Creative Voices Telford
In June, over 50 people we support and staff joined us for a Creative Voices event held in Telford to discuss our ‘I’ Statements, especially the statement ‘I feel connected to my community’. Creative Voices is our national forum for the people we support, giving them a platform to share their ideas and influence positive change within the organisation.
Staff and the people we support gathered at the Ramada Hotel in Telford, welcoming attendees not only from the local area but also from services across the country, including Shropshire, North Manchester, Calderdale, Wigan, and Stockton.
The event began with a welcome and introduced attendees to members of our Board of Trustees; Steven Farmery-Vigu, Fiona King, Joolz Casey, and Helen O’Sullivan. Joolz Casey, our Chair of the Board, said: “The Board are responsible for governance. We are responsible for our Creative Support strategy, ensuring everyone stays safe and steering the ship. Days like today are really important to the Board as we want to ensure the strategy is real and lived.”
Attendees then shared their thoughts on what ‘I feel connected to my community’ means to them. This included: self-support; helping people when they are struggling so they aren’t lonely; support to go food shopping; activities such as singing or playing games; organising clubs based on interests like running or cooking; hosting community events like a garden party or BBQ; and working with other organisations to create a connected community.
Attendees were then asked 3 questions: “What would you like to happen when a Quality Checker comes?”; “What would you like a Quality Checker to experience?”; and “If you were a Quality Checker, what would you like to do?”. People had brilliant and personalised responses, explaining how to best ensure that people in our services across the country are being heard and what is important to them is the priority. Answers included making sure people’s finances were correct, checking on individuals’ wellbeing, and making sure everyone is as happy as can be.
After activities surrounding our ‘I’ and ‘We’ Statements, attendees gave their overall feedback on what they would like to see when the Board or other members of the Creative Support community visit their homes. This included making sure visitors show their ID when they visit, and involving people we support in service development such as in interviews. One attendee, Nicola, said: “Our manager Beth listens to us. I feel respected when I get feedback to grow.” Another attendee, Ruthie, said: “I feel respected when I get credit for my contributions.”
To round off the day, the Quality Team asked everyone if they felt satisfied with their care. It was inspiring to hear how much of a difference Creative Support has made in people’s lives:
“Creative Support have done a lot for me. I feel listened to, and the support workers do their jobs because they care. After today, I now understand the Board is like one big team,” said Martin.
“It’s clear our feedback on Creative Support’s decisions has had an impact on the ‘I Statements” said Andrew.
“In this world, sometimes I don’t feel listened to, so when I’m asked how I feel, it gives me a chance to feel respected,” added Ann Marie.
Creative Voices meets three times a year and offers a chance to connect, share ideas, and celebrate achievements. Our next Creative Voices event will take place in Manchester in the autumn, focusing on the themes of growth, gardening, and nature. We hope to see lots of people there!
