partners for inclusion strategic plan 2015 - 2018 (1)

The power of people tomake their own stories

Partners for Inclusion GroupStrategic Plan 2015 - 2018

The power of people to make their own stories

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Publishing Information

All contents copyright of Partners for Inclusion Group

No part of the booklet may be reproduced in any form without prior permission from Partners forInclusion Group except in quotation of brief passages in reviews.

Published August 2015 by Partners for Inclusion

Design Alice Squire

Partners for Inclusion Group Strategic Plan 2015 - 2018

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Foreword

Our aim is to support people to live the way they choose, whatever their background. Thismeans being able to make day-to-day decisions as well as decisions about the big thingsin life. Having control over one's own story is fundamental to having real control aboutwhat happens in our lives.

In order to make our aspirations real we all need the support of others. Support needs tobe offered with respect for a person's sense of their own history, of who they are now,and what might happen in the future. This is what we mean by "the power of people tomake their own stories". We want to play a constructive part in helping people be themain author of their own lives and work with them to design support that allows them toflourish.

Over the past 15 years, the Partners for Inclusion Group has grown by supporting oneperson at a time. We have developed this strategic plan to guide us as we continue tolearn and develop in response to the needs and aspirations of the individuals and familieswe work for.

Pete Richmond (CEO)Partners for Inclusion Group


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Contents

1. Introduction

Partners for Inclusion Group story so far ................................... page 5

Our Mission ............................................................................................ page 6

The Power of People to make their own stories ..................... page 7

Our Values .............................................................................................. page 8

2. Six Goals to improve People's Lives

Goal 1. Really listening to what people say ............................. page 9

Goal 2. Respecting what people want in their life ................ page 9

Goal 3. Supporting people to live the lives they want ........ page 9

Goal 4. Allowing people to grow and develop ........................ page 9

Goal 5. Respecting family and relationships ........................... page 9

Goal 6. Paying attention to detail ................................................ page 9

3. Six Goals to Improve How We Work

Operational Goal 1. People ............................................................. page 12

Operational Goal 2. Performance ................................................. page 13

Operational Goal 3. Leadership and governance ................... page 14

Operational Goal 4. Money matters and sustainability ....... page 17

Operational Goal 5. Communicating ........................................... page 19

Operational Goal 6. Community links and networking ........ page 20

4. Keeping Track

Impact ...................................................................................................... page 24

Improving how we work ................................................................... page 25


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People's stories and pictures

We are very grateful to the following people who said we could usetheir stories and pictures to help illustrate how we work.

Alison .................................................................................... page 10

James .................................................................................... page 11

Kelsey ................................................................................... page 15/16

Xavier ................................................................................... page 18

Julie ....................................................................................... page 21/22

lisa ......................................................................................... page 23


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1. IntroductionPartners for Inclusion Group story so far

Partners for Inclusion was established as an independent charity in 2004 providing tailor-made support for people who have a learning or mental health difficulty, or both. BeforeSelf-directed Support became a requirement, Partners was one of a small number oforganisations that was already putting people in control of their own lives. We supportedmany people who in the past were described as ‘challenging’, or who had a long history ofbeing excluded and not had a chance to live an ordinary life.

Working closely with families, we developed person-centered service designs, so that eachperson has:

• Their own budget for support – it’s not mixed in with other people’s money.

• Support that suits them – no two support services are the same.

• Their own support staff matched to what they need and are interested in theirown home.

An independent evaluation (Diversity Matters, 2004) found Partners for Inclusion:

"An excellent example of an organisation offering individually tailored support. It isvisionary, knowledgeable and thoughtful, unique of its kind, and has been designed

and structured considerately to suit the people it supports."

In response to increasing demand, Just Connections, was established. It works in thesame way, focussing particularly on helping younger people make connections in theircommunities, providing truly personalised support with every service being different to suitthe needs and wishes of the supported person and their family.

In addition, we have developed Linking Lives which takes the same approach and is aimedat those who have less intensive support requirements.

We also set up Dates and Mates Ayrshire (known as DM2) a friendship, relationship andsocial project run for and by people with a learning disability across Ayrshire.

We also deliver training and consultation to a range of organisations across the UK.

