Here are the activities for this week. As you can see, our music and cookery sessions are restarting this week, so please come and join us if you can.
Weekly Activities
Author Archives: Peoplefirst
Parent Network Pirate Party
Ahoy, Mateys! What a Fantastic Pirate Party! Today, Caerphilly People First Volunteers had an amazing time at the Caerphilly Parent Network Pirate Party! It was wonderful to see all the children having a blast – from playing on the bouncy castle to making their own pirate bandanas and eye patches. And, of course, there was plenty of delicious ice cream for everyone to enjoy! The pirate costumes looked fantastic, and a big thank you to the Parent Network for inviting us!
Gardening
Yesterday, our amazing Caerphilly People First Volunteers visted TARAGGAN Educational Gardens & Nursery. We had a fantastic time getting our hands dirty, doing some weeding, and transferring lettuce from pot to plot. It was a great opportunity to connect with nature and support our local community garden. Big thanks to everyone who joined in!
Wellbeing Wednesdays – Reflexology
Last week, as part of our Wellbeing Wednesdays project, we had our first monthly reflexology session with Emma. Reflexology is a therapeutic technique where pressure is applied to specific points on the feet, hands, or ears, which are believed to correspond to different parts of the body. This therapy can be especially beneficial for individuals with learning disabilities and autism, as it helps reduce stress, improve mood, and ease physical tension.
In our session, we focused on the feet, but Emma will also cover hand reflexology in future sessions. Many of our members felt more relaxed and comfortable afterward, and we look forward to the continued benefits of these sessions.
A special thank you to the Gwent Regional Partnership Board for funding our wellbeing project. We have lots more planned over the coming months, including chair yoga sessions, mental health coping strategies, and much more!
Gardening Group
Yesterday, our volunteers visited TARAGGAN Educational Gardens. The weather turned out to be beautiful, especially compared to the morning. During our time there, we moved plants to the bottle greenhouse, arranged plant pots into sizes and stacked them up, and even had a go at using a wheelbarrow, making the most of the pleasant conditions.
We volunteer every Tuesday morning from 10:30am until 12:00pm. If you would like to get involved, please email enquiries@caerphillypeoplefirst.org
Weekly Activities
Here are the activities Caerphilly People First will be taking part in this week. Come and join us if you can.
“A Healthy Future for Gwent”
On August 15th members attended a Co-Production Luncheon to talk about how to make Gwent healthier over the next ten years. The goal was to share ideas and work together to improve health services in the area.
We discussed how different groups can work together to improve healthcare and looked at what needs to be done first to make Gwent healthier. Attendees came up with the following proposals:
- We need to strengthen relationships between organizations and the community.
- It’s important to listen to people who use health services and involve them in decisions.
- Health and social care services should work together to support people better.
- Focus on preventing health problems before they start, through education and early help.
- Use technology like telemedicine to improve how we deliver health services.
- Make sure health services can keep going long-term, with enough funding and resources.
- Create a plan for involving the community in health decisions.
- Try out new ways to combine health and social care services.
- Start more programs to help prevent health problems.
- Expand the use of technology in healthcare to reach more people.
- Make a plan for the future to ensure health services are ready for the next ten years.
The luncheon was a great success. We shared many good ideas about how to make Gwent healthier. Now, we need to work together to make these ideas happen. We look forward to seeing you all at the next event.
Panel Discussion with Nursing Students
Last week TRAC members Ffion, Amy, Natalie, Gethin, and James from Caerphilly People First participated in an important panel discussion with year two learning disability nursing students at the University of South Wales. The session, led by Professor Dr. Steve Walden, provided a platform for TRAC members to share their personal experiences with healthcare services, offering the students a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with learning disabilities.
Each TRAC member shared their own story, detailing both positive and negative experiences within the healthcare system. These real-life examples gave the nursing students a unique opportunity to hear directly from those who have navigated the system, highlighting areas where care was effective and where it fell short.
Both the TRAC members and the students acknowledged that while progress has been made, there is still significant room for improvement in how healthcare services are delivered to people with learning disabilities.
Overall, the discussion was both productive and enlightening. Ffion, Amy, Natalie, Gethin, and James did an excellent job of sharing their experiences and helping the students understand the real-world impact of their work. The session was a powerful reminder of the importance of listening to and learning from those with lived experience in order to drive meaningful change in healthcare.
Meeting with Rosie from Social Firms Wales
Yesterday afternoon we met with Rosie Cribb from Social Firms Wales to discuss crucial issues surrounding employment for individuals with learning disabilities and physical disabilities. The meeting focused on understanding the barriers faced by these individuals and exploring the role of Social Firm Wales in supporting their employment needs.
Social Firms Wales is an organisation dedicated to developing and supporting social enterprises across Wales, with a specific focus on creating employment opportunities for individuals who face significant barriers to entering the workforce. During the meeting, Rosie Cribb and the members discussed the specific challenges that individuals with learning and physical disabilities face when seeking employment. These barriers include:
Physical Barriers: Many workplaces are not fully accessible to individuals with physical disabilities.
Attitudinal Barriers: Discrimination and misconceptions about the capabilities of people with disabilities can result in employers being hesitant to hire them.
Learning and Cognitive Barriers: Complex job requirements and a lack of tailored training can make it difficult for individuals with learning disabilities to secure and retain employment.
Social and Communication Barriers: Individuals with disabilities may experience social isolation or communication difficulties in the workplace.
The meeting with Rosie highlighted the importance of Social Firms Wales in addressing these employment barriers through their support of social enterprises. It was lovely to see Rosie, and we’ll see her again soon.
Gardening at TARAGGAN
Today Caerphilly People First and TARAGGAN Educational Gardens & Nursery came together to celebrate National Allotment Week! Members got their hands dirty planting radishes and weeding the garden to keep it healthy and productive.
