Well, it's been a bit of a summer. Frustrating - yes. Worrying - yes. Embarrassing - yes. Rotten weather - yes but that's not our fault!
After setting out our plans for a full summer programme of activities back in May, we've had to re-plan and re-plan again as we were obliged to contained our ambitions, finally admitting defeat just a few weeks ago.
The hurdles to overcome were mostly ones we knew of (but not always!) - it just took us much, much longer to get over them than we had expected.
Staff recruitment, training, PVG checks, insurances, matching with young people - you name it, the pace of progress as more snail than Usain.
Most of the committee at TBB have youngsters who need support so we understand the impact of our failure to deliver. But despite the issues, we're now, finally, nearly there. Matching of families to our team is taking place now, and soon we'll be setting up weekend and evening activities.
Come the October break, we'll have a week of supported activities for youngsters. And in September, three families will have an adventure break at Keilder.
Shortly we'll be turning our attention to establishing Tweeddale Buddy Bank as an independent Community Interest Company, and putting together funding applications so we can provide more and different support to families in Tweeddale. We've learned some harsh lessons over the last few months, but we'll be putting the learning to good use in the future.
Friday, 10 August 2012
Thursday, 28 June 2012
Exciting times for disabled kids in Tweeddale
Exciting times at Tweeddale Buddies (yes, that's the name we're going by these days!).
Sorry for the lack of writing action over the last month or so - it's been full on as we get our people and programme in place to make sure TBB is up and running as quickly as possible.
You need to know we have the very talented Karen McQuaid in charge - she's our new Project Co-Ordinator and since she was appointed just a few weeks ago she's been working her socks off!
Tonight Karen and I interviewed our first tranche of sessional workers - more of that in a few days - and there's another set of interviews next week. We're literally building a bank of sessional staff who share our values and vision - that all young people in Tweeddale have the opportunity to participate in their community and to contribute in their own unique way.
Karen is also busy planning our training programme for staff and volunteers, and next week we're starting planning sessions for families.
Along with Tweeddale Youth Action, we're planning a busy programme of activities for the second half of the summer holiday period - more on that very soon too. If you've offered to help us in any way, you should have heard from us - if not, please bear with us. We're grateful for all the offers of support and help and we will be in touch. If you're VERY keen, please make contact again to chat over your ideas or needs.
It's all adding up to a massively busy time, but we believe it will be worth it...hope you'll agree!
Sorry for the lack of writing action over the last month or so - it's been full on as we get our people and programme in place to make sure TBB is up and running as quickly as possible.
You need to know we have the very talented Karen McQuaid in charge - she's our new Project Co-Ordinator and since she was appointed just a few weeks ago she's been working her socks off!
Tonight Karen and I interviewed our first tranche of sessional workers - more of that in a few days - and there's another set of interviews next week. We're literally building a bank of sessional staff who share our values and vision - that all young people in Tweeddale have the opportunity to participate in their community and to contribute in their own unique way.
Karen is also busy planning our training programme for staff and volunteers, and next week we're starting planning sessions for families.
Along with Tweeddale Youth Action, we're planning a busy programme of activities for the second half of the summer holiday period - more on that very soon too. If you've offered to help us in any way, you should have heard from us - if not, please bear with us. We're grateful for all the offers of support and help and we will be in touch. If you're VERY keen, please make contact again to chat over your ideas or needs.
It's all adding up to a massively busy time, but we believe it will be worth it...hope you'll agree!
Saturday, 2 June 2012
One major step for Tweeddale Buddy Bank
Dull it is not.
Since we heard we have received funding for our project in this little corner of the borders, in this little corner of Scotland, the learning curve has been steep and the work rate phenomenal.
We've had a launch event and an ideas day. We've been recruiting families who want their children to take part, staff and volunteers who will organise and provide the support, partners who want to work with us. We've also issued e-newsletters, flyers and other materials.
One of our biggest steps,though, has been finding and recruiting the project coordinator who will take the lead on the project with the support of the committee. Interviews were on Friday 1 June (exactly a month since our launch) and we are very near to being able to announce an appointment.
Just how exciting is that!
And, to cap it off, we're also about to announce our first definite supported activity for families...watch this space.
Since we heard we have received funding for our project in this little corner of the borders, in this little corner of Scotland, the learning curve has been steep and the work rate phenomenal.
We've had a launch event and an ideas day. We've been recruiting families who want their children to take part, staff and volunteers who will organise and provide the support, partners who want to work with us. We've also issued e-newsletters, flyers and other materials.
One of our biggest steps,though, has been finding and recruiting the project coordinator who will take the lead on the project with the support of the committee. Interviews were on Friday 1 June (exactly a month since our launch) and we are very near to being able to announce an appointment.
Just how exciting is that!
And, to cap it off, we're also about to announce our first definite supported activity for families...watch this space.
Monday, 28 May 2012
How time flies
How time flies, indeed. Nearly the end of May already and we feel as if time is slipping through our fingers!
The target of being up and running for the summer holidays seems to be receeding.
It's not all bad news though...we have a very interesting group of candidates to interview for the post of Project Co-Ordinator, lots of families are asking for the project's help, and sessional staff/volunteers are coming forward. It's just wonderful to have reached so many people.
We really hope to make significant strides forward in the next week or two.
We're also beginning to put together a programme of activities with the help of lots of partners.
Our big challenge is Care Inspectorate registration and the need to make sure we have the right staff, everyone is fully trained, we have a comprehensive programme, and we have pool of families from all over Tweeddale who we have spoken to and worked out a support plan.