These four services are known collectively as the Partners for Inclusion Group. ThePartners for Inclusion Group has grown by supporting one person at a time. The focus hasnot been on growing the organisation but on helping the people we support to grow. Wehave supported people to respond to the challenges and opportunities that come their way,so that they can continue to grow and develop. Whilst the Partners for Inclusion Group hasevolved as people’s lives have moved on, we have ensured that our fundamentalphilosophy and culture informs structures and practices that can deliver real change and‘truly person-centred services’. The Care Inspectorate said in Partners 2014 InspectionReport:


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"The service has taken person-centred service delivery to a high level and this is thefocus of all that they do and of all decisions made and development undertaken. Allconsideration and planning started with the service user and developed from there…The service's policy of providing care and support in small, dedicated and established

support teams appears to be having demonstrable results."

The secret to our success has been the people who have come to work with the Partnersfor Inclusion Group. They don’t just pay lip service to the principles of inclusion, but reallybelieve that living ordinary lives in ordinary places is not too much to ask; that we all needactive friendships and relationships with people who love us; that we have dreams andaspirations that must be heard; that in a free society we should have power and controlover what we do with our lives; that inclusion treasures diversity and builds community; thattogether we are better and that all means ALL! These underlying principles have madeworking with the Partners Group more than a job. Our people feel they are part of amovement that is creating a more fair and inclusive society.

Our Mission

We aim to deliver genuinely person-centred, personalised support that helps people to havereal lives as valued citizens in their communities. Partners for Inclusion Group exists to:

• Support people to live how they choose.

• Influence and enhance opportunities available to all.

• Share knowledge, experience and learning with others.


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The Power of People to make their own stories

Stories have a special power to inspire us. When you listen to a story you are taken on ajourney that can move you emotionally and sometimes literally from one perspective toanother. Stories can help us to think, learn about others and even understand ourselves.Stories affect how we think, feel or act. Who we think we are and who we think other peopleare, is dependent on the stories we have been told and the stories we have madeourselves.

According to the World Health Organisation, “mental health is a state of well-being in whichevery individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life,can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or hiscommunity”. There is no consensus around a single definition of well-being, but in simpleterms, it can be described as judging life positively and feeling good.

Fundamental to this is having a story that makes sense to us. This story might be aboutwhere we came from, what we are doing right now, or what we may become in the future.As an organisation we have become increasingly aware of the power of stories to shape theidentities of individuals, families and communities in the broadest sense. We have learntthat not all stories can be taken at face value and not all stories turn out the way peopleexpected.

Take John, who spent most of his early life in hospital after his parents were told he couldnever live in the community. When stressed, John harmed himself and others puttinghimself and the community at risk. When the ‘Same as You’ report came out in 2000 it wasdecided that big institutions should close and it seemed that John was destined for aspecialist medium secure environment. As it turned out, John’s family and the social workdepartment were willing to let him try the new model of Individual Service Design thatPartners were developing. The result was that he got his own home and individualisedsupport. Having his own Individual Service Fund meant that the level of support he receivedwas not the same from week to week, but was arranged flexibly to respond to how Johnwas feeling so that, for example, he could be supported to take regular breaks away toreduce his stress. John’s support was half the cost of a specialist medium secure unit.

Stories like John’s have helped change minds about how people who need extra supportshould be allowed to live and there is a hope that stories like this become the norm ratherthan the exception.

Of course not all stories are positive from start to finish. The Partners for Inclusion Group asan organisation, the people who work in the Partners for Inclusion Group and the people wework for, have all experienced trials and tribulations. However, it is our belief that it is whenpeople become alienated from the stories they inhabit because someone else has notlistened to them, taken control of their story, or imposed a story that makes no sense tothem, that well-being is seriously jeopardised. This idea also holds true for the Partners forInclusion Group as an organisation. We have recently seen changes in personnel and some


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people who have worked with thePartners for Inclusion Group for manyyears, including founder Doreen Kelly,have moved on to new chapters in theirown stories. At this point in our story, it isreally important that everyone feels theyare included.

Stories emerged as a theme that wascritical to supporting people to live reallives and to the organisation continuing tochange in line with people’s aspirationswhilst keeping its founding values at theheart.

Harnessing the power of people to maketheir own stories will require both old andnew methodologies. We like to think weare very good at person-centred planning,however we need to explore newapproaches and technologies. We needto be able step back from day-to-day

practices and ask ourselves if there are other ways we coulddo things that will keep us focussed on our core mission. We will

explore different approaches to getting everybody’s voice heard,including the people we work for, their families and everyone who works with

the Partners for Inclusion Group. We will engage with friends and like-mindedorganisations to look at where we can collaborate. We hope to utilise a wide range oftalents and media, including the arts, in our enterprise.

Our Values

We think that Partners for Inclusion has been successful in supporting people to have reallives. If we are successful it is because everything we do is driven by our belief that:

• Everyone is equal, different and has their own gifts.

