Regional SEN Transition To Employment Project Newsletter

It’s time for the February edition of our newsletter… where did January go? Real Opportunities is almost fully rolled out now with the Swansea team up and running and the Neath Port Talbot team put in place last week! With some hub teams now approaching their first birthday lots of great things are happening for our young people, and as ever lots of exciting developments are also happening outside of the project.

Back in November the newsletter included information about how to contribute your opinions to the Welsh Specific Equality Duties, aimed at making the Equality Act 2010 really work in Wales. Based on the information gathered in the survey and during workshops, Welsh Government has now produced draft potential emerging equality objectives which were discussed and approved on January 10th. Welsh Government are now looking for feedback to help them decide how to progress further. To read the draft emerging equality objectives and to give feedback go to wales. gov.uk/topics/equality/equalityactatwork.

Welsh Government is also seeking views on new regulations concerning breaks for carers with disabled children in Wales. Under Section 25 of the Children and Young Persons Act 2008, the Government introduced a new statutory duty on local authorities. This will assist individuals who care for disabled children to continue to do so, or do so more effectively, by giving them a break from their caring responsibilities. To view the draft regulations go to wales.gov.uk/consultations/healthsocialcare/ breaks. You will also be able access best practice guidelines and give your feedback here. The deadline for comments or responses is 28th March 2012.

There has also been a host of fantastic free resources launched recently by a range of organisations which would assist in transition planning and youth inclusion. National Parks published a new series of guides that outline accessible activities within the National Parks. The guides are available in a number of formats, including large print with photos and an audio file, and in both English and Welsh. They can be accessed at the Access for All section of National Parks’ website www. nationalparks.gov.uk/visiting/outdooractivities/accessforall.

Radar, the disability rights campaigning network, has also launched the latest edition to the ‘Doing Life Differently’ series of self-help guides entitled ‘Doing Transport Differently’. The guide features sections on planning a journey, how to use different types of public transport and how to get assistance when travelling. You can download the booklets at www.radar.org.uk/publications/doing-transport-differently.

Lastly, check out the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) report called ‘My own Place’ which provides a useful ‘Housing Pathway’ to support young people and families with housing opportunities and decisions. Go to www.ndti.org.uk/publications/ndti-publications/my ownhousing to access the document

Laura Davies

Project Information Officer

February 2012In this issue

IntroductionNew Hubs, Consultationsand Free Resources.

AM Visits RealOpportunitiesThe Deputy Minister forSkills takes part in a projectinduction.

Positive OutcomesSome positive stories fromBridgend and Merthyryoung people.

Social OpportunitiesTorfaen start a weekendactivity group.

Training & EventsA list of upcoming projecttraining and events.

Project Inductions are offered as part of the Real Opportunities programme of training and delivered by project training officer, Hannah Cox. The Deputy Minister for Skills attended the induction intended to encourage collaboration with teachers, families and other professionals in Pontypridd YMCA, Rhondda Cynon Taff. The minister took part in the interactive session to look at the values of the project and the work of the staff involved. Project Manager, Angela Kenvyn discussed the project structure and provided an overview of the workings of the project and Tracy Lloyd, Family Liaison Coordinator for the Rhondda Cynon Taff hub team supported Sadie Jones, a young person on the project to make a presentation of her experiences of the project. Sadie shared her digital story during the presentation which showed some of her Person Centred Planning work, the support she’s received from the Hub Team, Elite and Action for Employment and feedback from the staff that now work with her at the Edith May Day Centre, as well as from the staff from the hub team and employment support agencies. Tracey gave a

AM visits ReAl OppORtunities

Jeff Cuthbert AM, Deputy Minister for Skills attended a Real Opportunities ProjectInduction on January 16th 2012 in Pontypridd to find out more about our project

and how it works!

breakdown of the work Sadie has completed since joining the project which gave the minister and other attendees a great practical example of the project in work.

The team from Elite also gave a presentation about their involvement with the project, and shared the stories of some of the many young people they have been working with. One of whom, David Preece, who has now

secured paid work thanks to his placement with Elite was also present to share his experiences. The Minister gave the introduction to the day and expressed his delight at being associated with the project and discussed the importance of the kind of work that Real Opportunities is doing. He was eager to hear from the young people and felt their presence during the event demonstrated that the project was working in conjunction with its young people, working with them and for them to plan for their future, which he said was absolutely essential in the transition to adulthood, particularly so for our disabled young people.

To arrange a Project Induction for parents, professionals and/or teachers in your area contact Hannah Cox at realopportunities@ learningdisabilitywales.org.uk or on 01792 817224.

LtoR David Preece, Jeff Cuthbert, Tracey Jones and Sadi Jones

Connor Bounds aged 16 from Merthyr has been working with the Real Opportunities hub team in Merthyr since August 2011.

