CLIENT APPRECIATION AWARDS - Brighton YMCA
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Talk Back
YMCA Brighton
Autumn 2019
CLIENT APPRECIATION AWARDS
We held the annual Client Appreciation Awards in June to
celebrate inspiring clients. What a wonderful day!
Thank you to our brilliant clients who have achieved so much this
year, and who amaze us with their commitment to supporting
others.
Thank you to Richard, Brenda, Wayne, and Kieren whose words
moved us. Thank you to ‘Man Like Malcolm’, Warren, and John for
creating a joyful atmosphere with their musical performance.
Thank you to Brenda, who once again out did herself with her
incredible baked creation.
Thank you to our client artists who showcased their work at our
latest Artists Open Houses, and once again did so at the awards
ceremony. Thank you to EVOLVE_Brighton, Community Works,
and Volunteers' Week.
Thank you to every single person who made our Client
Appreciation Awards special by coming to celebrate.
“What if Volunteer
WHAT’S IN Artist Open David’s
we’re not Skills
THIS ISSUE? House Recipes
wrong?” Sessions
I’m glad that so many people came to appreciate and support you - including our board members, your friends and family, and staff from across Brighton YMCA. We don’t often get a chance to sit back and really look at our successes. But everyone who was invited to receive an award had achieved something brilliant. I received lots of heartfelt nominations explaining why people should receive awards. There are too many to mention. But just a few examples are: someone who has done so well at settling in to new supported housing and has since got a job at Waitrose; someone who has completed work experience with the BBC; someone received an award from the Royal Photographic Society. And lots of people have gone way above and beyond in their volunteer role and contributed amazing things to the Brighton YMCA community. It was a joy to celebrate with you! Briony Peter Field, the Chairman of Brighton YMCA Board, also offers his sincere congratulations to all awardees.
For a long time I lost the ability
RICHARD’S EXPERIENCE and confidence to say yes to doing
something like this! It's hard to
believe but I class myself as shy, but, as those who have met me know all to well I'm happy to
run my mouth. Because of the confidence boosts I have been given by the opportunities
offered by Brighton YMCA staff I said yes when Briony asked me if I would do a little speech. Of
course I said yes before I had let the question really sink in. But I'd agreed to do it.
I was offered the post of Client Rep at Stanley Court after being there for just over a year. I like
the idea of giving a little bit of pay back to the service, also, I've always got a buzz out of
helping other people whether that's individually or being able to make an impact for all present
and possible future residents at all the projects.
I knew that I would be getting involved with resident’s meetings and I'm already trying to see
what we can do to offer to encourage more residents to get involved. But it was at my first
meeting we have with members of the board that I really think I got it. I was involved with
something that actually mattered, it's wasn't just a tick box exercise or something that looks
good on a company flyer. Myself, the other reps and by extension every resident has a voice
that is heard and listened to. And that can be followed
by visible provable changes.
That might sound like a little thing, but when you feel
that your voice is too small to be heard and then you
can see it has been heard, it means a lot. It's about
empowering people, giving them a boost to their
confidence, self-esteem and gives a massive positive
energy boost.
I found my self-worth again by being given the
opportunity to volunteer in this role.
This awards ceremony is about the residents that have
given of themselves to their fellow residents and the
YMCA at large. Richard, Client Representative
HEALTHY HEARTS COOKERY COURSE David completed a Brighton and Hove Food Partnership ‘Healthy Hearts Cookery Course’. It is for people with mild learning disabilities (and their carers) who would like to meet new people and learn how to cook healthy recipes. David wanted to share his experience. On the next pages he’s shared one of his recipes... It was a simple little course. It was up on Queen’s Road with Brighton and Hove Food Partnership. All of the teachers were so nice up there. You go up every Tuesday morning. Briony spoke to me about it, Neil filled the short form in with me. They said ‘why don’t you do this cookery course?’ and I thought ‘why not?’. That’s how it all started for me, and then Rosie taught me through. You get to cook and eat the food, and get a cup of coffee – all for a fiver! Now where would you get that for a fiver around here? You wouldn’t! The fiver helps them fund it and get all of the ingredients, it’s worth it. I’ve cooked two recipes each day. We’ve done it for 7 weeks. I’ve got all of these recipes now, you get to take the recipes home. They taught me how to make leak and potato soup, and bolognese – I had to cut up the garlic and onion and put it all together for the tomato sauce. My favourite recipe of them all was apple crumble, and the pizza was the best. Briony was jealous! All of the recipes I’ve done – I can’t believe it! I don’t know how on earth I managed it. I didn’t think I would at first, but I did - and I’m a really good cook now. All thanks to Rosie, my teacher. She made me laugh. She told me I could do it and I have done it. I’m so proud of myself. Neil’s really proud of me too, doing all of this stuff. I can’t believe I’ve done it all. I’m so proud of myself now that I’ve done it. I didn’t do it for me, I did it in my Mum’s memory. If anyone wants to do a course at B&H Food Partnership, please do because I’ve had a lot of fun doing it. It was only a fiver for each session for me. Please, please do it! If you’re thinking about it – I tell you what you won’t regret it. If you want to – please, please do, it was great! David, Brighton YMCA Client
