Enablement Ark Closure

It is with great sadness that we have had to take the decision to close Enablement Ark.  This is due to us not being able to secure the lease on the land to enable us to continue.  Therefore the provision will close at the end of December 2023.  All service users, families and professionals have been informed, and we are discussing individual packages of continued support as appropriate.

All animals are being rehomed to vetted and appropriate placements to continue their therapeutic work.

CCT Community Enablement Team Ltd would like to sincerely thank everyone that has helped us to make necessary arrangements for the animals and supported the exit plan with positivity during this very difficult time. If anyone has concerns of queries please email enablementark@challengect.co.uk.

Upcycling is on the up down at the farm!

At Enablement Ark we make use of so many materials which would otherwise go to landfill or simply be dumped. And our animals and service users are very grateful!

Old tyres, pallets, tree branches …. Who says it’s rubbish?

Here at Enablement Ark we have been using old tyres to provide a ‘dish’ for the hay in the goat enclosure. They also love to climb on top of the tyres when we pile them up. Goats are naturally skilled climbers – did you know this? They are curious and active animals so climbing and balancing can be a form of play and exercise as well as survival.

Yum, yum! Lots of hay on offer from tyres that would have been thrown away
Our goats love to balance on disused pallets

With donated old pallets, we have been able to make shelving and along with tree branches, our volunteers and service users have created perches for our chickens.

Disused pallets keeping some of our library of books in order
Our chickens love our home-made perches

For more information about services offered to young people with additional needs at Enablement Ark, please email us on enablementark@challengect.co.uk

Staff Spotlight – Nicky King

We thought getting to know our staff and their job roles would be a lovely idea. We have an incredibly professional and motivated team that inspires us daily. Next up in our ‘meet our staff’ series is Nicky King from Community Enablement Team and Enablement Care.

Nicky King. Registered Manager of Enablement Care and Community Enablement Team.

Q. What is your role with Community Enablement Team and Enablement Care?
Registered Manager of both Enablement Care and Community Enablement Team.

Q. How long have you been working in care, and how did you get into it?
I started working in care eight years ago. I spoke to a friend who had always worked in care, and she told me I would be great in a care role, so I plucked up the courage to change my career path. I have never looked back; it was the best decision ever!

Q. What does the future hold for you? Do you have an area of special interest?
The future is full of positives and much more hard work and studying.

Q. What is your favourite part of your job?
Interacting with the service users and knowing that you have made a difference in their lives somehow or in some way. Working alongside staff and helping and guiding where I can.

Q. What’s the worst part of your job?
That is a difficult one; I would only say that sometimes the hours can be very long, but sometimes it is needed to ensure everyone is happy.

Q. Do you have a funny story to tell?
Most recently, I was talking to a resident; she asked where I was going – I told her I was going out to work in the community, to which she replied, “You’re like dog s**t you get everywhere.” That really made me laugh!

Q. What’s your superpower? I’m pretty sure all carers have one.
I think I am a bubbly person, and I always try to get people to sing and dance with me, no matter where we are, and they do so. I think my superpower name should be Dancing Queen.

This is a picture of me in Mexico, where I achieved my lifelong dream of swimming with dolphins; it was the most beautiful experience ever!

Q. What do you think is unique about Community Enablement Team?
It allows our service users to live their best lives, enjoying time doing what makes them happy. Whether that is maintaining their bills and household chores or going to the seaside, disco or archery, there is nothing our team will not be happy to support with.

Alpaca walking with a service user.

Q. What advice would you give anyone just beginning their caring career?
Take each day as it comes; no two days are the same. That is the best part of the role.
It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. Being a carer means that no working day will be the same.
You need to take care of yourself; remember to be patient; everyone is an individual.
Don’t forget to enjoy yourself; this passes on to the service user.
Feel free to ask questions and learn from your mistakes.
Build a relationship! That is the most important aspect of care.

Q. What do you think of the training facilities at CET?
We have exceptional in-house training and have recently moved onto an e-learning programme, allowing everyone to learn as many new parts of care as possible.

Q. What would you be doing if you weren’t working in care?
I would probably still be working in the accounts department of the family business that my husband has built up.

Q. What’s your favourite activity outside of work?
I am a massive Liverpool FC fan, travelling all of England and  Europe to watch them. When I am not at work, I ensure I get to as many matches as possible!

I was in Paris for the European Cup Final and got a picture with the great Dirk Kuyt!!

