COLLABORATE JULY/AUGUST 20224th Edition Link to us on Social Fundraising while having fun School Taster Sessions
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CASE STUDY
JULY/AUGUST 2022
Sabrina began her journey with Alternative Angles Ballymena in October 2019. As part of Sabrina’s employment journey, she developed a variety of new skills and grew in both confidence and belief in her abilities.
Sabrina particularly enjoyed making the candles and melts, then packaging and labelling them for sale to the public.
Sabrina & Her Journey into Retail
The staff helped to support Sabrina, some of the skills that she developed were time keeping, following a work timetable, working as part of a team, making the Harmony and Love This range of home fragrance products and stock taking.
Including the digital C.V This is ME (click to play
Sabrina & Her Journey into Retail
During lockdown the staff were able to engage with Sabrina with weekly phone calls and a variety of different resource activity packs. Sabrina returned to Alternative Angles and continued to show growth and progress, and was introduced to her Employment Officer who provided the necessary support to help prepare Sabrina for employment. An Employment Officer will provide support in building C.V's, Interview Support, Finding Work, Job Coaching, In Job training, offering Work Experience or Job Shadowing opportunities. CASE STUDY
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Well Done SABRINA & Her Journey into Retail
Sabrina
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"When I was ready for work my Employment Officer helped me find my new job. I love working in Mace, I enjoy working with my coworkers and meeting the customers."
Sabrina getting her well deserved 'Certificate of Retail Participation'. Gaining experience in Merchandising, Stock Taking, Labelling, Product Awareness and Customer Care
The Employment Officer helped Sabrina take ownership of the process, supporting and guiding to identify an occupational match. Sabrina decided she would like to work within retail. "I was given the opportunity to participate in a Retail Experience Programme through the Parity Project, my employment officer provided one to one support throughout this process."
Sabrina’s Employment Officer worked with the employer (Mace) to make sure the tasks would match Sabrina’s skills. The Employment Officer also supported Sabrina to agree her terms and conditions of employment, including rate of pay and holiday entitlement, as well as setting regular review dates to explore possible career progression within her role. & Her Journey into Retail
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To find out more on how we can support: Brendan.clarke@trianglehousing.org.uk Ruth.mccurdy@trianglehousing.org.uk Victoria.redmond@trianglehousing.org.uk www.trianglehousing.org.uk/employment
COLLABORATE JULY/AUGUST 2022 The Benefits
July -
Your self care is important. looking after your body and mind helps you keep strong and healthy emotionally: physically and psychologically for the demands of daily life. Summer is a great time to be outdoors, enjoying the fresh air warmth and colours of Summer improve energy, and more. The team in Antrim created a list of self care tips that only take 5 minutes. August 2022
Self-Care 5 Min Enjoy some healthy food Turn on your favourite playlist Drink more water Take some bdeepreaths Compliment yourself Create a gratitude list Summer Go for some nice walks
f"Ilikegoing orshortwalks, aI lwaysfeelgood after"-Ciara "Seeing all the animals makes me happy " -Leah "Being outdoors clears my mind and I then become more motivated" Brenda As part of our summer self care in Alternative Angles we have been taking a walk a few days a week to boost our moods and to enjoy the beauty of nature. Our advice is " go out for a walk as you never know who you could bump into....!" ItsBarra Best!!!
We had the opportunity to take part in the ‘Art of Brilliance’ programme. This programme taught our trainees and staff about how to be the best versions of ourselves by promoting happiness and positivity.
JULY/AUGUST 2022COLLABORATE THE ART OF BRILLIANCE
It also taught us the importance of self-care and how by looking after ourselves we inevitably take care of others around us by sending out positivity. At the end of the part of the programme, each group devised a 10-point plan, to take forward in order to improve their centres and themselves, for example, a pride board, in which trainees can have on display what they are proud of and the things they have achieved.
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The event was a brilliant way to bring trainees and clients (and even staff!) together again, sharing their stories and experiences of the 'Art Of Brilliance' programme.
As a celebration of completing the Art of Brilliance programme we were invited to Tullyglass House Hotel Ballymena showcasing the progression and achievements of our team throughout the programme.