£1 / 250g
£1.20 / 250ml
75p / bunch
70p / kg
£1 / kg
90p / 10 pack stock cube
£1 / powdered jar. £35.0 / fresh kg
£1 / 4 pack
WE NEED YOU TO CHEER CHEER CHEER… Brighton YMCA is one of the many Charities signed up to take part in Skyline 10th Anniversary London to Brighton Bike Ride, this September. We are recruiting keen cyclists to participate and raise funds for Brighton YMCA. The funds will help us to continue to provide supportive housing, counselling, life skills, training courses as well as various other services hosted by the Brighton YMCA Evolve. Taking on such a challenge of cycling 55 miles from London to Brighton, you need to feel the support. We need to express our thanks by cheering these wonderful people along the way with extra cheer to the cyclists in Brighton YMCA T-shirt!!! We’ll have Brighton YMCA Cheering Points to support the cyclist coming to the end of their epic cycle. If you are interested in being part of the Brighton YMCA Cheering Squad, please let a staff member know at your project, and we will be in contact with further information about the meeting point and time on Sunday 15th September 2019. www.londonbrightoncycle.co.uk
ACTING ON YOUR FEEDBACK
Earlier in the year you filled out a survey. You
told us what we should be focussing on to
improve.
We then asked clients to help us create a 2 year
Brighton YMCA action plan, based on your
feedback, in a focus group.
There was tea, coffee, cakes and lots of
interesting discussion. Thank you to all who
took part!
We’ll release the action plan once we have
approval from Client Representatives and the
Board. We will keep you informed of progress...
94%
94% Would feel
‘Staff make an confident raising a
effort to support me’ concern about
their safety with
staff
90% from 83% in 2017
11% from 0% in 2017
Dissatisfied with
‘I am included in decisions that how complaints
relate to me and my are managed
support’
66% from 83% in 2017 30% from 10% in 2017
Satisfied with the Dissatisfied with safety
way your building is and security
maintainedYOUR CLIENT REPRESENTATIVES
We want you to be at the heart of everything we
do. So, your Client Representatives regularly get
feedback and comments from you about Brighton
YMCA. They bring these perspectives to Head
Office during meetings with board members and
Head Office staff (and with lots of biscuits and
tea!).
In this meeting we focussed on putting together
our Brighton YMCA 2 Year Action Plan: ‘Acting On
Your Feedback’. We also discussed maintenance
issues, new groups and activities being set up, and
how we should deal with complaints.
STEINE HOUSE:
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD WINNERS
RECYCLED 290KG OF
210KG
CO2 SAVED
TWO
TREES
SAVED
Steine House received a Paper Round Award for Recycling.
Paper Round ethically manage waste from companies in the
South East. Their mission is to send nothing to landfill and
collect anything that can be practically recycled! This is an
important mission because:
Recycling helps protect the
environment. Recycling reduces the need for
extracting (mining, quarrying and logging), refining
and processing raw materials all of which create
substantial air and water pollution. As recycling saves
energy it also reduces greenhouse gas emissions,
which helps to tackle climate change. Recycle NowGEORGE WILLIAMS Throughout May, artists residing at Brighton YMCA exhibited their artwork at George Williams Mews. Our exhibition was part of the Artists Open Houses festival, which offers a chance to meet the artists from the local community and view locally made art and crafts. Here is what Alex, one of the clients who was involved in putting together the exhibition, said: ‘Over sixty artworks will be on display, from more than a dozen residents across the projects in the city.’ Julie, who has a background in graphic design, said of the art group: “I really enjoy it, I’m in my element!” Julie hopes to use the experience of participating in therapeutic classes professionally in the future: “I want to be a social worker, I like helping people”. Describing herself as a “texture freak”, her piece Messy Room welcomes the visitors to a very diverse art space. Nick’s text heavy piece Respect Due pays tribute to a friend who “was showing me the strength
ARTIST OPEN HOUSE I needed to walk through the gate” as a single parent. Other works on display include conceptual art, landscapes, photography and many other mediums and themes which as a whole are testament to the power, agency, confidence and expression people moving through adversity can find through art. Many thanks to Alex T, for the time he took interviewing our artists and putting together this news release.