Registered Care Manager – Enablement Care – Sutton In Ashfield – £35k pa

We currently have a position available for an experienced Registered Care Manager for our 23 bedded care home. The home is registered for adults under and over 65 years who have dementia, physical disabilities, mental health, and learning disabilities.

The successful candidate must have the following:

  • At least two years experience as a Registered Care Manager for Adults
  • Diploma L5, or Registered Nurse or equivalent professional qualification
  • Good standard of written and verbal English
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Full driving license

What Are The Key Responsibilities?

  • Ensure that excellent standards of support are provided to the people who use our service by staff.
  • Ensure that all person-centred care plans are reviewed and updated electronically on Log My Care within the required time frame.
  • Maintain a profitable service through monitoring of cost control, maintaining high occupancy levels, fee adjustments, and effective budgeting.
  • Ensure that the service achieves and remains compliant with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, health and safety, financial regulations, company policies and procedures.
  • Maintain a full complement of staff within the service through safe recruitment.
  • Manage staff e.g. training, delegation of tasks, holding of disciplinaries, conducting investigations, monitoring staff absence.
  • Take responsibility for personal development and attendance at training.
  • Support staff to maintain the service to a high standard e.g. assisting with cleaning, covering shifts if there is a staff shortage, and administering medication.
  • Ensure all staff supervisions and annual appraisals are completed on time.
  • To build professional and positive relationships with staff, the people who are provided with care, and external agencies.
  • Ensure the service has a positive reputation and good relationships with people in the local community, families and friends of the people who use our service and potential purchasers.
  • Achieve excellent internal and external audits of the service.
  • Investigate thoroughly any alleged misconduct, maltreatment, abuse reported in the service.
  • Ensure excellent knowledge of current policies, procedures and governance affecting the service and the company.
  • Ensure that the culture within the service is enabling for people who use our service, actively promoting personalised services with maximum control and choice.
  • To share on-call with senior care staff, and ensure all relevant information is shared with the senior management team. This will come with an added on-call allowance.
  • Become a Registered Manager with CQC

The post with a relevant qualification with two years plus managerial experience will be graded at £35,000 full-time (37.5 hrs) equivalent.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: Up to £35,000.00 per year

Benefits:

  • Free parking
  • On-site parking

Schedule:

  • Monday to Friday
  • Weekend availability

Ability to commute/relocate:

  • Sutton-In-Ashfield: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

To apply, please send your CV to operations.lead@challengeCT.co.uk

Charity Event Support!!

Here at CCT Community Enablement Team, we are very proud to support the Triple A Performer charity. They have an amazing showcase event planned for the 12th of March 2023 that we are very much looking forward to.

Here’s the information about the event…

Charity event highlights unfair challenges faced by neurodivergent performers

Diagnosed with autism, ADHD, and anxiety (Triple A), Joseph Green, now 17, was considered a problem child within a broken education system. Following his passion for performing arts, he faced numerous rejections at auditions due to a lack of knowledge about his invisible disabilities. Many would have given up. Not Joseph Green; he is determined to make a difference. He has worked with others to set up a charity called Triple A Performer which aims to raise awareness and acceptance of neurodivergence in performing arts. On 12th March 2023, the eve of the start of Neurodiversity Celebration Week, the charity will be putting on their showcase launch event at Sheffield’s City Hall which will include a number of neurodivergent performers. The event will showcase the talent amongst neurodivergent creatives as well as illustrate how straightforward inclusion for all can be.

Aged five, Joseph attended a local musical theatre school, Chesterfield Studios. They put up no barriers and took him into their fold. Step by step they rebuilt his confidence and self-esteem through musical theatre and acting. Although battles continued in the background, he was accepted for being himself, he made friends, and flourished.

‘Since meeting and working with Joseph over the past 12 years, we have learned so much about working with neurodivergent young people. We have been able to develop our own skills and working practices such as considering our rehearsal space to reduce sensory overload, providing information in different formats and using quiet spaces. We have seen for ourselves how this has supported Joseph’s own personal development as a performer.’
Jonathan Francis, artistic director, Chesterfield Studios Ltd

It soon became clear however that outside of his local theatre school, the performing arts sector wasn’t quite so accepting of the Triple A boy. Joseph received so many rejections at auditions. He was told he was a good actor but the other kid would be easier to work with. At one successful audition, he was asked not to disclose his disability as people wouldn’t understand. One theatre school had a blanket policy of separating out the disabled children’s audition forms so that the correct percentage could be accepted to tick a box.

