Hello and welcome to the latest edition of POTENS People!

Summer is on it’s way!

We’ve got a jam-packed newsletter full of stories from around our services, with a peek at what

the people we support have been getting up to recently. And, in this edition, we’ve got

information about the summer of sport coming up with the World Cup in Brazil and the

Commonwealth Games in Glasgow-we’re hoping you’ll be inspired to get involved in some

sporting activities this year.

Plus, we’ve got some top tips to keep safe if you’re going on the internet, or maybe you might like

to look at our suggested websites, please let us know what you enjoy when you go online.

We’ve been collecting your stories and pictures from around the country, and added them to this

newsletter and our website, we always want to know what’s important to you. If you’re not in this

edition, send us your stories and photos for the next edition of POTENS People!

Nicki

Nicki Stadames, Chief Operating Officer

Spring/Summer

2014 Edition

Don’t forget!

Make your nominations for the newly created

Recognition Scheme for one of these categories:

1. Service User outcome of the month

2. individual or team of the month

3. Manager of the month

2014 Calendar

Made by you...

POTENS 2014 Calendar

POTENS ran an art competition for our service users, for entries into the new POTENS 2014 Calendar and we've had some fantastic creations! The winners have been chosen, the Calendar has been created,

and the winners pictures are shown on this page.

The pictures were drawn, painted, coloured, a selection of collage materials used, or often created with a combination of everything!

We’re also showing the winner’s picture on the front page of the website each month, look out for your favourites...

January February March

April May June

July

August September

October November

December

..finding the right job for me..

Peter tells us.. I moved into Conifer Lodge in the summer of 2012, this was after visiting Conifer lots of

times before and having lots of discussions (and fun!) with the staff and other tenants. On one of my

many visits and conversations with Natalie the Manager of Conifer at the time, she asked me “what were

my ambitions” I remember saying “I would love to one day have a paid job and to hold a wage slip in my

hand”

Over the next few months staff helped me to try several volunteer jobs including on a farm where I got to

groom horses which are one of my favourite animals, I also got to muck them out which was less than

attractive work and my first experience of aroma-therapy. I moved on from working on the farm to

voluntary work on the Railway project, which entailed planting out flower beds and gardening and general

tidying up at Torquay railway station, this was quite hard work and out in all weathers and I didn’t enjoy it

as much as the farm so staff encouraged and supported me to find other work.

My support team introduced me to PLUSS, who offer employment, development and training

opportunities for people in Devon who have disabilities. They organised for me to work in WH Smiths for

2 days a week on a voluntary basis, I didn’t settle in very well and found it hard going and managed to set

the security alarms off a few times when I opened the door to staff area’s which made me a little nervous,

after a few weeks of doing stock rotation in a very busy store area staff helped me to decide that this

wasn’t the job for me, so I left there and felt much happier when this happened, but staff explained to me

that I had to try things and sometimes they wouldn’t work out but that was the idea of PLUSS to find the

right place for me to work where I felt valued and happy to be there.

After discussions with myself and staff, PLUSS next arranged for me to work in Lorna House Care Home,

I went in 2 days per week one day to help out with lunch and another to help out with activities to

entertain the residence, I really enjoyed doing this and was involved in being the bingo caller with PLUSS

supplying me with a microphone and all the things I required to be able to do this, I also took my

accordion in one afternoon and we had a sing song, the residents really enjoyed this as I did too.

I was really enjoying the work at Lorna House, then one day PLUSS went to have a chat with the

management at Lorna house to see how I was getting on and they said that I was doing so well that they

would like to offer me paid employment. When they told me I was very proud and happy and started work

just before Christmas 2013 in my very first paid employment.

Achieving my dream…..