STEINE HOUSE In this newsletter Brenda from George Williams in her own words talks of how Steine House Art Group is progressing. Brenda had several meetings with a friend of Steine House to which it was really felt that there were residents there that would benefit and would really enjoy taking part in a formal art group. It was arranged that Brenda would attend another meeting to look at the art space available. A date was arranged to start up a weekly group and Steine House Art Group was born on14th February 2019. Our weekly sessions run on Thursdays 2pm-4pm. With our summer now here it will be nice to take a few outings with clipboards, sketchpads and pencils. We had one visit out to Hobby Craft to see all the different hobbies and art materials all under one roof. There are also a couple of other places that I like to purchase my art materials that we could also visit. Our weekly sessions are going well. The artists generally like to use the materials in their own ways which makes the group very relaxed. It is working well as a result of the relaxed art space,
ART GROUP with chat, tea, and coffee, and biscuits on tap. We have built up a good stock of art materials, my artists often state that they feel so lucky to have all the materials to use. Art materials have grown with members bringing in their own art material donations. The art is very colourful, they all have a good eye for colour. The walls are looking fantastic with very little wall now showing. A good selection of my artists’ work was selected and displayed at George Williams Mews at their Open House Art Exhibition this May. My artists felt proud to be entering their work in to an exhibition with our group running so newly of just 3 months. I was also very proud to see their work displayed alongside art work from all other Brighton YMCA units, coming together as one. So many different types of art work made an explosion of colour. I think next I would like to try a morning once a week to cook with Steine House residents and to lay a table and enjoy lunch together. Fantastic work by fantastic artists of Steine House. Keep up the good work, your friend, Brenda
WHAT IF WE’RE NOT WRONG?
Manifesto for the Neurodivergent and differently abled
The hilarious and heart-breaking thing about many of us with our different brains is...all our wak-
ing hours, minutes, seconds are taken up with trying to pass ourselves off as ordinary...in order to
be left in as much peace as possible in a 'predominantly' ordinary culture. Whereas Neurotypi-
cals spend their time (many of them) faking mediocre as being extraordinary and unique, while
really all being fairly similar to each other...because they can't step too far out of the pack!... So
what if, we just ran with it (or rolled
with it...depending) ?
What would happen if we acknowl- What would the world feel like
edged some of the things we get for us if we turned to each
told we're no good at/good for, are
things we actually want nothing to other for support…?
do with anyway...we only think we
should do them because human-
made daily life tells us we must, but what if we put our best foot/hand/wheel (whatever our phys-
icality) forward and decide to try to give ourselves to our passion, and keep reminding ourselves
the 'doubters' and questioners might be wrong...or their scepticism comes from themselves and
is not actually about us...they're just projecting their
own limitations on us, while needing to clip our wings,
psychologically -speaking...because of their own inade-
quacy! What would the world feel like for us if we
turned to each other for support/feedback and believed
the positive feedback we received about ourselves and
our abilities?
I find myself increasingly these days using a particular
bible quote (I’m not religious...nor am I judging it
though)
when dealing with particularly heavy-handed inconsider-
ate non-compassionate individuals...’forgive them, they
know not what they do’...you’d be surprised how often
it’s applicable (then I avoid them like the plague...but
that’s just me) Sarah S, diagnosed with Aspergers at 38,
#actuallyautisticFRED EMERY COURT’S
SMOOTHIE BIKE RIDE
On the 1st of May we
held our 1st smoothie
bike event with Hazel
Young, what a fab and
fun afternoon.
We had lots of interest
from the residents and
staff… Anita
MAN LIKE MALCOLM AT EVOLVE
The team captured a marvellous
moment at their drop in with Malcolm
teaching Ian and Malcolm the guitar.
You can join them during the Thursday
EVLOVE Music Drop In.
EVOLVE drop-in is based in the city
centre at: 40 North Road, Brighton,
BN1 1YG (please use the entrance off
Spring Gardens).COUNSELLING AT
It is a safe place to talk about difficult stuff. It equips me with tools to manage my emotions, and
that includes learning new coping mechanisms. I can look at things in ways I haven’t thought of
before. I can attach weight to positive things and diminish the weight of the negative things. It
helps me to develop great insight into my thoughts, feelings and behaviours and to understand
why I react in certain ways in particular situations. Brighton YMCA Counselling Client
I have struggled with stress and anxiety for years. Coming for counselling has enabled me to get
these worries under control, before it gets worse and escalates where I feel like I’m breaking
down. Brighton YMCA Counselling Client
I have had real difficulty accessing mental health services in Brighton. The counselling has felt
like a rock for me, where I’ve felt lost without one. I feel I can express my thoughts and feelings
here, without judgement, and feel safe. I always leave feeling so much better. Until now, I have
found it so hard to find people who understand my mental health problems. Brighton YMCA
Counselling Client
WHAT?