Not much to do then!!
The target of being up and running for the summer holidays seems to be receeding.
It's not all bad news though...we have a very interesting group of candidates to interview for the post of Project Co-Ordinator, lots of families are asking for the project's help, and sessional staff/volunteers are coming forward. It's just wonderful to have reached so many people.
We really hope to make significant strides forward in the next week or two.
We're also beginning to put together a programme of activities with the help of lots of partners.
Our big challenge is Care Inspectorate registration and the need to make sure we have the right staff, everyone is fully trained, we have a comprehensive programme, and we have pool of families from all over Tweeddale who we have spoken to and worked out a support plan.
Not much to do then!!
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Project co-ordinator - nearly there?
We've decided to extend the closing date for applications till next Monday - 28th - at noon, in order to allow the many people who have expressed an interest to get their applications in.
It means the time before appointing someone is extended again, but we want to make sure folk have enough time to apply.
So, shortlisting next week and hopefully an appointment a few days later......
It means the time before appointing someone is extended again, but we want to make sure folk have enough time to apply.
So, shortlisting next week and hopefully an appointment a few days later......
Friday, 18 May 2012
It's a rollercoaster ride
After the high of hearing our funding applications had been successful - a wonderful payback for all the blood, sweat and tears of the writing process - we're now dealing with the reality of trying to get the Buddy Bank off the ground in time for the summer holidays (now less than six weeks away).
Recruiting and training staff and volunteers, reaching families all over the large Tweeddale area, planning a programme of activities - all these things have to be done. But probably the most daunting hurdle we face is meeting the requirements of the Care Inspectorate. We couldn't find out before we started the project whether we would need to be registered because they won't look at our project or offer advice until our people and plans are in place....and our people and plans can't be in place till we start the project.
The worst bit is that looks like it could take many months, not weeks, to be registered.
So, while we try to keep all the other balls in the air, we need to be solution focused so that we ensure EVERY young person in Tweeddale has equal access to fun activities for the summer.
Our ideas day this week brought in more potential staff and volunteers as well as families, so we know there is huge potential....it's now up to us to deliver.
Recruiting and training staff and volunteers, reaching families all over the large Tweeddale area, planning a programme of activities - all these things have to be done. But probably the most daunting hurdle we face is meeting the requirements of the Care Inspectorate. We couldn't find out before we started the project whether we would need to be registered because they won't look at our project or offer advice until our people and plans are in place....and our people and plans can't be in place till we start the project.
The worst bit is that looks like it could take many months, not weeks, to be registered.
So, while we try to keep all the other balls in the air, we need to be solution focused so that we ensure EVERY young person in Tweeddale has equal access to fun activities for the summer.
Our ideas day this week brought in more potential staff and volunteers as well as families, so we know there is huge potential....it's now up to us to deliver.
Sunday, 13 May 2012
What steps did you take?......big ones!
Things are moving on apace: our launch on 1 May left us amazed and thrilled at the level of support and interest - the next step is to deliver on the promise.
We've go a number of priorities:
1. Make sure families who have children with disabilities/additional support needs - all over Tweeddale - know about the project. Once they know about us, we want them to get in touch so we can make arrangement to meet and put a Family Support Plan in place: the Plan will be our way of setting out what we will do, then measuring if we are meeting the needs of the young people and their families.
2. Get busy recruiting a project co-ordinator who will be employed for the next 10 months to pull all the threads together.
3. Find sessional staff and volunteers who will work with the project-co-ordinator to support our young people.
4. Start to pull together a programme of activities to meet the needs of the families we are serving. We want to work with people who are already planning activities or are able to do so quickly, so we can slot in as far as possible, giving youngsters the support they need to take part.
5. Make sure people who are working with families - in education, health, social work - know about the project so they can tell families
Alongside all of this we have to make sure we take care of all the necessary things like training everyone so they have the right skills and attitudes to work on the project, PVG checks, Care Commission registration....and lots more.
It feels like a massive task, and the summer holidays are approaching fast. But where there is a will, there's a way.... we know there's a huge amount of goodwill out there, and the committee is very focussed on getting this project working as soon as we can. So to say we're positive is a bit of an understatement.
We also need a name for the project, that the young people will like and identify with (though one or two are emerging as possibilities).
Watch this space...
We've go a number of priorities:
1. Make sure families who have children with disabilities/additional support needs - all over Tweeddale - know about the project. Once they know about us, we want them to get in touch so we can make arrangement to meet and put a Family Support Plan in place: the Plan will be our way of setting out what we will do, then measuring if we are meeting the needs of the young people and their families.
2. Get busy recruiting a project co-ordinator who will be employed for the next 10 months to pull all the threads together.
3. Find sessional staff and volunteers who will work with the project-co-ordinator to support our young people.
4. Start to pull together a programme of activities to meet the needs of the families we are serving. We want to work with people who are already planning activities or are able to do so quickly, so we can slot in as far as possible, giving youngsters the support they need to take part.
5. Make sure people who are working with families - in education, health, social work - know about the project so they can tell families
Alongside all of this we have to make sure we take care of all the necessary things like training everyone so they have the right skills and attitudes to work on the project, PVG checks, Care Commission registration....and lots more.
It feels like a massive task, and the summer holidays are approaching fast. But where there is a will, there's a way.... we know there's a huge amount of goodwill out there, and the committee is very focussed on getting this project working as soon as we can. So to say we're positive is a bit of an understatement.
We also need a name for the project, that the young people will like and identify with (though one or two are emerging as possibilities).
Watch this space...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)