Since then he has accessed Psychology Support from Tracey and has worked closely with Family Liaison Worker Tim to develop his Person Centred Plan. Connor has completed his OCN in keeping safe and has now progressed onto accessing Youth Inclusion support and is hoping to complete a work experience placement with Elite.

Since working with Tim, Connor has developed and expressed an interest in jogging, which he uses as a positive coping mechanism. To further encourage and develop Connor’s interests, Tim suggested entering a fun run. Connor decided to run the Nos Galan 5k road race in Mountain Ash, and started working hard in training with Tim in the weeks leading to the race; he also joined a local ‘teen’ gym which he hopes to continue attending. Conner wanted to run the race for charity and decided to put the money raised towards a new minibus for his school!

Unfortunately due to family circumstances Connor was unable to run the race on the night, but is still interested in running a race and will be running the Sports Relief mile in March instead. After all the hard work put in Tim didn’t let the side down and still went on

positive OutcOMes

to run the 5km in 33:56 dressed as Bananaman (of course). The boys raised more than £120 for the minibus appeal for Greenfield School in Merthyr.

Hannah Peacock from Bridgend has been working with the Bridgend Real Opportunities team since May 2011. Since May, Hannah has successfully completed OCN’s in Confidence and Travel Training and has been getting lots of great support from Sarah and David, the teams Psychology Support and Independent Living Skills Workers. Hannah has now progressed onto working with the Youth Inclusion WorkerTanya.

Tanya worked closely with Hannah to complete a ‘PCP Passport’, a PCP tool that the team uses to get an idea of what young people’s likes and dislikes are. Hannah identified that she had an interest in cooking which she did at school.

After speaking to Hannah’s mum, Tanya and Hannah planned to pursue cooking in Hannah’s leisure time, and Tanya is now supporting Hannah attend a cookery course on a Wednesday evening in the local comprehensive school. The course focuses on healthy eating and teaches basic cookery skills. So far Hannah has made bread, fish pate, ratatouille and fresh pasta all from scratch! As well as learning great cookery skills, Hannah is also making lots of new friends, takes great pride in taking her cooking home and is having a fabulous time. Tanya also thinks it’s great because she gets to take tea home every Wednesday and doesn’t have to cook!!! Tanya hopes that she’ll be able to help Hannah transfer the skills she’s learning to her home life and will continue to attend cooking classes independently in the future.

Every week Real Opportunities teams across south Wales are helping young peo-ple with Severe and Complex Needs, a Learning Disability or Autistic Spectrum

Disorder to achieve personal goals. These small changes and achievements are helping young people build confidence and skills for independent living in the futureAnd they’re having fun!

Tim as Bananaman after his run!

Hannah at her cooking class.

Day 5 of 5 Day PCPDate: 27th February 2012Time: 10am – 3pmVenue: Manor Park Country House, ClydachFor: Staff on the Course

Project InductionDate: 29th February 2012 & 8th March 2012Time: 4pm - 5:30pmVenue: Trinity Fields School & Resource CentreFor: Trinity Fields Teachers

Planning for the Future NetworkDate: 14th March 2012Time: 10am-1pmVenue: Forge Fach CRC, ClydachFor: PCP/Family Liaison/ILS All Hubs

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To get your story in the newsletter, or for more information contact Laura on 01792 817224 or atlaura.davies@learningdisabilitywales.org.uk

training & eventsTo book onto any of the following training events or seminars contact the information and training team at realopportunities@learningdisabiltywales.org.uk for a booking form. For further information regarding the events listed please contact Hannah at Hannah.cox@learningdisabilitywales.org.uk.

Introduction to PCPDate: 19th March 2012Time: 10am-4pmVenue: Llety Cynin, St ClearsFor: All in Swansea/Carms/Pembs

Multimedia WorkshopDate: 29th March 2012Time: 11am-3pmVenue: Forge Fach CRC, ClydachFor: All Hubs and Young People

Project InductionDate: 28th March 2012Time: 10am - 1pmVenue: Orbit Centre, MerthyrFor: All in Merthyr

The group is aimed at young people who do not have access to any leisure or social activities during the weekend or those who may benefit from socialising with other young people.

Last week the team started their weekend programme of activities by taking a group of four participants to the cinema. They were dropped off by their parents who also paid £1.50 for the movie, which was an early bird weekend special offer, and the staff went for free as carers.

The main aim of the group is to give the young people an opportunity to make friends, socialise and hopefully gain confidence to access social activities independently in the future. The team are looking into a variety of cheap activities that the young people can access themselves, including things like going to the park for a game of cricket or going for a walk. All the

social Opportunitiesyoung people said they enjoyed their cinema trip and would really love to do something with the group again.

The Torfaen hub team has identified that some of their young people on the project would benefit from some weekend social activities, and being a team made up of very social

and fun staff they have decided to start taking a small group of young people out on the weekend for a few hours, with the aim of doing this once a month.

The group at the cinema