• Everyone has the ability to develop.

• Everyone has needs and the right to support in keeping with their basichuman rights.

• Everyone’s relationships are valuable.

People will have great stories.Stories will be shared.People will tell their own stories.People being all they can be.Getting back to being creative.Footprint in the sand.It matters, I have mattered.My history.Being all I can be.Raising the bar.Maybe my child could…I am me.Not just big stories, small stories.To choose what I want to tell in the way Iwant, in my own voice.

The idea of making stories pivotal to ourstrategy came from a series of discussionsand a Partners for Inclusion Group Away Day.These are some of things people want for thefuture:


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2. Six Goals to Improve People’s LivesGoal 1. Really listening to what people say

Careful listening is fundamental to good person-centred planning. Partners for InclusionGroup has developed considerable expertise at working with individuals, families andfriends in order to understand what people are saying. Facilitating different ways to givepeople the opportunity to tell their own stories requires some effort, not just in setting upspecific forums like planning meetings, but day-to-day active listening and learning.

Goal 2. Respecting what people want in their life

Human Rights are founded on the ‘recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal andinalienable rights of all’. A central duty for care and support organisations is respectingwhat is important to people. One way we try to make this a reality is by ensuring that whathappens in people’s day-to-day lives is based upon what works for them.

Goal 3. Supporting people to live the lives they want

We all need support at different times in our life, but that support should be aboutenabling us to live our lives not taking it over. We don’t believe in standardised models ofsupport, everyone has a unique set of preferences and so everyone’s support is differentand unique to them.

Goal 4. Allowing people to grow and develop

We expect the lives of the people we support to change. For some people change can bequite dramatic and for others it is subtle and happens over time. We aim to give peoplereal control over their own personal story, which means being able to adapt our supportso that it suits where the person is now and is focused on where they want to go next inlife.

Goal 5. Respecting family and relationships

Family and personal relationships are for most people one of the most important factors inwellbeing. They are central to people’s stories about who they are and who they maybecome. This is why we aim to work in active partnership with families and friends ofpeople we support.

Goal 6. Paying attention to detail

There is a lot of pressure to achieve results and to demonstrate that what you do has animpact. Our approach to positive personal outcomes reflects the way most people livetheir lives. Every now and then we take stock or something happens that makes us thinkabout the bigger picture, but most of the time it is the “little things” that count. Our ethicalstance is that we should treat people always as ends in themselves, never as mere means


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to an end. By working hard at getting the day-to-day detail of an individual’s support right,we believe that we are respecting people’s inherent worth and dignity and we also findthat outcomes are better in the long run.

Alison's Story (from Alison'sParents)

Our first contact with Partners for Inclusionwas around 2002 with the intention of having them

support Alison during the transition stage from school.Little did we realise then the difference Partners forInclusion would make to all our lives.Not only have they supported Alison to becometotally independent of us and live with 24/7 care inher own flat, but they have been there for the restof us too. Steven, Ken and I are now able to be aBrother, Mum and Dad to Alison in a way wenever thought possible in the past. We can popin to visit her in her home and she comes tovisit us. She has a very full and independentlife doing all the things she enjoys and we canrelax knowing that she is well cared for.Having Partners for Inclusion involved in our livesis a great experience and one which we do not

regret. Instead of waiting until we are older andunable to look after Alison, we can enjoy being part of

her life and watch her grow into a happy, independentyoung woman.


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James' StoryJames’ parents approached Just Connections after

observing the way a young person was supported at the local swimming pool. They knewthat this was what they required for James who was due to leave school. James’ new teambegan to shadow his existing support workers at his school, learning all the structures androutines that were in place to help James live with his diagnosis of Autism. James leftschool and continued to live at home with his parents. Initially, Just Connections supportedJames for a few hours a day. This very quickly increased until James moved into his ownhome where he is now supported 24/7.James has a dedicated support team who were selected through a matching process,meeting James and his parents for second interviews. With the support of this team andthe consistent approach to make James feel safe, he has become a very sociable, friendlyyoung man. James loves inviting friends and family to his house for lunch/dinner, and takesgreat pride in showing his visitors around his home. James is a familiar face in his localcommunity, known in the chemist, post office, butchers and other local stores.He has a voluntary job where he works in the storeroom engaging instock checks and dispatching equipment to the workers.James is continuing to build on his personal and socialskills and is now spending some time with his familyunsupported, which has included familyholidays.


