Local Services Support People To Lead The Life They Choose
An award winning local scheme has been supporting people with learning disabilities and mental health problems to lead the life they choose and find jobs in the Whitby area. The Whitby Scheme is made up of three Craegmoor services - Anchor House, Endeavour House and Haven House - and has now successfully enabled eight people to find work. The scheme won a Craegmoor 'Leading Light Award' for its achievements last year.
21 May 2010
By sharing expertise and resources across the three services and developing links with the local community, The Whitby Scheme aims to promote people's independence and support them to find work. A tutor is on hand at the services to support people to develop new skills which they can use in their daily lives and future jobs. Some people learn life skills - like budgeting and healthy living - and others take IT and writing classes. Many people have chosen to take practical courses in cookery, gardening and woodwork that they go on to use in employment.
One example of the Scheme's success is Paul who had not been able to find work for 21 years. With his new found confidence as a result of the Scheme, he recently started working in the local MIND charity shop. His work has made him feel empowered and he is more optimistic than ever about life and the great future ahead of him. Other individuals have found paid work in last year, with one person now working as a support worker in a local care home and another utilising their new found cookery skills in the care home's kitchen.
Speaking about The Whitby Scheme and his work, Paul said:
"I have lots of different qualifications, but for the last 21 years I've struggled to get a job partly because I didn't have any confidence in myself. Through The Whitby Scheme, I've been able to learn lots of new things and believe in myself again. I really wanted to get a job and thought I couldn't. Staff at the Whitby Scheme have shown me otherwise and I'm really loving my new job and the great people."
Nicki Craig, The Whitby Scheme's Manager said:
"It's wonderful to see people like Paul achieve their goals and develop their skills and confidence. This is really what the Scheme is all about and the reason why we all work so hard every day."