inside the prison, but their anxiety was hugely reduced beforehand by spending some time on the bus, having a cup of tea and speaking to CrossReach staff Marie and Ian. As you will read on page 6, hundreds of families have received a helping hand from the bus since May 2014 and it plays a vital role in supporting families – so much so that the Government has committed significant funding to Visitors Centres across Scotland for the next 3 years. If you would like to get in touch with any feedback about CrossReach News, please e-mail: news@crossreach.org.uk
Hugh Brown, Editor
Published three times a year by CrossReach. Please feel free to use any material or articles contained in this magazine, with an appropriate credit. CrossReach, Charis House, 47 Milton Road East, Edinburgh. EH15 2SR. Telephone: 0131 657 2000, Fax: 0131 657 5000, Email: news@crossreach.org.uk
Social Care Council
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Operating as CrossReach Scottish Charity number: SC011353
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A Gaelic version of CrossReach News is available to download from our website: www.crossreach.org.uk
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Good is not Good Enough A strange title, some might say, for a reflection on the work of the organisation by the Chief Executive. But I don’t believe it is for it reflects my experience of the attitudes of managers and staff towards the support they give to many people in Christ’s name. I see so many examples of staff providing good services but always looking for ways to make them better, always looking for new and innovative ideas which will result in an improved quality of life for people. It’s this ‘spirit of CrossReach’ that makes me feel humble and proud to have the joy of being in this job. This attitude of ‘good is not good enough’ can be found throughout the
manager have done to improve the quality of life for the people who live at The Elms. The example from Morven Day Services reflects not only the commitment of staff but that of people who use the service, sharing the message of the importance of good mental health in their community. The building at Allarton has not been good enough for some time and it is with a sense of excitement that we look forward to moving into the new building in the autumn. Of course this would not have been possible without the many staff who have spearheaded the transition to improve the service. I have seen how good the work of the Daisy Chain Early Years Project, CrossReach Counselling Services and The Mallard is. But read about the work undertaken with students from the University of Strathclyde to explore areas for improvement. Likewise the staff of the awardwinning Bungalow in Stonehaven are not resting on their laurels and are seeking to find ways to introduce a new storytelling space. At times making good better requires some support. Read how the generosity of the Sir Duncan Carmichael Trust will improve the quality of service to both young and old through the introduction of Talking Mats. And you can’t get much more innovative than a double decker bus as the base to provide a service! I have had the privilege of being on the bus (although I secretly wanted to drive it!) and it’s an example of overcoming hurdles in order to support people.
“I hope that, like me, you are inspired by the work of those throughout this great organisation for whom good is not good enough.” pages of this edition of CrossReach News as you read example after example of staff pushing the boundaries and exploring new of ways working and adopting new initiatives. I have watched Kelly Ireland, the new manager at the Elms, from a distance over the past years and it has been rewarding to see her become the Service Manager and the Employee of the Year in the same year. Her story of training and development and her enthusiasm to learn and grow shows someone for whom good is not good enough. This is reflected also in the work that she and her previous
I have known our guest contributor Donald Macaskill for some time now and been impressed with his motivation that good is not good enough. We look forward to working with him in his new role as CEO of Scottish Care to improve services for Older People in Scotland. Finally we welcome our new Convener, Bill Steele. He has been involved in the Social Care Council for a number of years and if we need inspiration that good is not good enough then we have it in Bill. Already his energy and commitment has made a mark on the organisation. Indeed it reminds me that the ‘good is not good enough’ attitude is not just a characteristic of our paid employees. Bill is one of over 30 voluntary Council members who give huge amounts of their time to support the work of CrossReach and we are the richer for it. I hope that, like me, you are inspired by the work of those throughout this great organisation for whom good is not good enough. They remind me that as their CEO I must seek to do better than my best today as I prepare to leave for the office.