Joanna’s story… I am 22 years old and have a Learning Disability - I first came to hear of POTENS in September 2009 when I was 18 years old living in a large hospital, due to the breakdown of my previous foster placement. I was so excited when I was told about a place that had become available in a Residential Care Home called Drumary House near Enniskillen, it was great because it was near my family. I wasn’t even nervous on my first day, the staff and residents were so warm and welcoming and it just felt homely as the place had such a relaxed atmosphere so I was able to settle in really quickly. When I first moved to Drumary House I was a typical teenager - I was unable to cook, clean, look after my own personal care or manage my finances. The staff were so supportive and recognised my abilities, they encouraged me to become more independent and try new things- at first I may have been afraid or reluctant but with lots of encouragement I gained lots of new skills and was also able to make new friends along the way. I had no interest in socialising and was very against going to college and day-care etc. Staff encouraged me to try these new things and by the end of the 1st month, I was attending day-care 3 days per week and looking forward to a college placement. I completed lots of courses which improved my confidence, skills and knowledge and it felt great that I was able to organise my own transport and get out and about without support. I made lots of great friends and we did lots of exciting things together like going on holidays to Euro Disney and day trips, as well as the important stuff such as learning life skills like cookery and money management, and things even as simple as keeping my room tidy to looking after my own personal laundry.

The staff at Drumary House supported me to learn the skills I needed to move into Knockmore Road Supported Living in September last year. It was near Drumary House, so I could still see my friends there, and it was more like having my own place. I became a tenant and it was so exciting to know that I was getting my own key and moving into my own house. I get to do lots of special things with my friends. I went Christmas shopping in Belfast, and am looking forward to attending Shane Feelan’s concert in March. I have become more independent at making my own appointments, shopping and cooking meals and managing my finances. I feel that my life has dramatically changed since moving to Knockmore Road and would recommend this type of service to people who want to have their own life or don’t want to live with their family any more. The title was taken from my favourite One Direction song-The Story of My Life.

The Story of my life…

not just the title of my favourite song!

2014 World Cup in Brazil..

The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the 20th FIFA World Cup, an international men's football tournament, that is scheduled to take place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014. It will be the second time that Brazil has hosted the competition, the previous being in 1950.

The national teams of 31 countries advanced through qualification competitions that began in June 2011 to participate with the host nation Brazil in the final tournament. A total of 64 matches are to be played in twelve cities across Brazil in either new or redeveloped stadiums, with the tournament beginning with a group stage. For the first time at a World Cup Finals, the matches will use goal-line technology.

With the host country, all world champion teams since the first World Cup in 1930 (Uruguay, Italy,

Germany, England, Argentina, France and Spain) have qualified for this competition. Spain is the

defending champion, having defeated the Netherlands 1–0 in the 2010 World Cup final to win its first

World title. The previous four World Cups staged in South America were all won by South American

teams.

2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow..

The 2014 Commonwealth Games, officially the twentieth Commonwealth Games, will be held in Glasgow,

Scotland over 11 days of competition from 23 July to 3 August 2014.

There are a total of 17 sports and 261 medal events that will be contested at the 2014 Commonwealth

Games. A record 22 para-sport events will be contested in five different sports (athletics, cycling, lawn

bowls, swimming and weightlifting) para track cycling will be held for the very first time. Archery and

tennis from the last games in 2010 were replaced on the sports program with triathlon and judo.

Been inspired by the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi? #lovecurling? Why not #lovebowls?

Do you want to get involved? Do something sporty this year?

Why don’t you discuss your ideas with your friends, peers or support staff, find out about local

activities, or ways to support your favourite athletes or footballers?

Summer of

Sport

Local MP Visits Belgrave

Belgrave Terrace is in South Shields and is the home to seven adults with learning disabilities. Their local

Member of Parliament (MP), Emma Lewell-Buck, wanted to see all local residential care homes in her

constituency and arranged to visit Belgrave as part of her tour.

The service users and support staff welcomed her with refreshments, showed their home, and discussed

the services provided at Belgrave and local issues, especially spending cuts.

After the visit, Belgrave received a letter of thanks from Emma, which can be seen below, straight from

the House of Commons in London (where all 650 elected MP’s work).

Some of the photographs taken at the visit.

Spotlight on Learning new skills (and making new friends) at Acorn..

The Acorn Centre in Colwyn Bay in North Wales provides flexible life opportunities for adults with

disabilities, and is registered as an ASDAN training centre with two ASDAN Co-ordinators. ASDAN is a

flexible training system which offers people opportunities to learn new skills at their own pace.

Hayley has been learning through the ASDAN system for the last two years, she particularly enjoys

Working Towards Independence and Business Enterprise modules. At first Hayley was shy and quiet, but

through the support of Acorn staff and the confidence she has gained through the ASDAN modules,

Hayley is now running service user meetings, answering the phone and helping to plan seasonal events

throughout the year.