Sometimes it can be hard to cope and difficult to manage on your own. It’s OK to ask for help
and talk about it – rather than bottle it up. Counselling is
a confidential space where you can explore your
thoughts, feelings and experiences with a trained “The counselling has
listener.
You can meet regularly with the same counsellor over
felt like a rock for me”
an agreed period of time in ‘ongoing therapy’.
Or you can address a particular problem in just one session with a counsellor. This is ‘single
session therapy’. You may choose to then start ‘ongoing therapy’. (Single session therapy is
currently only available to William Collier clients, but if this is successful we are hoping to expand to
other projects).
WHY?
You don’t need to have any specific needs, nothing is too large or small. People go to counselling
for lots of different reasons, such as:
Sadness, depression, anxiety or suicidal Stress
thoughts Addiction
Anger and outbursts A difficult life event (e.g. someone close has
Anxieties about sex or sexuality died or is ill)
Relationship issues Experience of abuse (e.g. emotional,
Self-harm physical, sexual)BRIGHTON YMCA WHO FOR? This counselling is available for free for Brighton YMCA and EVOLVE clients. WHO WITH? Sarah at Steine House (top photo), Clare at George Williams (middle photo), Jodie at Steine House and William Collier (bottom photo, on the left), and Jo at Steine House and William Collier (bottom photo, on the right). “I can look at things in ways I haven’t thought of before.” WHERE? You can choose where you go to counselling out of William Collier (single session therapy only), George Williams, or Steine House. Some people prefer the convenience of seeing the counsellor in their project, whilst, for others, it is important to have some distance between home and therapy. HOW? You can ask your keyworker for counselling. They can give you, or help you to fill in, a ‘supported referral form’. Or you can ask for counselling yourself by using a ‘self-referral form’. This is available at your project’s reception, on our website, or you can call 01273 220900 and we can post it to you. You can send the form directly to our counselling team (using our free internal post service) by dropping it off at your project’s reception with 'Counselling Team' and your chosen project clearly written on the envelope.
MENTAL HEALTH
AWARENESS
Mental Health Awareness Week this year focussed on
taking care of our bodies and our body image. Adrian
looks after his mental and physical health by taking
advantage of the Brighton YMCA, and the Brighton &
Hove Healthy Lifestyles health walks.
Up on the hill away fom the traffic and bustle of the city you have the chance to take in the
view, breathe in the air and forget about your problems, all this right on your doorstep.
Health walks have given me an opportunity to exercise, build my confidence and get out in the
countryside. Adrian, Brighton YMCA Client
HOMELESS PERIOD BRIGHTON
DONATION
A massive thank you to The Homeless Period Brighton for
supplying William Collier House with period packs and
sanitary products.
Having your period is difficult and for most people an
unwelcome monthly occurrence; the luxury tax on sanitary
products makes them unaffordable and inaccessible for some.
This particularly hurts women experiencing homelessness:
what do you do if you have to choose between food and
sanitary products? This is why charities like Homeless Period
Brighton are so important in supporting women experiencing
homelessness.
Ashley and Medbh set up this charity in October 2018 and have done a fantastic job creating
links around Brighton. They offer period packs which include pads, tampons, liners, wipes,
disposal bags and a pair of new underwear as well as bulk products. They have several drop sites
around brighton including Wolf and Gypsy Vintage ( 30 Sydney st), Green Kitchen (Preston rd),
Dead Wax Social (18a Bond st) and The Marlborough Pub (Princes st). They are also in the
process of setting up a 24/7 pickup site at Jubilee library on Jubilee St.
Thank you again to Ashley and Medbh! EllieVOLUNTEER SKILLS
SESSIONS
We have been running newly created Volunteer Skills Sessions. All Brighton YMCA Volunteers
have free access to 3 different courses.
These 3 hour sessions are helpful for CVs (useful for future work or volunteering) and volunteers
receive certificates for each session they attend.
Through volunteering with us you can gain lots of skills, you can take part in training and you can
make Brighton YMCA a better place – for you and for others around you.
Volunteering can be anything from becoming a Client Representative, volunteering at the
Breakfast Bar/Club, or running a one-off activity.
Client Representatives communicate with clients to make sure that everyone’s opinions are
heard – whether it’s about policy, procedure or practice. They help to run regular ‘Community
Get Togethers’, consult with other Client Representatives at the Client Representative Panel,
and consult with board members to make sure client perspectives are at the heart of Brighton
YMCA decisions.