Peter Bailey is Chief Executive Officer of CrossReach and Secretary of the Social Care Council
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Interview
Bill Steele at Heart and Soul with Volunteer of the Year Margaret Winchcole
Meet the Convener CrossReach News meets Bill Steele, the new Convener of the Social Care Council (CrossReach) 4
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How do you feel about taking over as Convener of the Social Care Council? That’s a good first question! I’m excited about it, challenged by it, and I am apprehensive but also full of confidence that we will go good places. Social Care is probably one of the fastest changing sectors. Do you think that CrossReach has managed to move with the times? I think ‘yes’ is the answer to the question. CrossReach is moving with the times with an incredibly talented skill base of staff, great management and Directorship. The staff on the ground are to my mind just wonderful and because of their dedication to the service we are moving with the times, we are changing, we are adapting. I’m
sure people might say we could do it more quickly, but for the time being we are doing the very best we can. So yes, I think we have excellent services but also big opportunities in the future and we are not being held back by the organisation in making necessary changes. Finance has always been a problem and this year is no different with debate at the Assembly about CrossReach not being able to pay all staff the Scottish Living Wage. How do you feel about that? I think just exactly as the Assembly reflected – that it is a great shame that we haven’t been able to do that, but we are operating within financial constraints and those are very real. The General Assembly some time ago
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asked that the whole of the church would pay the Living Wage. We’re part way there and are in the process of working out how we can best achieve it but as I’ve said we do have financial constraints and we have to be realistic. This year’s Assembly instructed us to work with the Council of Assembly to find a way to achieve that and we will obviously take that opportunity. We will bring information to Council of Assembly soon and hope to begin the process we were instructed to embark upon by the General Assembly. Not only do those financial constraints make it difficult to pay staff, but it’s also difficult to start new services because funding has to be guaranteed? I think just about every commissioning agency in the country is facing financial constraints and they are having to work with them – that’s affecting commissioning and the way providers can be commissioned. Never the less we have changed the way we are doing things, particularly in Children and Family Services where we have moved away from the old institutionalised care model to individual homes where young folk can stay in a better environment. So we are taking the bull by the horns and looking at new services, but yes, finances are always going to dictate any expansion. So what will your priorities be in the next 4 years in your time as Convener? I’m sure every Convener will have said this in the past, but one of the things I’m absolutely dedicated to raising the profile and encourage the Church of Scotland through local churches to know who CrossReach in the Church of Scotland and to know the services and where they are. Also I hope to encourage the Council members to interact with our units and with the staff and service users. That’s maybe not a very big expectation, but I think it’s one that’s very necessary. By definition, we are involved at the moment in a review of the business and how we can grow it and to see how in the future we can better
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serve the people who commission our services and those who use them. That’s something that as a Council and its Convener I want to facilitate as best I can. But perhaps the one thing I would love to see is that Church of Scotland congregations locally know who CrossReach is and what it does. But the problem is that CrossReach only has services in some of the presbyteries, so why should someone who lives for example in Kingussie where you stay be interested if their nearest service is 50 or 100 miles away? We have several services in Inverness which isn’t that far away from Kingussie so there is an opportunity for people within a 50 mile radius of Inverness for example to be involved and be supportive of those services. But I think we have a responsibility as members of the Church of Scotland and as Christians to look after and care for – it’s mentioned in the scripture – those people who have needs. So
“The staff on the ground are to my mind just wonderful and because of their dedication to the service we are moving with the times, we are changing, we are adapting.”
south and west of the country, so you’re never that far away from a CrossReach unit. Do you believe that the Church of Scotland should be a care provider because there are those who say it should be left to the state or private providers? The short answer is absolutely! The longer answer is as I said earlier that scripture says that we should take care of the widows and orphans, that we should look to those who are in difficulty and encourage them and support them and I think that’s a responsibility we have as the Church of Scotland Social Care Council and therefore through its operating wing of CrossReach. Our staff are the most important asset of CrossReach because without them the services couldn’t operate. What message do you have for staff across Scotland? Probably the message I have is one of thanks. I have been in quite a few of the services now since I joined the Council, but particularly in the last few months I’ve made a point of seeing as many units as I can and one of the things that I certainly notice is the dedication and the care and the commitment of the staff, and for that I want to say ‘thank you’ because you’re doing a great job. None of us is perfect and there are always going to be issues to be dealt with, but I think we have the most incredible staff and they are valued and I hope to meet many more of them in course of the next few months as I try and visit as many of our services as I can.
You were at the CrossReach Awards ceremony recently which is a very special day for our staff. The expression ‘gobsmacked’ comes that doesn’t mean we would exclude to mind when you see the amount of interest in or support of a unit just people there. What a representation because it’s not within spitting distance of the skill and dedication of the of us. We need very much to be looking workforce – some of them with 20, at the whole church and the whole 30 and even 40 years service, people of CrossReach across its very many going for in-service training and services. And it’s also fair to say that growing in their skillset – absolutely there are services from the Northern fantastic! It was a real privilege to be and Western Isles right down to the there and to be part of it.