“I really enjoyed the Art of Brilliance it was good fun and I learned lots of new things. My favourite part was doing all the artwork. My favourite part of Tullyglass was being on stage and all the lovely food” Kathy, AA Ballymena “I only have one thing to say, and that is that I enjoyed absolutely everything Matthew, AA Newtownabbey I really enjoyed the Art of Brilliance because I loved learning about new things and having new experiences. At Tullyglass I really enjoyed seeing Paddy again and learning about what the other AA sites did” Nathan, AA Newtownabbey “I really enjoyed our day out in Tullyglass as a group” -Kieran, AA Magherafelt “My favourite part of the Art of Brilliance was doing the PowerPoint presentations with wee Paddy” -Aidan, AA Magherafelt “My favourite part of the Art of Brilliance is learning about how to be more kind to people. I also loved going to Tullyglass with my friends and I enjoyed the nice food Natasha, AA Newtownabbey
“What I learned from the Art of Brilliance is to be happy and kind. I loved learning the Tai Chi and I enjoyed our day in Tullyglass because I liked the food and being with everyone again” Jade, AA Ballymena
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What did the trainees think?
We have some very exciting news in Alternative Angles!! We are very happy to announce that we will be working with Planet Mark to become Planet Mark certified. "The Planet Mark Business Certification is a recognised symbol of sustainability progress. It demonstrates a business' commitment to measuring and reducing their Carbon Emissions" (Planet Mark). We are looking forward to working together with Planet Mark to reduce our Carbon Emissions! TOGETHER FOR OUR PLANET
TOGETHER FOR OUR PLANET KEEP
THE GREAT
In other news we have been very busy within our Alternative Angles Centres. The team have been busy with our Recycling and the new bins that we have all received have been filled more than once in every centre. The passion that the team have and the commitment is commendable. UP WORK GUYS! HERE ARE SOME OF THE TEAM IN OUR BALLYMENA CENTRE.
Another activity taking place in our Antrim Centre was the unused decoupage bottle clear out. Here are a few pictures of George recycling responsibly at our local bottle bank. TOGETHER FOR OUR PLANET GREAT WORK GEORGE Great collaborative work and brilliant ideas for our future sustainability goals.
PECIAL DELIVERY NI Fundraising
The trainees, families and staff took part in a series of fundraising events during Learning disABILITY week for Special Delivery NI.
CELEBRATING LEARNING disABILITY WEEK JULY/AUGUST 2022COLLABORATE
As a result of her own experience Clare started Special Delivery NI, welcoming Mums into the Down Syndrome community with gift baskets and beneficial positive information.
Special Delivery NI endeavours to make the birth of a Down Syndrome child less of a scary time and more a time for celebration.
Special Delivery NI share regular updates on Facebook
ALTERNATIVE ANGLES &
CELEBRATING JULY/AUGUST 2022COLLABORATE LEARNING disABILITY WEEK ALTERNATIVE ANGLES & SPECIAL DELIVERY NI Fundraising Ballymena, Antrim, Magherafelt and Newtownabbey trainees & staff have all been raising money for this amazing charity. would like to our gratitude and thanks all the friends and families who have helped to support us in raising over £2900 for the charity.
CELEBRATING
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BALLYMENA
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All the trainees who took part said that they thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to our next one. disABILITY
Jade, Ashleigh, Claire, and Niamh spent Thursday afternoon socialising, having a good catch up over some cold drinks and biscuits.
Jordan began the week with a quiz, which he hosted for all the trainees across the centres. The quiz was designed using questions that had been collated from the trainees across the 6 Alternative Angles sites.
CELEBRATING JULY/AUGUST 2022COLLABORATE LEARNING disABILITY WEEK ALTERNATIVE ANGLES BALLYMENA Alternative Angles Ballymena trainees enjoyed a series of sponsored walks from their centre in Ballymena North to and around the People’s Park.
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ALTERNATIVE ANGLES MAGHERAFELT disABILITY WEEK
Alternative Angles Magherafelt did sponsored walks as part of Learning Disability week activities to raise funds for Special Delivery NI. The walks took place in Polepatrick, Castledawson Road, Magherafelt. Bryan’s black Labrador, Leia even joined to support us. She enjoyed all the attention from the trainees and was rewarded with treats afterwards.
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The guys at Alternative Angles Newtownabbey took part in a sponsored walk for Special Delivery NI. They really enjoyed raising money, telling their friends and family about this special charity. Thank you to all who donated!
The team in Antrim held a coffee morning to raise funds for Special Delivery NI. We were all keen to get involved for such an amazing Charity and all the lovely cakes and buns went down a treat.
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We would like to thank everyone who purchased and sold raffle tickets, offered to make the buns, scones and cakes, donated prizes and helped the team in any way. Our Enterprise Co ordinator, Brendan Clarke helped us out as our very own Barista for the morning. It was an enjoyable day for us all.