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3. Six Goals to Improve How We WorkOperational Goal 1. People“I am proud of the work I do with Partners”. People want to work with the Partners forInclusion Group. In order to continue to attract and retain people who share our mission,we need to show how our values shape the whole organisation. We depend on thecontribution of all our workforce so we can continuously respond creatively to differentchallenges.

We need to ensure we recruit and retain people qualified to Scottish Social ServicesCouncil standards and are meeting registration requirements. However, to attract the rightpeople, we need to think beyond just recruiting people with relevant qualifications, andalso think about how we can offer opportunities that develop potential.

Our Programme of Learning, Development and Training reflects our conviction that ahighly engaged, competent and confident workforce assists the people we support andtheir families to feel valued, respected and included, to make choices and achieve theirgoals. We will aim to provide accessible, affordable and relevant training opportunitiesthat deliver clear return on investment. People have been supported in their learning anddevelopment through organization-wide training, for example on positive risk taking andthrough team-specific training and we will continue to support the workforce to achieveaccredited Health and Social Care qualifications.

We want a culture where staff are encouraged to use their learning and feel they have afuture in the Partners for Inclusion Group. Ongoing support, supervision and appraisal isimportant for everyone in the organisation and we foster coaching and mentoring models.Supervision should provide people with an opportunity to discuss their learning anddevelopment needs, deriving from the needs of the person they support and from theworker’s own personal development goals.

We aim to support a good work/life balance for our workforce but are aware thatproviding personalised support to people can create additional pressures. We like to thinkthat the rewards outweigh the challenges, however, we need to ensure we can offerflexible and responsive patterns of working where practicable. We are working towardsbeing in a position to offer everyone who works for Partners for Inclusion Group the LivingWage and are exploring ways to ensure our pay structures are fair for all. We will also belooking at how we can benchmark terms and conditions with comparable organisations.

We are proud to have been reaccredited the Investors In People Gold Standard, but weshould not be complacent and will look to ensure that re-assessment will help us toidentify areas where we can do better as well highlighting what we do well.

As a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee we have a Board of Trusteeswho meet four times a year. The Board is responsible for making sure Partners for


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Inclusion Group is properly managed, is doing what it is supposed to do and has astrategy for the future. Board members have a range of personal and professionalexperience. It is critical for the continued success of Partners for Inclusion Group torecruit new members who share our fundamental values and vision, have key skills forspecific functions, can ensure that strategic goals accord with our core mission and whobring with them ability to take the organisation into the future.

Operational Goal 2. PerformanceWe have continued to be successful in supporting people to have real lives through ourday-to-day work and projects such as Linking Lives and DM2. Good planning for peopleto live lives they choose is at the heart of our work. We are good at working positively withrisk and are trusted externally. The quality of care and support people receive is rated“excellent” by the Care Inspectorate and we are able to demonstrate that people wesupport tend to have better personal outcomes.

A series of audit/quality assurance procedures have been decentralised. Whilst this wasborne from necessity, this was underpinned by the aim of consolidating skills andinvolving more people in safeguarding excellence. We will be monitoring how this changeincreases the capacity and skills to secure the highest quality over the next few years.

Our appraisal, support and supervision systems provide a robust structure forperformance management and feedback and link to individual Personal DevelopmentPlans for each member of staff. In the coming year we will be using the “how good is ourteam?” approach to self-evaluation and this is informing our development plans.

What are we doing? In order to comply with the requirements of the Office of the ScottishCharities Regulator we must ensure that key people understand current requirements andthat correct procedures are in place to aid verification. We also have to comply with CareInspectorate standards regulations and therefore service leaders must have anunderstanding of requirements and access to systems to aid verification of compliance.We are working on improving quality assurance systems to improve evidence of serviceperformance.

How well are we doing it? We take quality of care and support very seriously and are willlook to independent external evaluation of services to aid the improvement of quality Wewill provide further training and support to Team/Service Leaders where required to helpthem manage performance and make sure we plan for the review of key policies andprocedures on a cyclical basis. In addition, we need to make sure there is appropriatepersonalised guidance to support practice and that our policies and procedures areunderpinned by training.

What difference does it make? The Partners for Inclusion Group was not founded to meetthe needs of external regulators and commissioners but of the people we support. Themost important focus for monitoring performance is customer satisfaction. Are the peoplewe support satisfied that we are enabling them to live lives they choose and achieve their


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personal outcomes? We will be exploring innovative ways to enable people tocommunicate how they are feeling about the support they get and what they want tochange, as part of our general approach to helping people make their own stories.