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All aboard!
Hugh Brown boarded a bus in Polmont and discovered a few surprises…
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Parked outside Polmont Young Offenders Institution is a brightly coloured double decker bus. No surprise there, but when I stepped inside I discovered that this is no ordinary bus! In fact it’s the Family Bus, also known as the Polmont Visitors’ Centre which supports family members when they come to visit a relative. Marie Cairns manages the centre in a partnership between CrossReach and the Scottish Prison Service and I asked her why it’s based on a bus? “Because there are no available premises at Polmont and no money to build a Visitors’ Centre. When the National Steering Group met with the Governor someone came up with the idea of a double decker bus which could be transformed into a Visitors’ Centre. The bus is lovely. Inside it’s got a kitchen, a play area for children and seating area for families to chat to staff. Obviously a building would be the ultimate dream but at the moment the bus serves the purpose and definitely meets a need.” Andy Bruce from the Scottish Government told me why £1.8 million of public money has been committed
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“There’s a lot of healing that can take place when families get together more regularly because the boys are actually getting a chance to open up and speak...”
to fund Visitors’ Centres over the next 3 years: “It’s to recognise the unique work that Visitors’ Centres can do with people who are affected by the imprisonment of a family member and dealing with the issues and stresses they face as a result. The fact that the money is provided from 3 portfolios – community justice, public health
and early years – acknowledges the work that the centres do with children and families across a whole range of Government policy. The focus of centres should be on the families as opposed to the person in prison, so in the first instance it’s recognising that people who haven’t been convicted of any offence will require support to deal with the practical and indeed the emotional stigma to continue their lives while their family member is in prison. But regardless of the fact of imprisonment, maintaining social contact, both for the family on the outside and also the prisoners themselves is clearly proven to be a good thing in supporting that family when the prison sentence comes to an end and the person can return to the community with as much chance as possible of re-integration being successful.” Marie Cairns goes on to tell me: “Maintaining family relationships really helps young people to re-settle when they leave prison, and that there is evidence to suggest that it also decreases the risk of them going on to re-offend by up to six times. It’s very important that families support whoever is in prison because the more contact they have the less chance there is that they will re-offend and that’s because
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Guest Columnist
It’s all in the whistle: social care as a human gift.
they are able to speak to their family more easily in prison. We’ve had mums who’ve said they’ve had better conversations with their son since they’ve been visiting him in prison. After all, how many 17 or 18 year-old boys are going to sit at the table and talk to their mum for an hour? There’s a lot of healing that can take place when families get together more regularly because the boys are actually getting a chance to open up and speak and that may be the time to share things they’ve not been able to before.” In the last 18 months the number of families using the service has continued to increase dramatically. I asked Marie to sum up what she feels the centre achieves: “That someone has listened to families and acknowledged the pain they’re feeling and the anxiety it causes when their family member ends up in prison.”
You can contact Marie on: 01324 722330 or by e-mail: marie.cairns@crossreach.org.uk
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As any parent will know there comes a time when you are asked to teach your child something that’s really hard. One of those occasions is when a plaintive cry asks for the secret of how to whistle! I was recently reminded of this when I asked a care home resident what the best thing was that he’d done in the last wee while. He responded: “I’d forgotten how to whistle...I just couldn’t do it and I really missed it, and these ‘girls’ taught me how to whistle again. I can’t thank them enough.” In essence that’s what good social care does. It gives meaning and value, support and care to those in our society who most need it. It is work that molds service around the needs of the person rather than expecting that person to be treated as yet another case with no distinctive, unique or personal needs. Social care at its best enables each citizen to achieve their full potential and be the person they can be. It discovers what ‘I’ want and need in order to live a full and meaningful life. It is an expression of our ability to be human. But clearly such a service is not easy and costs, both in terms of financial
resources and human emotions. Having just taken over as CEO of Scottish Care (the membership body of providers of care and support) I am continually amazed at the dedicated care offered by countless staff across Scotland. Yet often those offering this care receive minimum acclaim and are judged as contributing little to society. This is so wrong - in truth, over 97,000 people are employed by independent sector care providers and we contribute nearly £3 billion annually to the Scottish economy. More than that, what price can you put on the countless lives given purpose and company, the loneliness dismissed and wellbeing nourished? CrossReach is a major contributor to care and support across Scotland and an invaluable member of Scottish Care. At this time we are very aware of some of the challenges we all face, not least around adequate funding, recruiting the right staff and keeping hold of them and making our services more personal. But we are also at a point of real opportunity. There are reform processes underway which will seek to shape older people’s care and support both in care homes and in the wider community. With the integration of health and social care there are opportunities for us all to work much closer and more effectively to address the needs of people. In the end of the day if I am requiring support I don’t care what uniform you wear or which organisation you represent, what I require is to be treated in a way which meets my needs and allows me to be able to live more fully. The art of social care, whether as an organisation or as an individual carer, is to create space, to give time and offer confidence so that someone can discover what it is that gives their life meaning and purpose, value and dignity - even if it’s as simple as learning how to whistle again.
