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Category: Hub Service

Overall content related to the Hub Service as a whole

Progress recognised with award for Covid work

Posted on by Angeline Westley

Progress was named winner of Outstanding Support During Covid-19 category at the 2020 Best Business Awards.

We have been recognised for our approach to the nationwide lockdown caused by Covid-19 in March 2020.

As lockdown came into force, Progress prioritised the care of those that relied on us for critical support. We assigned drivers, offering a ring-and-ride service to our workforce to eliminate the use of public transport and minimise the exposure risks. Progress also offered a triage service to families, to deal with any crisis that might arise and made available some flats as isolation units (and offered that resource to local authority partners).

Progress has been able to keep all residents and staff safe; continue to provide essential services to families and challenge our creativity. Our community team started digital support sessions with young people, engaging in online training on anything from e-safety to managing anxiety, providing families with support and young people with consistency. Progress staff and young people have engaged with the measures we put in place and coped exceptionally well through what has been an uncertain and anxious time, adapting and responding to the constantly shifting sands.

The BBAs pride themselves on having a large panel of independent expert judges who select winners according to strict criteria for each category and sector.

Commenting on Progress, the winner in the Outstanding Support During Covid-19 category, the chairman of the judges said: “After seeing the devastation Coronavirus was causing in Italy earlier in 2020, Progress was quick to lock down earlier than other care homes to protect its vulnerable residents both young and old. Non-essential visitors were asked not to attend care homes, virtual forms of communication were set up so residents could keep in touch with loved ones, and community staff were reassigned to other roles such as drivers, helping staff to avoid public transport. Congratulations to Progress for having the foresight to act quickly and keep people safe.”

Upon receiving the Award, Claire Rogers, Managing Director of Progress said:

“We always pride ourselves on providing high quality care and support, but this has been even more important throughout the Pandemic, with the additional challenges this presented. Keeping our core values at the heart of our decision making has been our strength, providing a fixed point from which to navigate. It is wonderful to have been recognised for the outstanding support we have provided during this difficult time.”

The Best Business Awards are one of the UK’s highest profile awards. Due to its high profile, the Awards attract a wide range of entries from across all sectors from large international PLCs and public sector organisations to dynamic and innovative SMEs.

Lockdown experiences: young people

Posted on by Angeline Westley

The lockdown has been challenging for all of us. With our daily routines changing – and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future – we are now living different lives.

We spoke to two young people on their lockdown experiences, how they have coped and their hopes for the future.

“I have felt I felt a few mixed emotions during the lockdown. Not being able to see my family or hug them has been hard. However, I have remained connected with them and my friends by using video chat. This has made me less anxious and much happier. I have used video chat so much!

When the lockdown began, I was dreading the thought of being stuck indoors. The support workers have helped keep me entertained, by playing board games like Monopoly with me – this has been so much fun. I have also watched many different TV programmes and films and played on my Xbox.

I cannot wait until this is all over, so I can carry on doing the things that make me happy.”

Alex

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“Although I have not been able to go outside, my family have visited me regularly. I speak to them through my bedroom window, as we must keep socially distant. Because of this, it has not been so difficult.

I do miss my friends. Hopefully, when this is over, we can meet up.

From completing my schoolwork to playing on my PS4, I have been doing a lot. The support workers have helped me draw, bake cakes and cook. I especially enjoyed making curries and buffalo wings.

I have also been watching Manchester United games on the TV with the other young person I live with.

If we listen to the advice from the experts then hopefully, this will be over soon.”

Sami

Progress Awarded Gold

Posted on by Angeline Westley

Progress are delighted to announce that it has been awarded the Investors in People, We invest in people, Gold accreditation.

Investors in People (IIP) is a standard for people management, offering accreditation to organisations that adhere to its framework of good practice in the workplace.

With a community of 15,000 organisations across 75 countries, Progress is one of only 17% of accredited organisations that have achieved Gold.

Commenting on the award, Emma Ruffinato, HR Manager, said: “The gold accreditation is testament to our commitment to develop and take care of our staff. We will use the IIP assessment to continue to empower our staff across the organisation.”

Claire Rogers, Chief Executive said: “We are delighted to have been recognised by Investors in People. The progress values are reflected by the staff who deliver our services. This award is evidence that the ethos needed to be an Investors in People Gold organisation is in place.”