CELEBRATING JULY/AUGUST 2022COLLABORATE NING disABILITY WEEK ALTERNATIVE ANGLES ANTRIM
The little twins can be found on Facebook where you can log into the fundraiser at: www.justgiving.com
Author: Celine Cahill
JULY/AUGUST 2022COLLABORATE RNING disABILITY WEEK
Footnote: ‘Celine has to be commended as being the main fundraiser for the Hollybank sponsored walk. ’ Sylvia (Hollybank staff) ‘Celine has a huge heart.’ Joanne (Alternative Angles Staff)
The twins who are joined together were born in March. They require surgery to separate their bodies. Their mum Hannah, was my key worker before she went off to have the twins. We did the walk around Magherafelt. The fund raising is to help with the travel costs for both the parents and twins from Northern Ireland to London for appointments and treatment. My name is Celine. During Learning Disability Awareness week, I took part in a sponsored walk with Hollybank supported living to raise money for the twins, Annie and Issie Bateson.
CELEBRATING
CELEBRATING JULY/AUGUST 2022COLLABORATE NING disABILITY WEEK ALTERNATIVE ANGLES COLERAINE
Trainees from Alternative Angles, Coleraine hosted a successful coffee morning in head office, Ballymoney to allow staff to reconnect again after Covid 19. With all donations going to McMillan Cancer including match funding by Triangle’s charitable giving committee. Thank you and well done everyone.
BALLYCASTLE Greenlight trainees take workplace
during our mid-summer clean up and maintenance program. Everyone contributed to the tasks with much enthusiasm. A big thank you to all of Greenlight garden centre trainees, support staff and volunteer for your hard work in potting up 1400 perennial plant plugs for autumn/winter sales. Such a hot day!!
in their
GREENLIGHT activities stride
Taster Sessions and New Starts
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Taster Sessions available within all of our Alternative Angles centres Get in touch to find out more brendan.clarke@trianglehousing.org.uk or ruth.mccurdy@trianglehousing.org.uk Meet Alex & Chloe
Alex and Chloe very much ackage. They were best friends at Kilronan School and they will be attending Alternative Angles, Magherafelt together in September. Both ladies left Kilronan school in June and they have been coming to Alternative Angles for taster sessions. This is all part of their journey transitioning from school to the Day Opportunities service. They will be attending the local NRC in September as well as joining us in Alternative Angles Magherafelt. Already they are displaying lots of potential: the team in Magherafelt are delighted to have 2 lovely new faces here.
Both ladies say they are excited for the future but sad to leave Kilronan School, which is a testimony to the brilliant work the school continues to do. Pupils stay there until they are 19. The girls have lovely memories of the school leavers assembly where they received leaving gifts of a framed poem Sessions and
New Starts
Hobbies: Walking, music and singing. I like Ed Sheeran. Career: I’m interested in working in a café. What do you like about Alternative Angles? Having fun, talking, learning life skills. I’m excited about going to college. Words of wisdom: Smile. Let's find out more!
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ALEX
CAFÉ REVIVE Alex and Chloe also gained work experience in Café Revive. Café Revive is run by Kilronan staff and students during term time. It is open on a Thursday morning from 10.30 11.30 to the public in First Magherafelt Presbyterian Church. JULY/AUGUST 2022COLLABORATE Taster Sessions and New Starts Let's find out more! CHLOE Hobbies: I love music, pop, country and classical music. I like Scooter, Ritchie Remo and Hans Zimmer. I enjoy being outdoors and gardening. I love red tractors and cows and I like painting too. Career: I would like to work with animals, outdoor work maybe work in a petting farm. What do you like about Alternative Angles? Making new friends, contract work and crafts. Words of wisdom: Be happy.
We were served courteously and efficiently. Alex and Chloe have both said they are looking forward to visiting it in September with Alternative Angles as customers instead of staffing the café. Both ladies have also said that they enjoyed meeting people in Café Revive. Gives the students skills such as customer service, confidence, and experience in catering.
Alternative Angles, Magherafelt Thursday team have visited the café on several occasions and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was a delight to see how good Alex and Chloe and the other students were at their jobs and the lovely, happy atmosphere
Taster Sessions and New Starts
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CAFÉ REVIVE
Kilronan School & Alternative Angles
Alternative Angles, Magherafelt have always had a good working relationship with Kilronan school. Many past pupils have progressed through our service to forge successful careers with the support of our employment officers. Alternative Angles and Kilronan school are planning to take this relationship to a new level this September for the new term. The leavers class will come to Alternative Angles for taster sessions throughout their leaving year as opposed to the leavers coming for taster sessions in May/June time. The teaching staff at Kilronan believe this will equip the leavers with more confidence and reduce the anxiety of leaving school. The students will gain experience of what their options are well ahead of leaving school. The students and staff will attend Alternative Angles for a few hours one day per week and we are endeavouring to work together on a project. There will be more news on this in the next edition of Collaborate. Exciting times ahead!