Determined not to accept the invisible barrier between him and the performing arts industry, Joseph worked with his mum on a blog highlighting his experiences to inform others about the frustration and unfair challenges faced. This ultimately led to the formation of the charity, Triple A Performer, in December 2021.

The charity is going from strength to strength and has already produced educational films, teaching professionals, and amateur theatre schools to improve their access for neurodivergent performers. Joseph and the charity’s trustees have spoken at national and regional conferences and rallied support from Spotlight, Cameron Mackintosh Ltd, Casting Directors Guild, Divergent Talent Group, Music Mark, and various high-profile casting directors and agents. The message is clear. Supporting neurodivergent creatives with understanding and consideration enables them access to the industry, unlocking a huge pool of talent.

On March 12th 2023, Joseph will be proud to be on stage at the charity’s showcase event at Sheffield City Hall. He will be one of a number of talented neurodivergent performers along with the hugely supportive Chesterfield Studios and friends from Sheffield Performing Arts. The impressive line-up includes:

Madeleine MacMahon, comedienne

Maxwell Thorpe, ITV1’s Britain’s Got Talent finalist

Robert White, comedian, ITV1’s Britain’s Got Talent finalist

Rachel Modest, singer, ITV1’s The Voice semi-finalist

Joseph and the charity’s trustees hope there will be considerable support for the show and for their aims to raise awareness and acceptance of neurodivergence. All profit goes back into the charity to allow them to continue their important work.

About Triple A Performer

Founded in December 2021, the charity’s aims are to raise awareness and understanding of neurodivergence in performing arts. Neurodivergence includes a range of neurological conditions that vary the way in which someone learns, attends, communicates and interacts. This includes autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, dyslexia, etc. The charity offers free resources and training in neurodivergence within the performing arts sector to support fair access and inclusion. For further information, please visit www.tripleaperformer.uk. Tickets for the Showcase Launch on 12.3.23 are available via Ticketmaster :

https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/triple-a-performer-showcase-sheffield-12-03-2023/event/35005D86B1F02EB0

Enablement Care Sutton In Ashfield Bed Vacancies

Our small and friendly home ‘Enablement Care’ in Sutton in Ashfield currently has vacancies for those looking for residential care. It is not often that our home has rooms available so please get in touch asap if you would like to know more or would perhaps like to have a look around to meet our staff and get a feel for our home.

Things people say about us…

“We enjoyed our visit to see my nan, they were very welcoming, checked who we were, and checked our LFTs and temperature. We wore our masks and enjoyed our visit. It was clear my nan was well cared for, she was smart, clean, cheerful, and warm.”

“On visiting the care home I found a warm welcome from members of the staff. The home was clean and well organised. A room was set aside for our visit so that we could have a one-to-one chat. This is useful as it gave us a quiet space with my mum. We were able to stay as long as we wanted and we did not in any way feel in the way. The staff do an amazing job and look after their every need. A big thank you to everyone for looking after my mum and keeping her safe.”

“My Mum has been treated with warmth and care since the day she arrived. She is 91 years old and has difficulties with social anxiety that make her loathe to spend time away from her room. The staff always make time to be reassuring towards her, encouraging her to leave her room for meals and for short periods of time and they support her in feeling confident to do so. They are always welcoming when I visit and they are caring. I know I can ring and speak to the manager at any time and ideas to address any concerns that I have will be suggested and implemented. Mum can be resistant to accepting help and wants to be as independent as she can be with regard to personal care, this is respected but staff are always on hand to check that she has managed to dress or undress correctly and to remind her about everyday things such as teeth brushing and washing. Mum always looks clean and well cared for when I visit, a hairdresser, chiropodist, and aromatherapist visits regularly and the food is excellent.”

For more information please give us a call on 01623 397750
or email info@challengect.co.uk.

Residential Vacancies at Enablement Care, Sutton In Ashfield

Enablement Care is a small and homely residential setting in Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. We have 23 bedrooms, and 12 of these are ensuite. Our aim is to provide a high standard of genuine care for older people, people that have mental health conditions, and those with dementia and physical disabilities. We promote independence, and self-motivation and always aim to give out residents a high sense of self-worth.

We currently have vacancies within our home, if you are interested in finding out more, please get in touch by emailing info@challengect.co.uk or please give us a call on
01623 397750.

We welcome you to arrange a visit to take a look around at our friendly home.