What is Claremont? Community Magnet

73% of our members live alone

What is Claremont?

Why is it?

Old style mental health facility?

Why is it?• We wanted aspirational

Why is it?

•We want to challenge stereotypes•To be genuinely interested in each other

Mary O’Laughlin Edith Okine Fred Payne

How is it?•The right kind of staff• Self-awareness, especially of

power in relationships

How is it?

How is it?

Customers don’t necessarily know what solutions are going to best meet their needs.Our job is to listen to and help articulate their needs and with our expertise, design solutions which address those needs.Don’t just ask what solutions people want or you’ll kill innovation!

People who want to matter to each other

What matters to you, defines your own mattering.

How is it?

How is it? Witnessing• Acknowledging each other• Performances• Exhibitions• Art-making groups• One-to-one therapy and therapy groups• Active listening skills for staff and volunteers

Risk!

How is it?

• “Life as normal” – many people don’t want to be treated differently because of their age. • Real focus on a person’s continuing potential, whatever their situation

• Grants - track outcomes using respected well-being measures• People pay a bit for some classes• Leverage cultural capital and organisations with funding wanting

to deliver stuff• High quality volunteers

• Patience… it took time to build• We had 12 members in 2002

Doggie “bacon flavoured strips” and biscuits await the “OK” release command!