JULY/AUGUST 2022COLLABORATE Taster Sessions and New Starts
OUT & ABOUT Send your pictures to parity@trianglehousing.org.uk Stewartisa Stewartisa SwimmingCoach SwimmingCoach withColeraine withColeraine SwimmingTeam. SwimmingTeam. Alicia'sDog Alicia'sDog whenitwas whenitwas little little Kerry,Gavin,StewartandEmmaenjoying thesunshine.Thiswalkinggroupenjoy walksbytheriverandfurtherafield. Theyliketokeepaneyeonthe developmentofthenewNRCinColeraine. Youcanseeitinthebackground Aliciaoutawalk withfriendsin Portrush
HARMONY CREW COLLABORATE
Harmony Crew held their 2nd meeting ahead of Learning Disability week to discuss activities and celebration and to catch up with what everyone has been up to across the Alternative Angles Centres.
Jordan is super excited about his role as quiz master for the upcoming quiz as part of the activities for Learning Disability week.
Everyone has been keeping busy with the contract work. The Antrim, Ballymena, Magherafelt and Newtownabbey have been busy completing their their fund raising activities for Special Delivery NI.
HARMONY CREW 2nd MONTHLY MEETING
JULY/AUGUST 2022
The Antrim Centre have been busy putting the final touches to the new range of soaps and bath salts. Well done Antrim, they are amazing! They are planning a picnic in Castle Gardens for LD week and also hoping to get the new Carbon Neutral focus group off the ground. The Coleraine Centre are resuming sweetie production and they have been keeping up with their travel training.
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The Ballymena team have also been very busy perfecting their performance for the finale of the ‘Brilliantly Me’ project. Everyone is looking forward to the event to be held in the Tullyglass on June 27th. It will be the first group event since pre Covid.
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HARMONY
The Magherafelt Centre received good news: a local business called Bloc Blinds are donating £200 for the trainees. The donation to Alternative Angles, Magherafelt was nominated by one of their employees as part of ‘Bloc in the Community'.
The team in Magherafelt have also been making use of the gardening activity packs and planting them on site. Thank-you to the Ballymena team for putting them together. (So far Celine's has grown the most with William a close 2nd!) We also have been testing the car diffusers. The first batch was disappointing but the 2nd batch is a winner. Production to commence very soon.
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Author and Harmony Crew Host Joanne Convery Supported Employment Worker Magherafelt Julia from the Newtownabbey Centre is delighted with the new recycling bins very kindly sourced for us by our Carbon Neural champion Brenda, the Centres looked instantly tidier as soon as we started to use them. The next Harmony Crew meeting will take place when everyone has had their holidays. It will be a bit different next time as it will be hosted by a trainee rather than staff now that we all know how the Harmony Crew meetings work. See you all in the next edition! We are all looking forward to welcoming new jobseeker Karen Stewart and also two school leavers, Alex and Chloe who are transitioning from Kilronan School.. They will be attending Alternative Angles for taster sessions as they leave their school days behind them.
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Triangle Headquarters: Address: 60 Eastermeade Gardens, Ballymoney, BT53 6BD, Co. Antrim Opening Hours: Monday Thursday: 9.00am 5.00pm Friday: 9.00am to 4.30pm Tel: 028 2766 6880 What Areas Do Supported Employment Cover? Triangle currently supports over 230 jobseekers across Antrim, Ballymoney, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Cookstown, Larne, Magherafelt, Moyle and Newtownabbey How Do I Contact You For Further Information? Please contact Victoria Redmond Employment Service Co ordinator 07813 295 678 or victoria.redmond@trianglehousing.org.uk ALTERNATIVEANGLESANTRIM, UNIT11,ANTRIMBUSINESSPARK RANDALSTOWNROAD, ANTRIM,BT414LD AAANTRIM@TRIANGLEHOUSINGORGUK TEL:02894462261 ALTERNATIVEANGLESBALLYMENA, BAL ENTRE, ALTERNATIVEANGLESCOLERAINE, UNIT1,36LONGCOMMONS, COLERAINE,BT521LH AACOLERAINE@TRIANGLEHOUSINGORGUK TEL:02870356264 ALTERNATIVEANGLESNEWTOWNABBEY, VALLEYBUSINESSCENTRE, 67CHURCHROAD,NEWTOWNABBEY,BT367LS AANEWTOWNABBEY@TRIANGLEHOUSINGORGUK TEL:02890364714 ALTERNATIVEANGLESBALLYCASTLE 61LEYLANDROAD BALLYCASTLE CO.ANTRIM,BT546EZ TEL:02820768107 TEL:02879634514 JULY/AUGUST 2022 Alternative Angles Social Enterprise Link to us on Social COLLABORATE