MacIntyre Charity - four creative responses
Story 1/4 - To move Ciaran’s successful monthly film club online
What was your aim and why?
To keep people connected about the thing that they are passionate about, in this case film.
What was different about it?
Ciaran began an autism friendly film club in a local community centre for people who may find it hard to get to the out of town cinema or found it unaffordable. When lockdown happened, he wanted to continue to enable people to get together to talk about film. With some support from his mentor who works at the community centre, he came up with the idea of a Netflix party where people watch the same film or show and then come together afterwards to discuss it via zoom.
What was the impact/benefits for people?
The group maintains the momentum of the film club and is well attended on a weekly basis. People can contribute to the discussion and feel part of something that they are passionate about.
Is the solution sustainable post Covid-19?
Yes, although the group are keen to go back to the monthly physical meet ups too.
How can I find out more?
Email: Peter.connor@macintyrecharity.org
Website: https://www.macintyrecharity.org/for-adults/community-innovation/
Story 2/4 -Keeping fit at home – walk at home sessions with Ami, Hannah and Tina
What was your aim and why?
MacIntyre approached people who live in a Shared Lives arrangement to ask what they could offer, what could they do to help others during the lockdown. Ami, Hannah and Tina were determined to keep healthy during lockdown and wondered if this was something they could share to help keep themselves motivated.
How MacIntyre is involved with Shared Lives?
MacIntyre manage 3 Shared Lives schemes in Warrington, Essex and Central Bedfordshire. Shared Lives carers are recruited, vetted, trained and supported by an experienced MacIntyre manager. MacIntyre is registered with the government’s care regulator, the Care Quality Commission.
The Shared Lives carers go through an induction and initial training to ensure they have the skills needed to support people with their individual needs. Carers have access to the same training and resources as Support Workers employed by MacIntyre, including specialist areas such as dementia, safeguarding and positive behaviour support.
The Shared Lives Manager also provides support on a regular and as-needed basis to make sure the arrangement is safe and enjoyable for both the carer and the person supported.
What was different about it?
It’s organised and run by Ami and Hannah with just a bit of help with the initial set up stage and also advertising the group and making sure that they were able to stay safe online. They organised it through zoom so that one camera is trained on them and the other on the TV screen. The session is called Walk at Home and it’s a low impact fitness session that is free to access on YouTube. So, the participants are following the instructor but can also see Ami, Hannah, Tina and each other. They can call encouragement to each other through the session and have a chat afterwards. They have even bought matching T- shirts so they look very professional!
What was the impact/benefits for people?
Keeping fit and feeling part of something. It’s motivating to know that other people will be doing the session together and it’s so nice to see each other.
Is the solution sustainable post Covid-19 (if applicable)?
Yes. When people get back to their busy lives, MacIntyre will need to look at changing the times potentially and there’s even been talk of doing the session in a community centre in real life!
How can we find out more?
Email Kathryn.yates@macintyrecharity.org for more details https://www.macintyrecharity.org/for-adults/shared-lives/
Story 3/4 Friendship Group
Project description
Molly who is a person with lived experience and part of the Great Communities Project developed an online friendship group for people who felt socially anxious and wanted to make sure people could still reach out during lockdown
What was your aim and why?
The MacInyre Great Communities Friendship Group was launched in 2018, in partnership with MacIntyre Great Communities Project in Warrington, to provide people with a learning disability, and/or Autism the opportunity to establish friendships in the local area.
As a consequence of Covid19 in March 2020, face to face meetings were put on hold, leading to the group finding new ways to remain in contact. Molly was instrumental in setting up the friendship group and was first to suggest the group takes the meeting online using online video calling through platform Zoom. Since then Molly has continued to lead the way and influence how meetings are scheduled. Molly felt that the group could be a real support for each other to keep connected during the lockdown.
What was different about it?
The group had to figure out how it was going to work on a digital platform.
What was the impact/benefits for people?
The impact has been different for different people. For some people it meant getting support to get on line in their home. For others e it has been an opportunity to develop leadership skills and lead on creative or reflective sessions. For some it’s been a chance to talk about worries about being furloughed or losing their jobs. And for everyone to try to make sense of the pandemic.
Is the solution sustainable post Covid-19?
Some people have said that they actually feel more confident to attend the group virtually as their anxieties prevented them from attending previously. We want to try to ensure that for those people, being able to access the group virtually is still an option post Covid.
How can we find out more?
Email peter.connor@macintyrecharity.org or check out the website https://www.macintyrecharity.org/for-adults/community-innovation
Story 4/4 - “Mac Homegrown”
Project description: a lockdown gardening project for the people MacIntyre Charity support
What was your aim and why?
The aim was to provide the people supported with a suitable and fun activity to keep them occupied during lockdown.
What was different about it?
- This was an activity that could be done entirely at home.
- This activity also provided some “group” interaction via sharing of media between individuals within the group. For examples, there is a sunflower competition.
- This activity can now become a long-term project for the people MacIntyre support. Some of them have created entire vegetable patches in their own gardens.
- This activity also promotes healthy eating and cooking skills. Some of the people supported have already cooked and eaten their own produce.
What was the impact/benefits for people?
The people supported by MacInyre have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the “Mac Homegrown” project. Many have discovered communal greenhouses to use at home and some have even transformed their entire gardens into “MacGrow” projects. Currently running various “growing” competitions and are beginning to harvest the “fruits” of our labour! Have discovered that many of the people have grown at home in the past with parents/grandparents are have really enjoyed re-visiting this activity.
Is the solution sustainable post Covid-19?
Absolutely yes! MacIntyre Charity currently now have a few “gardening hubs” popping up around the New Forest in the gardens of the people supported and are applying to Hampshire County Council for MacIntyres own allotment for next year. In contact with both Charlie Dimmock of BBC’s “Garden Rescue” (Charlie sent MacIntyre a letter!) and Radio Solent’s “Kitchen Garden” (An interview about the “Mac Homegrown” project on local radio!)
How can we find out more?
We have a “Mac Homegrown” page on Yammer and also see the following web-page: https://www.macintyrecharity.org/news-blogs/home-grown-in-hampshire/