A message from Dana
It’s hard to believe we’re approaching the end of 2012 already.
It’s been a quick, but exciting, year in which I have enjoyed meeting you and getting a real sense of what Capability Scotland means to you.
What has become increasingly apparent to me over the last twelve months is that Capability Scotland is all about its people. Our team is our greatest asset.
And by team I mean everyone involved in the organisation; trustees, staff, customers, volunteers, families and carers, and supporters.
It’s thanks to your energy and drive that we are able to do so much. It’s therefore appropriate that this issue celebrates our team and its achievements.
I’d like to offer a particularly warm welcome to the family and carers of those we support who have now joined Choice’s community of readers. From providing valuable input to the decisions about the care and support we provide, to helping with our fundraising and campaigning work, support from you is crucial to the success of the Capability Scotland team. I hope you’ll enjoy receiving Choice and find its content both relevant and interesting.
Choice continues to be the perfect channel through which we can celebrate the accomplishments of our team.
As usual this issue is packed with stories reflecting the diverse nature of our work. I’m pleased that, in particular, this issue highlights the successes of people close to us. Whether it is celebrating the efforts of those who have achieved qualifications or sharing the once-in-a-lifetime experiences of those customers and volunteers who played a role in the Paralympics, it’s so important that we continue to demonstrate how much we value our team.
This will be the last issue of Choice for 2012, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and to wish you all the best for the festive season.
Dana O’Dwyer
Chief Executive
News in brief
Partnership guidance promotescommon sense
The risks of moving and handling disabled children and young people must be managed in ways that don’t limit their opportunities to play or enjoy life.
That’s according to guidance published by the Scottish Government and Capability Scotland.
‘The Common-Sense Approach to the Moving and Handling of Disabled Children and Young People’ was launched in September by the Minister for Children and Young People, Aileen Campbell MSP during a visit to Capability Scotland’s Westerlea Early Years Service in Edinburgh.
The guidance was written by Capability Scotland’s Allied Health Team. ChiefExecutive, Dana O’Dwyer, commented: “The therapists within Capability Scotland’s Allied Health Team have a great deal of expertise and experience. Their input into this guidance will help those working with children and young people to strike the right balance. We are proud to have published it in partnership with the Scottish Government.”
Award Success forEmployment Services
Capability Scotland’s Employment Services Team celebrated thisAutumn as they picked up accolades at both the Fife and Tayside Business Diversity Awards.
The team were given the Gold Award forSupported Employment Provider of theYear at both ceremonies. Two CapabilityScotland customers also received awardsat the Tayside event. BrianDavidson, whois supported by us in his job at Perth andKinross Council, won the Employee ofthe Year Gold Award. Walter Young gotthe Employee of the Year Silver Awardin recognition of his work at McDonalds.
The team also enjoyed national success,winning the silver award for Supported Employment Provider of the Year at theScottish Business Diversity Awards.
New President and Honorary Life Membership for Capability Scotland
Capability Scotland gave a warm welcome to its new President, and honoured the commitment of one of its most dedicated supporters, at its Annual General Meeting.
The AGM saw the Right Hon the Lord Hardie PC QC appointed as President, taking over from George Holmes who had served for the previous nine years. Retired Edinburgh businessman, Jimmy Sinclair, was made an Honorary Life Member of Capability Scotland in recognition of his fundraising work over many years. The Lord Hardie paid tribute to the contribution Jimmy and his wife, Dorothy, have made to Capability Scotland.
On the move: transport boost for Lanarkshire Services
You may be surprised to find out that Capability Scotland runs around fifty accessible vehicles, from minibuses to adapted cars.
Public transport is becoming more accessible, partly due to Capability Scotland’s campaigning work. There is, however, still a need for us to play our part in ensuring customers can get out and about. A big part of our strategy going forward is to invest in, and modernise, our services. Residents of ourLanarkshire Houses service are the latest customers to benefit from this programme. Three new wheelchair-accessible Fiat Doblos purchased by Capability Scotland were delivered in November. They replace older vehicles hired through the Motability scheme.
Karen Graham, the local Service Manager, explains why the change from Motability had happened. ‘The Motability scheme used to let our customers share one vehicle between two of them, with one paying the rental and one paying for maintenance. Unfortunately, Motability no longer allow this to happen. Renting one vehicle each would have been unaffordable for our customers and the vehicles would never have been used enough.’
Instead Capability Scotland has bought the vehicles and is renting them to the customers. They in turn can share the cost between as many of them as they like. Ann McCutcheon, a resident at the service explained ‘These vehicles are really important. They help me get out and about, to church, the shops and other places where I meet people’.
