l i fewww.mcch.org.uk Summer 2014

Easy Read Newsletter

mcch is a registered charity our number is 1156486

See how we worked with the National Citizen Service. Page 4

2 l i fe

WelcomeYour home, our promise

We have some new standards.

They are to make sure our properties look good and are nice to live in.

How do I get support from mcch?

Call 0800 028 28 15

Or visit our website www.mcch.org.uk

Other mcch life newsletters are also available

mcch life not in easy read.

mcch life for people that are interested in mental health news.

Contact Sam Woollard if you would like one of these sent to you.

Email Sam at marketing@mcch.org.uk

Or write to Sam Woollard: mcch, One Hermitage Court, Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, Kent ME16 9NT

3Summer 2014

Holly Lodge won an award

Sharing our findings

This is our service called Holly Lodge.

They won an award.

They won the award at the 2014 National Learning Disabilities awards.

Well done Holly Lodge.

We did some research about bad things that happen to people with learning disabilities.

We told people what we found out.

We told people what we found out at an event in Austria.

We also told people what we found out at the All Parlimentary Group on Autism and Learning Disability.

4 l i fe

Working togetherThis summer we worked with the National Citizen Service (NCS).

They ran workshops for people with learning disabilities.

They did a drama session at one of our services.

They sang, danced and performed short plays.

They ran a fun day in Charlton park for mcch.

There were lots of fun activities.

There was a photography workshop.

The people we support had their photos taken.

They got to take the photos home.

Everybody that took part was given a certificate to say thank you.

Some people said they would like to volunteer for mcch.

5Summer 2014

Working together What is the National Citizen Service?

The NCS is for young people aged 16-17.

They want to:

• be more confident

• learn new skills, and

• be more helpful.

6 l i fe

Personal budgets: what are they?

The amount of money social services give to meet your social care needs.

You can choose how the money is spent.

You can choose who to buy your support from.

You can choose where you live.

It must be spent on things that are in your support plan.

This could be activities you enjoy.

It could be learning something new.

It cannot be spent on something that is illegal or that could cause you harm.

What is a support plan?

A support plan tells people how you want your life to be.

7Summer 2014

Quality supportWe have a new:

Vision (how we want things to be)

Mission (how we will meet our vision)

Values (help us to be the best we can be)

Standards (what we do to give you the best support)

We have a new team called quality checkers.

They have been visiting our services.

They will make sure we are meeting our new standards.

They will make sure people are happy with the support they get from mcch.

8 l i fe

Skydive from a plane

Get involved

l i fe8

We want people to do fundraising events.

Fundraising events mean raising money for mcch and doing a fun activity.

You could do a tandem skydive for mcch.

This is when you jump from a plane with somebody.

When:

Dates throughout the year.

Where:

Headcorn Aerodrome, Kent

How much do I pay to enter? £70

How much money do I need to raise? £395

How do I enter?

Call Emma Cassley on 01622 722536 or email fundraising@mcch.org.uk

9Summer 2014

Skydive from a plane

Thank you for your support

Emma Cassley Fundraising Manager

People raised money for mcch.

We would like to say thank you to them.

With the money raised we have bought:

• iPads for the people we support.

• Sensory equipment. This is anything that looks, smells, feels or sounds good.

• A new minibus.

• An accessible swing.

10 l i fe

Technology review

We take a look at ‘guided access’

Dan Johnson Senior Operations Manager

I was supporting someone to watch videos on their iPad.

She kept pressing the home button by mistake.

This made the video stop.

She was getting annoyed that the video kept stopping.

I turned on the ‘guided access’ feature.

This locked the video app. She could not close it by mistake.

Guided access is on an iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

11Summer 2014

We are going to build 2 new services.

The first service is for young people aged 18-24.

It will help people who are leaving residential college or who live with their parents.

It will help people to learn new skills so they can live by themselves.

The second service is a mental health service.

It will help people who have been in hospital.

It will help people to live in their own home again.

Building the future

Printed on 100% recycled paper

Are you looking for support? Call us free on 08000 28 28 15

facebook.com/mcchcharity

twitter.com/mcchcharity

mcch One Hermitage Court Hermitage Lane Maidstone Kent ME16 9NT

t. 01622 722400

f. 01622 722450 www.mcch.org.uk

mcch is a registered charity our number is 1156486