If you’d be interested in sharing a skill or
passion of yours why not run a group or
“It was well organised and it
event for your fellow clients? People have will help with my volunteering”
shared their love of baking, art, crafts,
creative writing, and have hosted quizzes.
“I enjoyed the afternoon”
To get involved and also have access to
training speak to your Client Involvement
Coordinator: Anita (Fred Emery ), Izzy “It was very helpful”
(William Collier), Julie (Leslie Best),
Sydney (Stanley Court), Paul and Marcos “It made me understand and be
(George Williams), Trudy (Bennet House).
more aware”
“Everything was good”
“The refresher course worked
well”MICHAEL’S REVIEW: TOMB RAIDER
A game that I have enjoyed erhood, a group of
playing in the past is Tomb men who have been
Raider (2013) with Lara Croft. stranded on an is-
Some of the characters in the land names The
game include: Dragons Triangle /
Lara Croft: Archaeologist / Age 50
Age: 20 Konstantin: Trinity
Samantha Nishimura: Docu- Agent / Age 40
mentary Producer and Transla- rows. Whenever Lara reaches
Ana: Independently wealthy
tor. She is also Lara Crofts best a campfire she can upgrade
and Lara Crofts Step Mother
friend / Age: 22 her weapons.
Conrad Roth: Captain / Age 52 In this game Lara is setting off
There is another group of peo- on her 8th adventure to find
Jonah Maiava: Cook and First ple called The Remnant who the Lost Kingdom of Yamatai
Mate / Age 33 survive in the wilderness. The aboard the research vessel
Joslin Reyes: Mechanic and leader of the gang is Jacob. The Endurance. Inside the
Chief of Security / Age 42 Lara has several weapons and dangerous area of sea known
Dr. James Whitman: Senior items that help her during the as the Dragons Triangle a
Archaeologist / Born between game, these include a torch; a storm commands the ship and
1968 and 1970 pry axe; a fire starter; a lighter; the crew end up on a mysteri-
various guns (pistol, shotguns) ous island. As Lara and her
Angus “Grim” Grimaldi:
and a rifles, to name a few. crew discover, the island is a
Helmsman and Medic / Born
She can also find items that tough environment with many
in the 1950s
will help her make petrol hidden dangers and she must
Mathias: Leader of the Solari bottle bombs and bomb ar- uncover its dark history if she
Broth- is ever to escape from it.
There are some really good ar-
eas of the island to explore,
such as the underground, the
beach, the
monastery and the shrine.
There is also a lot of wildlife
there such as rabbits, deer,
boars, wolves, hunting cats
and bears. MichaelCREATIVE CORNER
HIDE
when the moon hits the sky but I promise you now one of us will die
its in you I confide but I cant make the promise that it will be the
you help me face my demons right guy
I wont hide, hide but whoever comes out njust help them with
or when the sea hits the tide their lives
and we feel we will die because we are both struggling from the
we can face our demons together bottom inside
we wont hide, hide we’ve all been through stuff but my mind could-
we can stay together forever n’t hack it
we wont hide, hide hence the reason all the drugs
we’ll always be together hence the reason im a racket
we wont hide, hide fell like a moon ball throw me once and ima
Its in you I confide smash it
you are my life line but im moving so quick not even god can grab it
I need you in my life(forever)
it’s a race against time when the moon hits the sky
But im prepared to die it was in you I confide
if I can get you in my life(forever) you helped me kill my demons
I don’t hide, hide
(rap) you are my life line
I need you in my life
if I could get you in my life forever
we killed the devil together
I will never be the same
we wont hide, hide
I wake up every day play life likes it’s a game
we can run this world forever we wont hide,
I’d play it on and on just to make it through the
hide
day
we can show this world together that we don’t
I’d put in on repeat so It can relay
hide, hide
but everytime I play this game it donr feel right
it feels like ive started off minus 1 or 2 lives
which means im on my last one and I can’t we don’t hide
stand the fight Kieren B
ill gor war with myself and it will be in my mindWE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
What would like to see published in the next edition of Talk Back ?
Would you like to publish poetry, stories of life experiences, top tips for healthy living,
artwork, recipes, or any other articles ?
Do you have ideas but you're not confident writing them down ?
Speak to Briony on 01273220900 / briony.banks@brightonymca.co.uk, to your client
representatives or to staff at your project, and get involved!
BRIGHTON YMCA
Steine House
55 Old Steine
BN1 1NX
Phone: 01273 220 900
E-mail: generalenquiries@brightonymca.co.ukYou can also read