Paul Devoy, CEO of Investors in People, added: “We’d like to congratulate Progress. Gold accreditation on We invest in people is a fantastic effort for any organisation, and places Progress in fine company with a host of organisations that understand the value of people.”

 

Four Stories About Our Young People

Posted on by Angeline Westley

“The young people I support are the reason why I am a support worker.”

We love to hear about the success and achievements of our young people. In their own way, they all make us proud of them. It’s also important to note the hard work our Support Workers do working with young people. They help them live life to the full! Here are few stories from Donna, a Progress support worker who says life is never dull working at Progress.

J.B

J.B used to lack confidence and often found it hard to interact with staff and other young people. His difficulty with freedom of movement meant he was sad and despondent. Going to college or being amongst people was always a negative experience for J.B.

However, over the last few months J.B has made huge changes and improvements in his life. For example, encouraged by Progress staff he took up climbing and recently passed his Level 2 course in rock climbing. J.B now has the confidence to go for his level 3!

By working hard on his team working skills and developing a trust with his climbing partners J.B has grown in confidence. He can now be in a room without protecting himself from people and speaks more positively when discussing college.  

J.B has come a long way.

S.C

K.B has raised hundreds of pounds for charities over the last 12 months. He always strives to do more at every opportunity and is always thinking of others. He is happy to help anyone and puts his all into everything he does.

Last year, he also passed his level 2 in sports leadership surpassing even his parents’ expectations!

TT

TT has had a difficult year including losing his father. Despite this he has worked with his family and support workers to regularly volunteer at a local park. He is always on time and ready to help others. His tasks include clearing walk-ways of unwanted trees and holly and at the allotment, he litter picks the perimeter. TT works hard to get a job done.

M.L

M.L used to be supported by six members of staff. As you can imagine he had very complex needs. His team of support workers worked hard to ensure M.L needed less support so he could live a life with more independence.

The support workers listened to his needs and allowed him to take the lead to make his own decisions and this has worked wonders. M.L now interacts with all staff and handles being in the community and rarely has any frustrating moments. He no longer uses challenging/ harmful behaviour to get his point across.

He has totally changed to such a point that people we meet in the community from his old placements are shocked that he is only 2:1 now down from 6:1!

7 Ways You Benefit With Supported Living

Posted on by Angeline Westley

The Progress supported living service helps you to move into your own accommodation, giving you the chance to live independently.

But why choose supported living? Here are 7 ways you can benefit with support from Progress.

  1. Greater independence
    • Supported living gives you the chance to live as ordinary a life as possible. It could mean moving out of a residential home or taking those first steps to independence by moving out of your parents’ house. Whatever your circumstances, we can support you on your journey to living as independently as possible.
  2. You can rent or even own your property
    • The housing/accommodation is usually provided by either the council, a housing association or a social landlord. We can help find a property that suits your needs, or we can support your existing property. Some people may choose to buy their own home, or others may rent from a private landlord. There are schemes out there to support you with your housing costs, such as exempt housing benefit. You can also live on your own or in a shared housing arrangement with your friends or other like-minded people.
  3. Furniture and goods belong to you
    • It is your home, and you can furnish and decorate it the way you want. We can help you to go shopping and furnish your home with you. In some instances, there may be support from your local authority leaving the care team. Don’t be daunted; Progress will support you in making the best decisions for you. Remember, you may be able to get financial help with your purchases if you have difficulty.
  4. Support tailored around your needs
    • We can provide 24/7 support or require help with specific tasks such as personal care needs or medication. If you want to learn how to manage your money, cook and clean or even learning new independence skills, we are there for you.
  5. Trained staff selected by you
    • We already have staff with a wide range of skills that may already be trained to meet your needs. You will get the chance to select a team that you feel will meet your needs the most, or we can recruit staff for you.
  6. Staff are regulated for your safety
    • All of our staff have an enhanced Disclosure, and Barring Service (DBS) check to ensure they are safe to support and care for you. Our service is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to ensure we have robust procedures in place to keep you safe from harm.
  7. Support with benefits
    • Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help you with extra costs if you have long-term ill-health or disability. You could get between £22.65 and £145.35 a week if you’re aged 16 or over and have not reached the State Pension age. You could get a grant from your local authority if you’re disabled and need to make changes to your home. If you are a homeowner, this may be to widen doors and install ramps, improve access to rooms and facilities – e.g. stairlifts or a downstairs bathroom – provide.
Want to know more? Click here to find out how supported living can change your life.