Dr. Donald Macaskill is CEO of Scottish Care
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News
Student Success
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In September 2015, 12 students from the University of Strathclyde’s Management Development Programme (MDP3) chose CrossReach as their option for their Social Responsibility Pathway. CrossReach Daisy Chain Early Years Project worked with two groups to research and design new communication and networking tools and to carry out an analysis of data to produce an evidencebased outcomes report for 2015/6. CrossReach Counselling Services wanted to find out exactly how clients find out about their services, how the service is presented online in comparison to similar ones, and how this could be improved - potentially by offering online community resources. The Strategic Planning & Development Team for Go2 carried out research to analyse customer awareness and propose a marketing strategy to form an effective way of developing The Mallard service, including traditional communication strategies alongside digital marketing tools. Each team presented their findings via a report and a live presentation to the CrossReach Managers and CEO Peter Bailey. When asked for feedback the students all responded that working with CrossReach had raised their knowledge and awareness of the range of difficulties people face on a day-to-day basis either due to social, economic or demographic disadvantages. Comments on their experience included: “Very positive and fulfilling, knowing my report will go some way to further the services CrossReach provide to those within the community.” and “I enjoyed my time with CrossReach. They were so helpful and welcoming and the experience has been really worthwhile.” CrossReach would like to say thank you to the students for the dedicated hard work. Staff agreed that it was great having a fresh pair of eyes, able to point out things that they might not have noticed or had chosen to ignore! CrossReach is looking forward to continuing to work with the University on their MDP3 Social Responsibility Pathway Guide in 2016/17.
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A busy summer in Kilmarnock It’s been a busy summer for staff and attenders of Morven Day Services in Kilmarnock as Deputy Manager Allan Marshall explains: “This year’s Summer Fair to raise funds for the service user committee provided a great opportunity for those who attend the service to put their creative and organisational skills to great use. Their work ensured that everyone got a chance to meet up and have some fun in July. Then in August some of our service users organised an information stall at the ‘Celebrate East Ayrshire’ event. We took the positive
message of good mental health onto the high street, highlighting the services of Morven and CrossReach and also handing out some helpful mental health literature to the general public. A small group is currently working on an Arts & Crafts exhibition to celebrate the creative works of Morven service users from across East Ayrshire. This will be its second year so we plan to expand it by taking some exhibits and information stalls to the community village at Kilmarnock Railway Station on 14th October.”
Allarton is on the Move! Allarton, which has provided supported living for the past 25 years from its base in Laurel Street in Glasgow’s West End, is on the move! In the autumn staff and service users will relocate to a new build a short distance away. Roy Mackinnon, acting Service Manager, told CrossReach News: “While Allarton is a great service, the building from which it has operated for over 25 years is no longer of the standard we require. Back in 2010, we approached Partick Housing Association to seek a partnership to provide a purpose built Allarton for the provision of supported living services for 14 people with mental health issues. Now, six years later, staff and residents are looking forward - with some excitement and trepidation - to moving into the new accommodation in Broomhill Gate. There were, of course, mixed feelings as many of the people have lived in our current building for quite a long time and were fond of
the garden and the access to local facilities. However, the new house is only five minutes walk from our current location and close to local shops and the residents will also still have easy access to the same services such as doctors and dentists. Service users have been actively involved in making choices about decoration and furnishings for the new building and the student recently on placement at Allarton worked closely with them to consider the impact of such a transition. She achieved this along with staff by planning a farewell event, taking photographs and video as a memory, helping to answer questions, looking at plans of the new building and generally helping them to come to terms with the move. So it’s a very exciting and busy time for both staff and people using our service as they anticipate blending the great quality support Allarton is known for with the much improved accommodation.”