Operational Goal 3. Leadership and governanceWe have a flat management structure where participative and transformational leadershipare important. Effective strategic and operational leadership for an organisation likePartners for Inclusion Group needs to be rooted in collaboration and the ability to promoteour vision and galvanize action. Relationship building, shared values, creativity and thecapacity to influence and facilitate collective inputs and energies rather than ‘direct’ them,are some of the characteristics our managers need to display.

At our away day the following basic framework for good management was developed.

Being creativePositive leadership role modelTesting learningSharing storiesMaking time for staff to be creative – reflection time

Leading proactively and not managing reactivelyUsing support, supervision and appraisals and team meetings to clarify role andresponsibility and engaging staff proactively using the tools we know work in a plannedconsistent way.Reinforce match at recruitment and then ongoing.Being more creative with recruitment/ advertising

Ensuring a quality productEnsuring ongoing reviews of what we are doing and that any changes needed areactioned and followed through. Making sure fundamentals are in place e.g. training,support, feedback, development, engagement.

Leadership is not just relevant for managers, people throughout the organisation shouldbe encouraged and supported to take forward ideas and plans that are close to theirhearts. A key role of leadership is to stand with people during their journey and helpmentor/facilitate their progress. As well as promoting leadership amongst the workforce,we hope the notion of story-making more generally, will provide opportunities for peoplewe support and their families to take on more leadership roles. Leadership is not onlyabout figuring out what needs to be done, but also how to do it and this has to be done inpartnership with supported people and families.

The Board of Trustees has a specific role to ensure good governance. This is to do withkeeping the organisation free from undue risk whilst being able to demonstrate aproactive and positive risk appetite that can allow Partners to respond to external andinternal drivers and to move forward. The Board is also responsible for looking after


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My daughter’s story

Kelsey was born in 1989, a twin to her brother Brogan and sister to Kyle and Stevie.Kelsey was diagnosed when she was a year old with a rare genetic disorder,Trichothiodistrophy so I knew early on that Kelsey would face many challenges.Kelsey spent a lot of time in and out of hospital when she wasyoung up until she was around 14 years old when sheunderwent major surgery on both hips whichmeant she would have to use a wheelchair forthe rest of her life.


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As a parent of a disabled child there are many challenges and one of these, for me, wasdeciding what would be best for Kelsey in the long term, so when the Children’s DisabilityTeam approached me when Kelsey was still at school to look at starting the process oftransition from child services into adult services I had a lot of difficult and sometimesupsetting decisions to make on Kelsey’s behalf.I always wanted Kelsey to be as independent as possible and more than anything behappy and safe, I also knew that as Kelsey matured she would need input from differentareas and a wider spectrum of people including friends, carers and professionals to giveher the best possible outcomes. Although Kelsey was only 14 at the beginning of thistransition it became clear that it would take years to make sure everything was in placeat the time of Kelsey’s transition into adult services. Closer to the age of 18 I was askedwhat kind of life I wanted for Kelsey and what I thought this would look like. I knew Iwanted Kelsey to have her own home and I also knew this meant me giving up control ofmany things associated with Kelsey’s care which I had been solely responsible for, notan easy thing to do. I was given the names of home support providers and went aboutresearching what their beliefs and values were.Out of the providers deemed most appropriate for Kelsey was a relatively neworganisation, Partners for Inclusion, I liked the way they worked, outcome focused,tailoring services around the individual rather than the individual having to fit in to theirschedules. It was very clear from the start of the process that Partners were going totake their time to get all the tiny details right which at times was frustrating but totallynecessary. They helped us choose people who would be best suited to Kelsey’s supportneeds and above all people that Kelsey felt safe with and that I trusted with mydaughters safety, dignity, happiness, wellbeing, the list is endless!Kelsey has now been supported by Partners for Inclusion and Just Connections for oversix years, there have been ups and downs just like anyone’s life, to expect anything elsewould be naive. Kelsey remains happy and well supported, Partners for Inclusion andJust Connections have always been open and honest with myself and Kelsey’s familywhen things didn't go so well, there is no second guessing, nothing is hidden andnothing is too much bother. There has been lot’s of learning for myself and theorganisation which I feel and hope will at some point help other families in similarsituations. If I feel something isn’t right or going well or that Kelsey seems out ofcharacter, the right questions are asked and appropriate action is taken. Ultimately asKelsey’s guardian I have the right to make the decisions which myself and Kelsey’sfamily feel are right, keeping Kelsey safe, happy and supported, as ever, is our main

priority and I believe Partners and Just Connection’s too.


