Tag Archives: Self advocacy

Panel Discussion with Nursing Students

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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

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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.

St Fagans & Barry Island Trip

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Caerphilly People First Volunteers had a fantastic day at St Fagans National Museum of History yesterday, learning about Welsh history. They explored historic buildings, traditional crafts, and Welsh cultural practices, experiencing everything from centuries-old homes to beautiful gardens. The day was filled with interactive exhibits and demonstrations, offering a hands-on understanding of Wales’s rich heritage and traditions.

Afterwards, they took a trip to Barry Island to enjoy the sunshine, chips, ice cream, and a few fairground rides. By the time they headed home, there were a few tired volunteers taking a nap on the way back! A huge thank you to Amanda and the Parent Network team for inviting us on the trip. Your kindness and dedication to reaching out to so many families and individuals is truly appreciated.

Crafts

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Thank you to Cheryl and Lucy for the craft session yesterday afternoon. Our members had a fantastic time designing and making keyrings. They looked amazing — well done, everyone.

We won’t have a craft session next Tuesday afternoon. Instead, we will be having a visit from the lovely Rosie Cribb, who will talk to us about jobs and employment. See you all then!

Summer Cookery Party

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Last Friday was the perfect day to hold our summer fiesta! Everyone looked great in their bright, colourful costumes. We had a cowboy, Elvis, a policewoman, a crayon, a cowgirl, a lollipop shirt, a hippie, and many more great outfits. Thank you to Darren for the fantastic disco! Everyone loved dancing to the music and singing along to their favourite tunes.

Thank you to our volunteers for decorating the hall; it looked amazing with our summer-themed props. Our members didn’t prepare any food. Instead, everyone enjoyed burgers, hot dogs, and salad served up by our volunteers, followed by ice cream cones. A big thank you to everyone who helped out in the kitchen and helped clean up! And thank you, Hayley, for doing the raffle.

This project has made a huge difference to so many people. New friendships and relationships have been made, confidence has grown, and people feel less isolated and lonely. We will be taking a break in August for everyone to enjoy their summer holidays. We will see you all on Friday, September 6th.

Reconnect through Cookery

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A big thank you to Team Multiply Caerphilly for running Friday’s cookery session! Our members had a fantastic time preparing peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, spring onions, and tomatoes to go with cheeseburgers on brioche buns. The food was delicious! Everyone also had a go at making fruit sponge to cook in the air fryers.

We are grateful to all our wonderful volunteers for working so hard. Special thanks to Ffion and Amy for hosting the bingo, and to Rebecca for hosting the quiz. We will be off next week, but we’ll be back on Friday, July 26th, for our summer party. Fancy dress is optional for the party.

Music with RecRock

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We had an amazing time at the final RecRock session at Libanus Lifestyle Chapel yesterday! Nat and Gethin’s efforts to dress up as Cheryl Cole and Bruce Springsteen added a lot of fun to the event. Nat’s performances were a highlight, and it was great that everyone got involved in singing their favourite songs.

Special shoutouts to Ffion and Dan for their rendition of “Don’t You Want Me,” Morgan for singing “When You Say Nothing at All,” and Richard and Demi for their dancing and singing skills. Well done also to everyone else who performed! The buffet with crusty baguettes and homemade sausage rolls was a perfect ending to the session.

The feedback from these sessions has been amazing. Individuals have grown in confidence, made friends, become less anxious, and now love socialising. We have loved listening to you perform every week and will miss you through the summer. Hopefully, we’ll be back just in time for autumn to brighten up the dark days.

Thank you, Dan, for your contributions and for making the event’s memorable for everyone! Also, thanks to the Libanus Lifestyle team for the delicious lunches. See you all soon!

Gardening

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We visited TARAGGAN yesterday morning and had a great time transferring the parsley from the bottle greenhouse to the raised beds in wheelbarrows and replanting it.

Parsley is often used as a garnish, adding a bright green color and fresh flavor to dishes. It enhances the taste of soups, stews, salads, and sauces.

We will be back at TARAGGAN on the 30th of July, so please feel free to join us. Thanks, Kyle, Samantha and Dillon.

Crafts

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Craft activities can be highly beneficial for adults with learning disabilities for several reasons:

  1. Enhances Fine Motor Skills: Engaging in crafts like making ladybirds helps improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills through activities like cutting, gluing, and painting.
  2. Promotes Creativity and Self-Expression: Crafting allows individuals to express themselves creatively, which can be particularly rewarding and therapeutic.
  3. Boosts Self-Esteem: Completing a craft project provides a sense of accomplishment and can significantly boost self-esteem and confidence.
  4. Encourages Social Interaction: Craft sessions often take place in group settings, promoting social interaction and teamwork, which are essential for building social skills.
  5. Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Crafting can be a relaxing and enjoyable activity that helps reduce stress and anxiety, providing a positive focus and distraction from everyday challenges.
  6. Enhances Cognitive Function: Following instructions and planning a project can improve cognitive abilities, such as problem-solving, concentration, and memory.

Today’s activity of crafting ladybirds would have offered all these benefits, combining creativity, skill-building, and social interaction in a fun and engaging way. Thank you Cheryl Smith & Zoe Dummett for a great afternoon. Check out our designs below.