Golden Wedding Celebration
Mary and Walter Tallis Porteous recently celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary in South Beach
House in Ardrossan. Walter, who has Parkinson’s disease, is a resident at South Beach so it seemed the obvious venue for their special day. Golden balloons and a beautiful cake awaited the loving couple as they ‘walked down the aisle’ before a ceremony of blessing led by their local minister. An old fashioned sing-song followed and Mary said afterwards it was ‘the most wonderful afternoon she had ever had’. Congratulations to the happy couple on 50 wonderful years together!
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Storytelling Space Service users and staff from The Bungalow in Stonehaven recently attended a PAMIS (Promoting a More Inclusive Society) fun day where everyone enjoyed activities. One in particular stood out the storytelling session held in a yurt. The ambience was created by the use of carpets on the floor and the walls had material of various textures. All items in the yurt, including musical instruments, could be used during the storytelling. Service Manager Kathleen Keith was excited by the possibilities: “The presentation inspired staff as it is something which can easily be achieved with imagination and little resources once a structure has been erected in the
grounds to accommodate this. We are now looking at building a log cabin ‘yurt’, which would provide space where staff could interact with service users through storytelling, either individually or as a group. It would also allow for an area where families of service users could spend quality time together in a private and comfortable area. We already have a sensory summer house in the grounds with an acoustic water bed, lights and music and this is well used, is visually stimulating and offers valuable therapeutic activities. Creating another sensory environment would enhance the onsite facilities for our service users.” Watch this space!
Talking Mats Talking Mats is a method of supporting people with communication challenges - for example, those with learning disabilities, dementia or a stroke, as well as children and young people with additional support needs. This interactive tool ensures that the individual is at the centre of the planning process and assists them to express their views. Talking Mats use multiple channels of communication - visual, auditory and tactile - and provide a visual record for later reflection. The mats, which were developed by a team of speech and language therapists in conjunction with a programme of research at Stirling University, have won numerous awards. CrossReach was keen to exploit the potential benefits of this exciting but expensive innovation, so a successful bid to the Sir Duncan Carmichael Trust for funding enabled Employee Development Officer for Learning Disabilities’ services Irene Meek to train 10 staff about how to use the mats. They will now gain some practical experience before studying to become accredited trainers themselves, then roll it out to colleagues. Irene says: “The added attraction is that not only will Learning Disabilities’ services benefit, but also all of CrossReach’s Dementia services and The Mallard, providing another example of the operational areas collaborating to ensure improved outcomes through inclusion of people who use our services. This will be achieved through effective use of communication, structured around
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the individual’s own abilities. A basic training session on the use of talking mats takes place after the summer and some staff will be attending the ‘Train the Trainer’ course in November. It’s anticipated that Regulators and Commissioners will recognise the added value and quality our use of Talking Mats brings, further enhancing the professional reputation of CrossReach.
Fundraising 10 top tips to boost your fundraising 1. Make a list Put together a list of family, friends, co-workers and contacts. Be creative and be bold. It never hurts to ask. 2. Set a fundraising goal Make sure you set a goal. Having something to aim for always helps. 9 times out of 10 you’ll end up doing better than you originally thought, so aim high! 3. Send hand-written letters first Requests by e-mail are faster and can return instant results, but good old-fashioned hand written letters show a personal touch, especially if they can be delivered personally. Use e-mails as a follow-up to those who don’t respond to your letter. 4. Remember your inspiration There’s a reason why you are wanting to fundraise. Make sure to remember that and bring that same energy and passion to your fundraising efforts. The more personal you can make it the better. 5. Use online fundraising tools It goes without saying, but using an online tool will help you manage your fundraising efforts. Many of the well-known fundraising platforms such as JustGiving, BT MyDonate and Virgin Money Giving are easy to use by both the fundraiser and the donor. 6. Get face to face When you’re fundraising make it a point to ask the friends and family you see on a regular basis to support you by donating. If you’re holding an event, don’t forget that making a personal ask may be equally as successful as raising money from the event itself. 7. Make it personal People will donate because you are asking them to. Simple as that. They like you and respect that you’re supporting a great cause. 8. Follow up It’s very common for people to put things off. We all live busy lives and have a lot of other responsibilities on our plates. A little reminder nudge never hurt anyone. 9. Work as a team A team of committed fundraisers will be able to raise more money faster and the team atmosphere will help foster friendly competition, inspiration, encouragement and participation. 10. Send ‘Thank You’ notes It’s a simple thing to do, but also one of the most powerful. Make sure to say thank you to everyone who supported you. Send e-mails, write personal notes and thank people in person. And do it at every opportunity you get. (Adapted from npEngage: ‘10 Simple Fundraising Tips Guaranteed to Improve Effectiveness’) 9