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finances and the general direction of the organisation as well as ensuring the legalaspects are dealt with including the rules contained in the Memorandum and Articles ofAssociation. Trustees approve the Annual Budget and Strategic plan. The Boarddelegates day-to-day management of the organisation to the Chief Executive Officer, whohas responsibility for the work of Partners’ 300 staff.

Maintaining good corporate governance throughout any changes to operational structuresand management personnel, will be essential for effective and open leadership.Governance is about making sure our actions, processes and practices are ethical, legaland fit for purpose. The key areas we need to focus on are how we manage our generalaffairs and how we manage and make use of resources.

Operational Goal 4. Money matters and sustainabilityAll the funds the Partners for Inclusion Group receive to support people are allocated to arestricted Individual Service Fund and operated according to the following principles:

• Decisions are made as close to the person as possible

• Too much money reduces creativity

• If you haven’t got it you can’t spend it

• If you have got it you choose what to do with it

• Money is transparent and restricted rules apply

Funding for these Individual Service Funds is spread across five local authority areas andnegotiated annually. In order to safeguard financial viability we need to be realistic in ourfinancial projections and organisational expenditure, being clear when a person’s supportneeds merit greater investment by local authorities and also reducing costs throughappropriate service reduction driven by reduced reliance on paid support. Commissionersneed evidence that continuing to fund individualised support allows us to be creative andprovide better value than off-the-shelf services.

We have sought to achieve a balance between internal growth and development andexternal pressures and opportunities. As with all organisations, we are cognisant of theeconomic climate which has influenced the decision to pursue a group structure as theoption best suited to our model of small, distinct and person centred organisations. Thiswill allow each part of the group to continue their own distinct journey, remaining close tothe people it was established for, whilst allowing benefits of economies of scale.

A key strategic objective for the Group is establishing a culture of continuousdevelopment which promotes learning and how best to use our knowledge. We haveinvested in leadership development, in addition to funding formal managementqualifications, commissioning an augmentative programme which has greater connectivityto our organisational form and function. Another strategic objective is to ensure we have a


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Xavier’s StoryThis is Xavier with his sisters and his employee recognition award from Celtic FootballClub.In October of 2012 Just Connections held a planning day for Xavier after being engagedby his family to provide him with support.Xaviers Dreams - Have a job, Make friends, Get a season ticket for Celtic Football Club,Go on Holiday.Outcome - In April of 2013 Xavier secured a permanent position withinCeltic Football ground on match days. After finishing his shift he then gets to watch hisbeloved Celtic free of charge.Having paid employment has given Xavier a whole new outlook in life, giving him not onlythe responsibility and respect that he yearned for but also a social circle of friends that hecan relate to.In the past two years, much to his family’s delight they have witnessed their brotherdevelop into a more confident and independent individual requiring not only reducedhours in support but also in his antidepressant medication.This positive progress resulted in Xavier being able to go on a very successful caravan

holiday with his team members for the first time in 8 years. Xavier continuesto grow as a confident independent individual who now

feels that by being heard he is able to make hiscontribution to society in a more constructive

and understanding way.


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financially sustainable future and a capable workforce that is able to manage resourceswith maximum effect. Fundamental to this will be ensuring there is alignment betweenplans and resources.

The implementation of Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) legislation, is apositive step forward for people who require care and support, but it does mean asignificant change in the market for the Partners Group. More people may opt for a directpayment so they can commission their own services than has previously been the case.We will explore what the implications may be, for example, some people may prefer toself-commission specific services on a spot contract basis than put all their money intoIndividual Service Fund.

Perhaps more significantly, we may find a shift from being an unusual organisation tocompeting with other’s providing individualised support. The wider acceptance of self-directed support may give us greater stability, through the endorsement of our approach.We can capitalise on our experience and success to date, putting us in a relatively strongposition. On the other hand, there is a risk that other care companies will seek to offer asimilar model at lower cost.

Without wanting to sound precious, a key difference for us and other values-basedorganisations, is that we offer individualised support because we believe it is the rightthing to do, not because we have to or because there is a market opportunity. What isdistinct about The Partners for Inclusion Group is that we see the people we support, notpolicy makers or local authorities, as our key stakeholders. Long-term sustainabilitydepends on us remaining true to our core principles and trying to do right by the peoplewe work for, rather than trying to conform to external trends where we would exposeourselves to the risk of becoming simply one of many in a crowded market.

Balancing the books is a critical concern. At this point in time, the Partners for InclusionGroup retains a healthy reserve fund and has realistic financial projections for the nextthree years. Details of our financial position are contained in the annual report submittedto the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.