StanmoreHouseSchool and Residential Service is also celebrating good news about transport. The RS Macdonald Charitable Trust has agreed to contribute towards the purchase of a new wheelchair accessible Vauxhall Movano. This vehicle can accommodate up to three young enough to drive with a standard car licence. The new vehicle will open up even moreopportunitiesfor the pupils to get involved withit’s delivered early in the NewYear. The transport replacementprogramme will continue during2013, with new vehicles dueat Wallace Court and in Fife.
Top class: Capability Scotland celebrates staff success
“When I finished my SVQ I was really proud, and I thought ‘what an achievement’, so if I can do it then so can you!”
These are the words of Bill Taylor, one of 123 members of the Capability Scotland staff team who achieved a qualification in health and social care during the last year.
Their impressive efforts were celebrated at a special success lunch held in Capability Scotland’s head office in August.
Like Bill, the majority of staff who attended had completed SVQs in Health and Social care in line with Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) requirements.
The event, which was also attended by customers and assessors, was hosted by Capability Scotland Chief Executive, Dana O’Dwyer. In her welcome address Dana praised the success of staffand outlined why it was so important to achieve the qualifications.
Dana said: “Continuing to develop and train our staff to the highest standards, and ensuring the competence and commitment of our workforce, will provide the foundations for our continued success.
I am confident that Capability Scotland will continue to be the provider of choice if we consistently demonstrate our total commitment to quality and excellence in everything we do. This starts with the calibre of our staff throughout the organisation.
It is you – and the commitment you have shown by studying for and obtaining these awards – that will propel this organisation forwards.”
One of the candidates who attended the success lunch was Bobby Anderson. Bobby started his Capability Scotland career 21 years ago as a bus driver. He is now a Team Leader at Capability Scotland’s Wishaw Supported Living Service.
Bobby recently achieved his SVQ level 4 in Health and Social Care. He’s also just completed his Assessor A1 Award. For Bobby the success lunch was not only an opportunity to celebrate his own success but also the success of others whom he has supported to achieve their qualifications.
Bobby said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the success lunch. It was a great opportunity to catch up with colleagues and share our success.
As a more mature person who left school with no qualifications,
I really appreciate the development opportunities Capability Scotland has given me. The training and support I’ve received have been second to none and I think it’s really important to acknowledge and celebrate this.”
Bill Taylor is a Community Living Assistant with Fife Supported Living Service. He’s worked for Capability Scotland since 2008.
He was initially a bit daunted about undertaking his SVQ 2.
He explained: “I was a bit unsure about what was expected of me at first, but once this was explained to me by my Assessor, Margaret Adams, I thought to myself ‘this could be a bit of a challenge’. I decided to tackle it full on and set myself a goal. Once I got into it I realised it was all about my experiences and what I did on a day-to-day basis along with all the training I’d received. The help and support available was excellent and in the end I finished my SVQ ahead of time.”
Capability Scotland enjoys a summer of sport
The summer of 2012 will be remembered by many thanks to the spectacle and excitement of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
For some Capability Scotland customers and volunteers it was particularly special as they got to be ‘part of the action’ in what can only be described asthe biggest event of the year.
Former Corseford pupil,Steven Sweeney, retiredCapability Scotland ShopManager, Fiona Mackie andcampaigning volunteer, MarkCooper were all successfullynominated by CapabilityScotland to be Paralympictorchbearers in recognitionof their contribution toCapability Scotland andtheir localcommunities.
Steven was nominated afterimpressing teachers with hissportingachievements. Fionawas put forward in recognitionof her continued support ofCapability Scotland thoughher volunteering and fundraisingactivities. Mark, who took partin last year’s Bowmore BenNevis Challenge, was chosenin recognition of the work hedid to improve access toScotland’s pubs and clubs.
Capability Scotland also putforward former volunteer andBen Nevisparticipant, RosieSmith, to light the ParalympicCauldron in Edinburgh.
Telling Choice about herexperience Rosie said:“This summer I was giventhe great opportunity oflighting the cauldron for theParalympic games in Edinburgh.I was nominated by CapabilityScotland because I had takenpart in two Ben Nevis challengesin 2011 and 2008 for the charity.
I then got chosen by TheScottish Government toparticipate in this wonderfulevent! On the day, I had todo quite a few interviews forthe media so having some familymembers there (and one formerclassmate who interviewed mefor Channel 4 online), was helpfulfor my nerves! During the lightingof the cauldron I felt a sense ofpride and joy and became quiteemotional! Since then I’ve goneto a couple of schools and otherplaces with the torch to sharemy brilliant experiences witheveryone!”
Rosie’s big moment wasbroadcast across the UKon the internet as well ason television and radio.Her picture appeared innewspapers across the country.