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News in brief
Prayer Points
CARING ACROSS SCOTLAND
For those who wish to pray, please consider • T he Moderator, Rt. Rev. Dr. Russell Barr, as he travels around Scotland during CrossReach Week in October visiting services • S taff and service users at Allarton in Glasgow as they make the move to a new building after 25 years in their current location • B ill Steele, the recently appointed convener of the Social Care Council (CrossReach) as he starts his four year term of office • M arie Cairns and her team of staff and volunteers who run the Polmont Visitors Centre from the family bus and those families who are helped by the centre • S tudents from Strathclyde University’s Management Development Programme who will spend time with CrossReach services as part of their course • P aula Pinda, co-ordinator of Heart for Art, as the creative arts project for people with dementia continues to expand across Scotland
CrossReach Week 2016 takes place from Sunday 9th – Saturday 15th October. The Moderator of the General Assembly Rt. Rev. Dr. Russell Barr will spend a week travelling around the country visiting a number of CrossReach services. Because of his particular interest in tackling homelessness, the Moderator will spend time at Kirkhaven in Glasgow’s east end which offers supported accommodation to homeless people. It focuses on those with long-standing addictions and/or mental health problems who have often been excluded from other homeless provisions. Service Users can stay in Kirkhaven for up to two years. You can follow the latest updates about CrossReach Week at: www.crossreach.org.uk
• S taff who are undertaking studying to enhance their personal and professional development and for those in CrossReach People Development who will be leading training
If you would like to receive our free Prayer Diary three times a year, please call: 0131 657 2000, or download a PDF version from:
www.crossreach.org.uk
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Our Mission Statement In Christ’s name we seek to retain and regain the highest quality of life which each individual is capable of experiencing at any given time
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CrossReach’s Service of Celebration took place in the General Assembly Hall at the end of May. Around 200 staff and invited guests attended the annual event when staff are recognised for their achievements and qualifications. Guest speaker was Tam Baillie, Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People. The four main awards were presented to: Beverley Joyce (Eskmills), Adult Learner of the Year; The Bungalow, Award for Excellence; Margaret Winchcole (Threshold Glasgow), Volunteer of the Year; Kelly Ireland (The Elms Care Home), Employee of the Year.
Heart for Art, CrossReach’s creative arts project for people with dementia, has started in Northesk Church in Musselburgh – making it the 8th location across Scotland to host a Heart for Art group. The project offers an opportunity for people with dementia and their carers to build supportive relationships and access support and advice from CrossReach staff whilst also learning or re-learning artistic skills. The seed funding for Heart for Art came from the Guild who chose it as one of their projects from 2012 -2015. Over 60 Christian organisations and congregations, including CrossReach, took part in ‘Heart and Soul’ in Princes Street Gardens on the Sunday of the General Assembly in May. An estimated 5,000 people passed through the gardens during the afternoon event, which culminated with worship at the Ross bandstand. This year’s theme was ‘People of the Way’ and the CrossReach marquee featured different signposts with stories from service users or staff called ‘Our Journey’. Everyone was also invited to travel part of the journey with us by walking a mile on a treadmill, and many people accepted the challenge, including the Queen’s representative at the General Assembly, Lord Hope of Craighead! It’s been a busy time for Morven Day Services in Kilmarnock as Deputy Manager Allan Marshall explains: “Our Summer Fair to raise funds for the service user committee provided an opportunity for those who attend the service to put their creative and organisational skills to great use, ensuring that everyone got a chance to have some fun in July. In August some service users organised an information stall at the ‘Celebrate East Ayrshire’ event. We took the positive message of good mental health onto the high street, highlighting Morven and CrossReach and also handing out mental health literature. A group is currently working on an Arts & Crafts exhibition to celebrate the creative works of Morven service users from across East Ayrshire. This will be its second year and we plan to expand it by taking some exhibits and information stalls to the community village at Kilmarnock Railway Station on 14th October.”