Operational Goal 5. CommunicatingEnsuring that key decision makers understand the real value of the work Partners forInclusion Group do is an important aspect of our communication strategy. Promotingwhat we do is more challenging than selling an off-the-shelf service, however, we havebeen in existence long enough to have established a reputation and track record. Externalstakeholders are keen to see evidence that our approach can save them money as well asdeliver better outcomes.

We have started compiling data about what happens to people we support. There is aclear overall trend towards reduction in support needs and subsequent costs. The moststriking observation is that people supported by Partners for Inclusion Group find theirlives change. The clear message we need to communicate is that people we support have


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been getting on with lives. This strategy seeks to harness the spirit of change through themedium of story-telling in all its forms. We plan to collaborate with creative people fromlike-minded organisations and recruit local artists to help people create and tell their ownstories.

“I feel engaged and informed of the overall developments in Partners”. As well ascommunicating what we do and why we do it, we need to work at our own internalcommunications. The nature of the organisations that comprise the Partners for InclusionGroup, carries increased challenges for timely dissemination of information. We aim tomake sure that staff are kept updated and have opportunities to feedback on andparticipate in new developments. Changes in management personnel can be unsettlingfor an organisation and it becomes even more crucial that people feel they know what ishappening and that their voice counts. In a learning organisation like the Partners forInclusion Group, where we don’t have a top-down management approach, it is importantto articulate how strategic objectives will be operationalised. People need to be clearabout roles and expectations regarding who will do what and when.

Face-to-face communication and seeking broad participation in development activity, isthe most effective way of keeping everybody up-to-date. In 2014, we held a successfulconference entitled Everybody Matters which was very well attended. We will beconsulting with everybody in the organisation about what form any future event shouldtake. We also need to make more effective use of social networking and ICT and will belooking to refresh the website and ensure it is updated more frequently.

Where appropriate, we will take opportunities to communicate our message in the form ofcampaigns that champion putting human rights in practice through safeguarding accessto housing, adequate funds and public services like education and health.

Operational Goal 6. Community links and networkingGetting on with our lives and developing our own stories cannot happen independentlyfrom others. The people we support are at risk of isolation and institutionalization withinthe community and countering this requires more than putting people in their own homesin the community. They need to be supported to take their place in all the arenas manypeople take for granted. Helping people develop their own networks clearly has to bedone at a level that suits the individual, but one long-term aim would be reducingdependence on paid staff for social and personal relationships. We will work ondeveloping natural contacts and circles of support.

We want to contribute to groups who have an influence and widen our pool of contacts sowe can learn from others. We will look for opportunities to invite people in, identifying thepeople who will keep it real, simple and effective.

At a more strategic level, we will continue to maintain attendance at each local authorityprovider’s fora and engage with local community planning groups. We will continue towork closely with local authority decision makers and with the newly emerging health and


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Julie's StoryMy name is Julie Sym. I have been supported by Partners for inclusion for more than 11 yearsand I would like to tell you how well this journey has worked for me.When I first moved into my own home I was 18 years old and very anxious and unsure of whatwas going to happen and how I was going to cope on my own, forgetting that I had 24/7support. It took me a little while to settle in and get used to the idea that I had a home to runand look after but thanks to my support team I learned how to look after myself and my home.With a lot of prompting and guidance I learned how to cope with day-to-day stressors. I havelearned how to keep my house clean - ok I need to be prompted now and again, but whodoesn’t.I have tried a lot of new things with support, some of them worked and others didn’t but thatdid not put me off trying again with things that did work and waiting a while to try again thethings that did not work the first time. When I first started to go on holiday I used to go to safevenues now I am more adventuress. When I went shopping I used to ask my support if I couldleave the shop if I became anxious this was usually when the shop was busy. I now choosewhat shop to go to and I do my own shopping and am no longer worried about how busy theshop is.When I visited the doctor I used to talk to them from the safety of the doorway, now Isometimes ask if I can go in by myself and shut the door. I used to always sit in the back seatof my 7 seater car because I was too anxious to sit close to the driver. I now often sit in thefront or middle seat and regularly offer lifts to my friends as well as my family. Over the lastfew years I have asked that my support be reduced as I felt I wanted more personal time tomyself.My support hours and sleep over’s have been gradually reduced and safety measures put inplace that suit my needs. I now have only 9 hours support a day and no sleep overs. I use mysupport to go to my bank, to go shopping, to my clubs, to visit family and friends, to go onholiday and whatever else I decide I want to do outside of my village. I am building confidenceby travelling on the bus, I have only gone as far as the next town so far and my support meetme when I get off the bus. My future goal is to travel by myself, visit my family and do a littleshopping before returning home. I am also trying to travel longer distances by bus or train. Istill need support doing this.I volunteer in my local community shop for 1 hour 2 day’s a week. This has given me thechance to make connections with people living locally and get experience of followinginstructions and asking for help to understand why things need to be done in a particular way.I fill shelves and price new produce, I also serve customers in the café if it is not too busy, Isweep and mop floors and clear tables among other jobs. The cook from the shop has offeredto help me to cook simple meals and we do this after I finish working. We cook for an hourwhen the cook is available. I walk to work by myself and when finished I walk back home.This is only a small part of my story so far, you would be here allnight for me to tell you all of the journeys I have been on,there are many, some harder than others but allimportant in the development of my life. I am happywith the progress that I have made and lookforward to keep moving forward with thehelp of my family and friends as well