Working in Care Stories: Kim

Posted on by Angeline Westley

Kim is a Team Leader at Progress’s Children’s Short Breaks service, Stourbridge House.

This is her story.

It was Kim Williams’ younger brother who inspired her to work in care. ‘He is autistic and I grew up caring for him,’ she says. ‘I love him to bits, he is such a character and I wanted to help people in a similar situation.’

Kim was just 18 when she became a volunteer for Progress, helping out with activities in the community to gain experience before she started studying for a social work degree. When she went to university, she was a support worker for Progress in her spare time. She then decided to focus on moving forward with her career full time.

‘Progress is a lovely company to work for. I think you are really valued as an employee,’ she says. ‘My line manager identified I had the ability to progress and supported me. I feel that support has been ongoing ever since.’

Kim went on to a senior position in The Hub, helping young people to develop their independence.

Now, at 22, she is team leader at Stourbridge House, which provides short breaks for children aged 5 to 18, giving families a break from day-to-day care. Stourbridge House provides a range of activities like trips to the seaside and theme parks, as well as supporting children and young people to move towards independence and grow in confidence.

Kim’s role involves managing and supervising staff, helping to run the home and supporting the young people. ‘No two days are the same,’ she says. ‘We have 40 different families, so every day different combinations of children come in. It’s really enjoyable to work with children with a variety of needs. Some days we have a child with severe challenging behaviour, other days it’s a child with severe learning difficulties and physical disabilities.

‘It’s lovely to see the children make progress and to see the families being able to have a break, with confidence their children are being well looked after. The children make a lot of progress here.’

Kim has encouraged others to follow in her footsteps and work for Progress. ‘Progress provide such a variety of support,’ she says. ‘It gives you the chance to find your niche and see what you enjoy. I was able to pinpoint where I wanted to be.’

She is hoping to continue moving forward in her career with Progress and one day she would like to manage a home. ‘At the moment I’m really happy in the role I’m in,’ she says.

Kim says it is more a way of life than a job. ‘I absolutely love it,’ she says. ‘It’s a homely environment and you are coming to support children. The children are all absolutely amazing. They are such a joy to work with and every single one of them has their own qualities. You build relationships with them. When I have annual leave and I have been off for a couple of weeks I miss it. I can’t wait to get back and see the kids. It’s a really rewarding role.’

Are you inspired by Kim’s story? A career in care awaits you. Start your journey by clicking here to apply for a job at Progress today.

Working for Progress: Phil’s Story

Posted on by Angeline Westley

“I can talk with passion about what I do because I fully believe in it” says Phil McDonald who is at the helm of The Hub, which helps children and young adults with disabilities to get the absolute most from life.

Phil started his working life at the tax office, but feeling unfulfilled, took a leap of faith to work in care and has never looked back since. He started in children’s services working alongside young people with autism and behavioural support needs.

In 2008 he joined Progress, initially as a senior support worker at Shire House.  He moved on to his first managerial role at Regis House, which was then providing short breaks. He was instrumental in the company’s further development of our Hub services, before becoming operations manager of the Hub in 2017.

His role includes involvement in recruitment days. “Quite often people have no professional experience, but they go on to make really good carers” he says. “I think it is important we offer people that stepping stone. Progress is a personal company, it’s not too big. You still know who people are and there’s always a new opportunity. If people fit within the value base and are motivated, they can relatively quickly climb the ladder.” He continued, “We are always willing to train people as relevant to their job role and to support their own personal development. As long as they are willing to engage with it, we are willing to support them to do it.”

Phil says his role is a massive challenge all of the time. “There is always something different happening” he says, which is why he enjoys it. He also likes the difference he can make. “There are people we’ve supported that I have known since they were tiny kids and now some of them are living on their own independently. Knowing that the services we have created for them, have supported them to do that, is a big thing for me.”

Phil explained, “The point I stop being passionate about what I do, is the point I know it’s time for me to not do it anymore. This role is not something you can do half-heartedly. It doesn’t finish at 5 o’clock.”