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Me and My Job CrossReach Employee of the Year Kelly Ireland, Service Manager of The Elms Care Home in Edinburgh How long have you worked for CrossReach? 10 years now. I came here for an interview during study leave from my exams at school. Why apply to CrossReach? Was that deliberate, or did you apply to different organisations? I applied to different organisations, went onto jobs websites and looked for anything with the word ‘care’ and was lucky enough to get an interview and job at The Elms. I started as a care worker, not having a clue what I was doing and was led by one of our experienced members of staff and after a couple of weeks I decided that it was something I might be good at, so I gave it a go! What training have you had in your 10 years? From the minute I came I was sent on training courses left, right and centre, SVQ level 3, Moving and Handling (I’m a qualified trainer for that), PDAs - now I’m helping other people get through their SVQs.
The training opportunities are fantastic. CrossReach is definitely an organisation that believes in people and if you want to learn then they will help you. Dementia is a difficult condition because it robs people of their memories. How do you deal with that and keep the residents’ minds active? Through a lot of activities and stimulation. We’ve done a lot of work to improve the environment of the home to make it interesting - providing stimulation so that something triggers a memory and we can go into detail about that. If we sit and say ‘tell me about your family’ they won’t know what that means, whereas if we sit with a photograph they’ll be able to connect it. Even something as simple as getting them to smile, you know you’re doing the right thing. We have themed areas in the home – a beach and an indoor garden. When residents were coming out of the lift they were quite disorientated, so now some residents that know they live by the beach or others live just along from the garden and that helps. We have 10 male residents so we created a nautical area with a lighthouse, a wave machine, old photos of ships, and we find that a lot of the gentlemen sit there having a wee chat. The
residents are free to go anywhere they want, so it’s about making sure they’ve got interesting things along the way that they can talk about and can orientate them – and to help find their own bedroom as well. We put photographs of the residents on their bedroom doors to help them, and all of these things keep them safe. Describe your job in three words… That’s tough! Rewarding, busy and opportunities – for both residents and staff. Making sure I’m providing opportunities for my staff to learn and providing new and exciting opportunities for residents to get involved in as well. You won ‘CrossReach Employee of the Year’ which you could never have imagined a decade ago… Definitely not! Even now I’m surprised when I see my name as service manager on a bit of paper- it’s all just spiralled. It’s been a fantastic journey and I love my job and working for CrossReach, probably even more than I did 10 years ago. Back then I wasn’t sure if this was what I wanted to do, but now I’ve got a focus and it’s all about the residents and their families.
I wish to support CrossReach by donating £................................. on a single monthly annual basis If single: Please post us a cheque (payable to CrossReach) or donate online at www.CrossReach.org.uk If monthly: I would like to make my donation on the 1st/15th (delete as appropriate) of each month starting: ........../........../................ If annually: I would like to make my donation on: ........../........../................ and each year thereafter Your account details Name of bank: ........................................................................................... Address of bank: ........................................................................................ ...................................................................... Postcode: ............................. Account number:........................................................................................ Sort code: ...................................................................................................
Your personal details Name (inc title): .......................................................................................... Home address: ............................................................................................. ................................................................... Postcode: .................................. Phone number: ............................................................................................ Email address: ..............................................................................................
To the manager (Bank/Building Society): Please pay Bank of Scotland, 38 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH2 2YR on the date indicated above and thereafter until further notice the sum indicated above for the credit of CrossReach Account No 00227186, Sort Code 80-41-21 If you pay tax, please sign this form and the tax office will give us 25p for every £1 you donate. I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of UK Income Tax and/or Capital Gains for each tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all charities that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand that the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give. Please notify CrossReach if you want to cancel this declaration, change your name or home address or no longer pay sufficent tax. Signature: .................................................................. Date: ...../...../........... If you have any questions, call our Supporter Relations team on 0131 657 2000. Please send this completed form to: Supporter Relations, CrossReach, Charis House, 47 Milton Road East, Edinburgh, EH15 2SR
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Feeling below par?
Moderator’s Golf Challenge for CrossReach Children and Family Services
Thursday 22nd September 2016 at The Royal Burgess, Edinburgh Bacon roll, Four Ball and two-course lunch for ÂŁ270 Secure your place now at: crossreachevents.org.uk
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Be part of it! Sunday 9th October CrossReach & Social Care Sunday 10th - 14th October CrossReach Week 2016 Saturday 15th October Social Care Mission Conference For more info: www.crossreach.org.uk
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