as support from Partnersfor Inclusion.


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care partnerships. Where possible, we will seek to influence local commissioning plans,but our main concern will be to ensure that these are focussed on offering people genuinechoice and control.

We have well-developed links with the Scottish Government and with representatives inWestminster, and with national and international organisations and networks. We arerepresented at the Centre for Welfare Reform which publishes best practice reports aboutinnovative services. We are also represented on a number of forums, including the In-Control Scotland Board, putting us in a good position to influence how Self-directedSupport develops.

We hope that our reinvigorated focus on putting people at the centre through supportingtheir stories, will be a catalyst for helping people we support and their families to engagewith policy makers. We will be assessing how well we support individuals to have a voiceas citizens and working with allies to promote opportunities for people to influence widerspheres of concern than just social care, such as public transport and the environment.

"Support works around me, I don’t work around the team –it’s all about me"Lisa


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4. Keeping TrackImpact

Goal 1. Really listening to what people say

Goal 2. Respecting what people want in their life

Goal 3. Supporting people to live the lives they want

Goal 4. Allowing people to grow and develop

Goal 5. Respecting family and relationships

Goal 6. Paying attention to detail

We will know if our goals are the right one’s if they contribute to people having positivepersonal outcomes. What this will look like is difficult to say because all the best storieshave an element of unpredictability and surprise.

What we expect to see

People will have great stories of their own

People will have shared stories

People’s stories inform their support

What we hope to see

People experience positive change in their lives

People are less reliant on paid support

People’s stories inform how Partners evolves

What we would love to see!

People’s stories impact on communities

People’s stories inspire others

People’s stories influence policy


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Improving how we work

Monitoring is not an exact science. We use quality indicators to give us just that, anindication of how things are going and whether we are meeting key standards. We knowthat overreliance on indicators can be a distraction from core purpose and can lead toimportant issues being overlooked. We therefore view these as a means to tentatively“take the temperature” of the organisation before taking a closer look at what is going on.They can also help us to track change over time. Indicators are not carved in stone andwill be changed if more relevant ones are discerned.

Operational Goal 1. People

Operational Goal 2. Performance

Operational Goal 3. Leadership and governance

Qualifications and TrainingSupport, Supervision and Appraisal

Job satisfactionPersonal Development

ParticipationRecruitment and Retention

Working environmentBenchmarked T&C

IIP

Care Inspectorate ratingsInternal and external accoladesOrganisational performance

QualityStandardsImpact

Compliance with regulations

Keeping our people healthy and safeOrganisational complianceAppropriate structures

Memorandum and Articles of AssociationBoard membershipStrategic directionManagement skillsMotivated workforce


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Operational Goal 4. Money matters and sustainability

Operational Goal 5. Communicating

Operational Goal 6. Community links and networking

We balance the booksFinancial planningFinancial controls

Financial informationFunding streams

Funding timescalesFull Cost Recovery

ReputationPositive messagesRange of media

External and internal endorsementParticipation of workforce

Participation of people we supportFeedback

Stakeholder analysisVisibility

Community involvementCommunities of interestA “go to” organisation

Local presenceCivic participationPublic engagementPolitical engagement

Partners Group Quality Indicators

Published by Partners for Inclusion Group 2015

Phone01563 825555

[email protected]

Postal addressPartners for Inclusion Group84 Portland StreetKilmarnockKA3 1AAScotland

Websitewww.partnersforinclusion.org

The power of people to make their own stories: Partners for Inclusion Group Strategic Plan 2015 - 2018

partners for inclusion strategic plan 2015 - 2018 (1)

Documents