The Paralympic Effect
It wasn’t just Rosie, or our team of Paralympic Torchbearers, who were affected by the Paralympics. The organisation as a whole enjoyed the ripple effect of Paralympic fever.
• Capability Scotland’s Communications Team had a very busy September answering calls from journalists, who wanted to write and broadcast disability-related stories. For Capability Scotland this was a great opportunity to raise awareness of disability issues and our work in general.
• Wheelchair athletes from our New Trinity Centre had the opportunity to take part in a race at Meadowbank Stadium, which was commentated on by athletics legend Steve Cram MBE.
• The organisation received a fundraising boost of £16k from Tennents who donated 5p from every beer sold at the Olympic and Paralympic Homecoming Parade to us.
• And our very own Westerlea Early Years Service was one of 6 lucky charities to win a grant of £2,500 from Lloyds TSB this summer, in celebration of the Paralympics. The money will be used to buy a new sensory toy library for the service.
Spotlight on Welfare Reform & Families
Capability Scotland and Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, Tam Baillie, are working together to highlight the impact of the UK Government’s Welfare Reform Act on Scottish families.
The Commissioner met with Capability Scotland to find out about the concerns families, including a disabled person, have about the UK Government’s programme of Welfare Reform.
The Welfare Reform Act 2012 contains a radical package of reform which is likely to impact to some extent on all families in Scotland.
Capability Scotland told the Commissioner of its fears that many of the reforms would disproportionately affect families including a disabled person. For example, it’s expected that 20,000 parents will lose out on benefit in the changeover from Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Capability Scotland drew the Commissioner’s attention to the abolition of Youth Employment Support Allowance and the detrimental effect that the removal ofthis benefit could have onyoung disabled people who arestarting out on their adult life.
The Commissioner was alsokeen to hear our views about theso-called‘bedroom’ tax whichis a move by the WestminsterGovernment to limit HousingBenefit to working-age peoplewho have spare bedrooms.
This policy is especially worryingfor families who need an extraroom because a parent or childhas a disability. This might beto store essential equipment,to enable siblings to sleepseparately or to accommodatea relative on an irregular basis.
Capability Scotland informedthe Commissioner that recentwelfare cuts will see familieslose out to the tune of £750 peryear as a result of a cut in theTax Credit. In addition manyfamilies are also set to loseout on additional premiums or‘additions.’ Under the proposalsdisability premiums will be cutby half for all but children withvery specific needs, suchas severe visual impairmentor night-time care needs.
This will result in some familieslosing out on £1,400 per year.All this paints a rather gloomypicture for families. However,Capability Scotland believesthat the meeting with theChildren’s Commissioneris a positive step in the fightto combat, or at least alleviate,the effects of some of thesechanges. We now plan togather case studies whichthe Commissioner can useto raise the issues with LordFreud, the Parliamentary UnderSecretary of State for Workand Pensions.
If you would like to getinvolved by telling us howthese changes will affectyour life please contactSenior Policy OfficerSusie Fittonon 0131 3471025 or e-mail
First person
Banchory Mum, Lynne Wilson, took part in the Crathes Marathon in September to raise money for Capability Scotland. Lynne’s son Liam is supported to attend nursery by Aberdeenshire Childcare 4 All. Lynne told Choice what the service means to her.
My son Liam was born prematurely. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at just fifteen months old after surviving two collapsed lungs and a bleed on his brain. Lynne recalls: “Following the diagnosis my husband and I felt lost and unsure of where to turn to but we were determined that Liam would have a happy, full, inclusive and independent life.... one in which he could participate fully in any activity that he chooses and makes him happy.”
Lynne first came into contact with Capability Scotland when she was looking for a nursery for Liam in April this year. Lynne’s chosen nursery explained that Capability Scotland’s Aberdeenshire Childcare 4 All service could put a support worker in place in the nursery to support Liam’s needs and encourage his growing independence.
The arrangement was the perfect solution for Lynne and her family. Capability Scotland support worker, Jude Findlay, began not only providing support to Liam but also to the nursery’s staff team so that they were equipped with the skills they needed to support Liam.
Lynne said: “After our first meeting, we felt confident that not only had we found the right nursery for Liam, but that we had found an incredible support in Jude and Capability Scotland. Now we want to say a big thank you to the charity for helping Liam to attend, and enjoy, nursery with his friends.
Capability Scotland has made, and continues to make, a real difference to Liam’s life and to ours.”
All about me
Police Officer Gordon McGregor has volunteered for 30 years with Capability Scotland.During that time he has organised 19 successful adventure holidays with pupils at Stanmore and has assisted with two Ben Nevis Challenges.
Gordon is now using his experience to set up Paradventures, which will provide accessible adventures for disabled people of all ages. Choice found out more.
Where did you get the idea for Paradventures?