Outside of work Phil enjoys spending time with his three children. He likes reading and watching films. He describes his personality as ‘pretty relaxed’, adding “I’m not easily phased and I’m relatively flexible. I don’t mind working in crisis and I communicate well with people”.

Sometimes he misses the interaction with the young people now that his career has progressed.  “Sometimes people will come into the office to say hello and I spend a bit of time with them, having a chat. That was what I fell in love with in the beginning, that level of interaction and helping people.”

Highlights have included an ‘outstanding’ inspection when he was at Shire House. But he also points to more individual ‘victories.’ There was the little boy who came for short breaks when he was five years old. “He had a crop of bright red hair and he was like a little whirlwind, running around all over the place” says Phil. “You couldn’t let him out of your sight. We worked with him to settle him down.” He was placed with a foster family and Phil has been delighted to see his progress. At the last Progress summer barbeque, years after they first met, Phil watched him sitting quietly under a tree eating his packed lunch. It is moments like this, moments too numerous to mention, that make his job worthwhile.

What is the Hub?

Posted on by Angeline Westley

We want the young people in our care to have a great start to life and are supported as much as possible.

We are continuously looking for areas where we can improve our services. This helps us achieve our goal of being the best we can be.

This is where The Hub comes in; created around four years ago after families and young people advised us they were not getting enough respite. Identifying the needs of the people in our care and their current levels of support, we were able to highlight where they needed an extra helping hand and adapted our services accordingly. Community support has grown substantially into a thriving umbrella of support.

We are always looking for creative ways to ensure young people are getting the most out of their support. Although each facet of the hub is different, each service feeds into the next. The goal was to create a wraparound approach so that we can provide holistic respite to all those that need it. Not to mention the added benefit of keeping costs down for Local Authority. Our four areas of The Hub are as follows:

Home Care or Community Support/Buddying

Our home care services are also focussed towards the young people out in the community. A committed support worker will spend time with them participating in activities they enjoy with the view to progress and enhance their lives. This type of support is an ongoing service, adapting to the young person as the complexity of their diagnosis changes and they get older. It’s all about giving them something fun to relish to provide them with a break from their typical routine and trying to help them live as normal a life as possible.

Community Activities

Across the Midlands, we enable young people to access community leisure and social facilities and also run a variety of activity groups. These groups are all about the children and young people socialising and having fun with peers of a similar age and mindset. Integrating young people with others that have comparable or varying disabilities gives them the confidence and the freedom to be themselves. They choose an activity for them all to enjoy and we go with it. It gives them the opportunity to let off steam in a controlled and supportive environment. Given that for the most part, the young people’s lives can be more rigid and structured than for those without disabilities, with boundaries and restraints. It’s nice to give them the chance to be as noisy as they want to be in a safe and nurturing environment.

Residential Overnight Short Breaks

We noticed a trend in the number of families of young people with complex care needs that needed short-term help and support. As a result, we launched our residential overnight short breaks service.

We have an outcome-oriented, activity-led approach with a core bank of staff that remain in the accommodation. The benefit is that even though the care isn’t continuous, the staff team is. They work closely with children and young people when they come and stay with us. This means not only is the level of care consistent, but the individual is familiar with their key workers.

Independence Training

As with most services within the organisation, our idea of our adult accommodation grew from the needs of one of the young people in our care. As he was getting older, we were becoming concerned about how his quality of life would be maintained when he outgrew Progress, so we decided we must tailor our services to adapt with him. Coming over a few nights a week to stay with us, gave mum and dad a bit of a break while he had a chance to socialise while getting the support he needed. He got to learn valuable life skills and domestic duties in the process and can arrange to attend with another young person and share the cost.

Our hub services have been put together with the aim to help children and young adults with disabilities get the absolute most from life. For more information, give us a call on 01902 561066 option 1, email enquiry.hub@progresscare.co.uk or check out https://progresscare.co.uk/the-hub/

Access All Areas: The Hub

Posted on by Angeline Westley

Our Hub services have been put together with the aim to help children and young adults with disabilities get the absolute most from life.

 

Between custom built accommodation, fun clubs and respite for all the family, we’ve been extremely successful in our goal. To get an inside look on the services, we caught up our Hub Business Manager, Jami Charalambous for insights into her role and what part she plays within the organisation.