Through her new found skills, Hayley recently got involved in jam making and selling in order to raise

funds at the Acorn Christmas Fayre, involving her business skills and cooking skills.

Now Hayley is more confident, more willing to try new activities, and is supporting other people who have

started their chosen ASDAN modules alongside the ASDAN Co-ordinators.

Involving the people we support...

There are POTENS services throughout England, North Wales and Northern Ireland, and wherever you

are in the country, the people we support can get involved in helping to improve our services through

letting us know what they’re doing, what they’re thinking and what they’d like!

Tell us what’s important!

If you would like to get involved, please let POTENS know.

Getting online - Tops Tips for Staying Safe!

Enjoy the internet! Computers are a great way to meet new people, chat with friends, watch videos, play games and have fun.

So if you haven't used the internet before and you're a bit scared, ask someone to help you

Remember almost everything you do on the internet can be seen by other people - so be careful what you say and think

before you type

Keep your passwords private - and don't share them with anyone else

Never give your personal information – your date of birth, address, phone number, bank details – to people you 'meet' on the

internet.

It's okay to say no. Remember, if a stranger or someone you don’t like sends you a 'friend' request, you don’t have to accept

it.

Tell someone - if you're being bullied on the internet (for example, getting nasty Facebook messages or emails)

Block bullies – this stops them from being able to contact you. If you're not sure how to do this, ask someone to show you.

Never arrange to meet up with someone you've met online - even if they seem nice, or you think you know them

Never reply to emails saying you have won the lottery or inherited money - they are fake emails, from people who are trying

to trick you.

Useful websites:

www.safernet.org.uk

Advice for staying safe online

www.dobsonschoice.co.uk

Google for people with learning disabilities

www.the-specials.com

Online documentary of 5 friends living in Brighton www.specialfriendsonline.com

John’s Story..

After a difficult start with Acquired Brain Injury and associated behaviour that challenges, John’s

vulnerability was exploited by school and work colleagues, resulting in abuse, lack of confidence and

eventually social isolation. John’s family were very worried about his health and wellbeing, and after

suffering from a stroke, John became unable to live independently.

John came to 7-9 Park Road South in Birkenhead and the staff supported him in a number of areas,

ensuring that he felt settled and secure. He started to improve and started to smile more. Support staff

worked with John to create a communication book to avoid feeling frustrated or angry by being able to

explain his needs. John’s confidence and self esteem have improved immensely.

Here’s some pictures of John during a recent visit by ZooLab with some exotic animals…

Well done John!

Well done Kerry!

After a very low point which included a court appearance, Kerry has turned a corner, including not

drinking alcohol for two years. She joined a women’s group in nearby Gateshead, which has helped her

to improve her self confidence and self esteem. In fact, Kerry has won many Achievement Awards

recently, through POTENS service user awards and also the Northumbria Probation Trust for her work on

their courses, her regular attendance, plus encouraging her peers to follow her example.

Sadly Kerry’s partner passed away which caused many of the issues that led to her court appearance,

but joining her local Cruse bereavement group has made a huge difference to her life.

Now, Kerry volunteers at a local Charity shop three times per week,

which has helped her social skills and her confidence, and is

always keen to help wherever she can at Parkside Lodge where

she lives, with cooking, cleaning and shopping.

Well done Kerry!

“New innovations”

Acorn@night

At the Acorn Centre, we are always looking for ways to improve the service which we provide.

Recently our clients wished that Acorn would facilitate evening events. Following this idea, we held an

annual stakeholder meeting last September, and we found that there is a need for evening and weekend

activities and events in our area.

There are already many evening events in the local area; but they seem to be aimed at adults with

learning disabilities, whereas at Acorn, we are looking at activities and events which suit any disability.

Our first evening was to the Hayhoff restaurant where everyone enjoyed an evening meal with live

entertainment.

One of our support team was also a member of the cast in a local production of A Christmas Carole, so

everyone went along to show support whilst enjoying a great show.

Our next evening out is to watch a recent West End production of Dreamboats and Petticoats which is

being held at Venue Cymru-we can’t wait.

Our next step is to ask our clients, families and staff to keep looking for events which will be of

interest-anyone got any ideas?