“My role as Hub Business Manager is overseeing all the various areas of our Hub services and managing the duty team. Given the nature of the Hub and its four key areas, we need a lot of hands on deck. The team comprises of over 70 flexible support workers. The hub is great for workers who want variety and flexibility in their career.

My job is to make sure business is developing, growing and increasing at a rate that is manageable. I make sure staff are working toward their full potential. If not, what can I do? What would they like to do? It is incredibly important to me that they are happy in the role, that they have a good relationship with the person in their care and make sure it is the right fit. This is a value to both individuals. The team member has much more job satisfaction and of course, the individual in our care has the best quality of life possible, as these key workers become a critical part of their lives. If they don’t like them or feel comfortable around them, it can make care difficult for everybody.

It is also my job to keep a strong working relationship with the relevant Local Authorities. With us continually evolving, it’s essential we keep them up to date with what’s going on and how we can help. A lot of our Hub services can save public money as we see more than one person with complex care needs at a time so there is less to spend, but on a deeper level, it’s invaluable to the young person to be around friends of a similar age and need. Also, we often find that the young people in our care benefit from something different to that originally considered.

We found also found that there were not enough activity groups for those in our care. It’s been such a pleasure to be a part of that change and watch it grow and be successful. The best bit about them for me is that young people can go about their day and are just doing what young people should be able to do. Getting as much of a normal social life as possible is beyond valuable.

With over 100 families to look after and a large support team, the hub has this constant buzz of energy about it. There is never a dull day! It really is exciting and rewarding to bring positive change the lives of young people.

I am incredibly proud of my department, really excited about what we are doing and look forward to the future. The hub has been a testament to the adaptability of Progress and its commitment to improving the quality of people’s lives. There is no limit to what we can do. If there is a benefit to the young people, Progress will move heaven and earth to make it happen.”

We’re incredibly proud of the progress the children and young adults in our care make on a daily basis. The Hub plays a big helping hand in that. For more information give us a call on 01902 561066 option 1, email enquiry.hub@progresscare.co.uk or check out https://progresscare.co.uk/the-hub/

Blog by Issie – 16 year-old daughter of Progress staff member

Posted on by Angeline Westley

The feeling of buying something new never gets old!

 

Like most other teenage girls, my interests are fashion, makeup and music and regardless of any disability, the young girls supported by Progress are probably the same. I believe myself to be extremely lucky that I have no difficulties or disabilities but I can imagine for girls that do, it could prove harder to do things like go shopping.

Because I have a Saturday job in the village store and tea rooms, I always have some money to spend on clothes and makeup, like the pink fluffy coat I just ordered online! If you want to get a part time job but are worried you are limited for choices because of a difficulty or disability, don’t worry because Progress supports young people to get work experience and then paid employment. If you want help with this, get in touch!

Fashion is something quite important to me along with many other women around the world. It allows me to express myself and have my own personal style. My favourite shops to buy fashion clothes from are Topshop, Missguided, Asos and Primark. I also like to shop in New Look and H&M. My favourite style at the moment is 90’s themed, which is what a lot of celebrities and popstars are wearing right now too. I don’t always follow what celebrities and popstars are wearing but I think it’s a great place to look for inspiration for your own wardrobe.

Missguided launched a campaign called #keeponbeingyou and recently interviewed Shelby Lynch, a 20 year-old YouTuber from England. Shelby doesn’t let anything stand in her way when it comes to achieving her dreams and she hopes to one day open her own fashion label, specifically catering for people with disabilities. She believes that diversity is very important when it comes to the fashion industry.

If you have a difficulty or disability it shouldn’t mean that you’re limited to what you aspire to be. There are so many fashion models and strong independent women affected by disabilities. For example, Jillian Mercado is an extremely successful fashion model and wheelchair user. Kelly Knox, who was born without a left forearm, is Britain’s leading disabled fashion model. From the age of seven she refused to wear a prosthetic arm and throughout her career she has paved the way for other aspiring models and offered inspiration to those who need to develop confidence, despite regular negative attitudes towards disability.

Another job that shouldn’t be limited by difficulties is acting. Jamie Brewer is a famous actress who was born with downs syndrome. This has not affected her being able to take on a huge role in a popular American TV series and she recently walked the catwalk at New York Fashion Week.

Our Hub services can help you with things like shopping, work support and managing your finances, if you’d like to find out more about Progress get in touch with us today!