Iris Care Group - Supported Living

21/06/2024

Wishing the best of luck to our team and the people we support at tonight’s Learning Disability and Autism Awards 🎉

Two members of our team and the Whispers forum have been made finalists in three different categories at the LD&A Awards, and we’ll be cheering them on tonight across our services!

Being made a finalist is already an incredible achievement and we are so proud of them all, so please join us in congratulating and wishing the best of luck to:

- Dr Andrew Hider (Clinical Director) – The Jim Mansell Outstanding Contribution Award
- Wanda Arciszewska (Support Worker) – The Support Worker Award
- The Whispers forum – The People’s Award

18/06/2024

Learning Disability Week Day 2: “Do you understand me?” ⬇️

is all about putting the voices, perspectives, and experiences of people with learning disabilities at the forefront, and it is essential that we continue to create spaces for people with learning disabilities to have their voices heard.

We believe that the people we support should be at the heart of everything we do, so in 2023 our Supported Living team worked in collaboration with the people we support to create the Whispers forum.

The Whispers forum is a new self-advocacy initiative formed by individuals who live in our supported living homes that enables us to make improvements based on the lived experiences of the people we support.

The forum meets on a monthly basis to share their experiences and feedback with our team, and they work closely with our Quality team to ensure that we are continuously improving and developing our homes with the perspectives and needs of the people we support at the forefront.

The group have also created an easy read Quality Checker that they use when visiting other homes. They use this to help the people we support communicate their thoughts and feelings, and it includes important questions such as ‘Is there space to move around?’, ‘Are people involved in activities?’ and ‘Do staff take time to know what people are interested in?’.

The forum has gone from strength to strength since it formed, and they have provided really unique, creative, and insightful perspectives for how we can continue to improve.

As a result of all of their incredible work the Whispers Forum were made finalists in two national awards, and we’ll be cheering them on this Friday at the Learning Disability and Autism Awards! 🎉

Michelle Cox-Coley (Operations Director, Social Care England), shares more information about the Whispers forum and the power of supporting people to have their voices heard: https://www.caretalk.co.uk/opinion/the-power-of-advocacy/

Michelle Cox-Coley, Operations Director for Iris Care Group’s services in England, has worked in care her entire life and has seen first-hand how important advocacy is for empowering people to have their voices heard. Advocacy is a powerful way to drive positive change in social care. Supporting p...

17/06/2024

Learning Disability Week starts today 🎉

This year’s theme is “Do you see me?”, which is about ensuring that people with learning disabilities are seen, heard, and valued.

This week is all about celebrating all of the important things that people with a learning disability bring to society, as well as breaking down barriers and raising awareness for the challenges that people with learning disabilities face.

The goal is to raise awareness and put the perspectives of people with a learning disability at the forefront, and getting involved can be as simple as having a chat and letting someone know what this week is about.

Mencap has provided further information here about how you can support : https://www.mencap.org.uk/learningdisabilityweek

Mencap have also created a fantastic Easy Read guide for this important week: https://www.mencap.org.uk/easyread/learning-disability-week-2024

Every year we celebrate Learning Disability Week.

12/06/2024

Today we’re hosting our first ever People’s Awards 🎉

Our goal at Iris Care Group is to support the individuals in our care to grow as people and live their best lives. We are proud of the many achievements the people we support have accomplished, and we created these awards to celebrate their many successes.

We are all looking forward to coming together today for a celebration of all of the amazing things the people we support have achieved across our services!

If you'd like to learn more about some of the incredible things the people we support have achieved, read our success stories: https://www.iriscaregroup.co.uk/success-stories/

10/06/2024

Please join us in wishing a huge congratulations to the Whispers Forum, who were Highly Commended at the Housing with Care Awards this week 🎉

The forum were Highly Commended in Tenant Co-production Award, which recognises exceptional efforts to pro-actively involve individuals in their housing and environments.

In 2023 our Supported Living team established the Whispers Forum, which is a self-advocacy initiative that supports improvements to our homes in collaboration with the people we support.

The forum works closely with our Quality team to ensure that we are making improvements that put the perspectives and needs of the people we support at the forefront.

We are incredibly proud of everything the forum has achieved since it was formed, and it is fantastic to see their amazing efforts recognised at these awards!

20/05/2024

At Southview, one of our Supported Living homes, the team have been working with the people they support to get the garden ready for Summer.

After doing a brilliant job cutting the grass with support from staff, this individual watered all of the new flowers that she’d planted earlier. The garden is looking fantastic, and everyone is excited to see it in full bloom in the Summer!

Learn more about our Supported Living homes: https://iriscaregroup.co/SupportedLiving

06/05/2024

It's our birthday! 🥳

19/04/2024

Our Recruitment Team are at Swindon Jobs Fair today🎉

Meet our team and learn more about the rewarding career opportunities we can offer you.

🕗 10:00 - 13:00
🗓️ 19th April 2024
📍 The County Ground, County Rd, Swindon, SN1 2ED

Learn more about Iris Care Group: https://ow.ly/7gbs50RePGy

Get tickets: https://ow.ly/m1aw50RePGx

The Swindon Jobs Fair is on Friday 19th April 2024 at the County Ground Stadium, 10am to 1pm.

18/04/2024

Meet our Recruitment Team at Swindon Jobs Fair this Friday 🎉

There's still time to get tickets for Swindon Jobs Fair this week! Our recruitment team will be there to tell you all about who we are, and answer all of your questions about working with Iris Care Group.

🕗 10:00 - 13:00
🗓️ 19th April 2024
📍 The County Ground, County Rd, Swindon, SN1 2ED

If you're unable to make it but would like to learn more about what we do, please visit: https://ow.ly/7gbs50RePGy

Get tickets: https://ow.ly/m1aw50RePGx

The Swindon Jobs Fair is on Friday 19th April 2024 at the County Ground Stadium, 10am to 1pm.

15/04/2024

Our Estates team have fitted a brand new kitchen at Painswick Road ⬇️

The new space has made a real difference to the home, and the people we support at Painswick were eager to try out their new kitchen!

Painswick Road offers supported living for learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health needs in Gloucester - learn more: https://ow.ly/N2sn50RfXFo

13/04/2024

At William Street Flats, the team had noticed that one of the people they support was spending lots of time watching videos of the Concorde airplane.

He explained that he had seen the plane more than 20 years ago at his old home and that he wished he could see it again, so the team immediately arranged a trip to Bristol to see the last Concorde!

He said it was 'unbelievable' getting to see the Concorde in all it's glory once again, and that he can't wait to go back. This was an incredibly thoughtful and special day planned by our amazing team at William Street Flats - great work!

12/04/2024

Save the date - our Recruitment Team are at Swindon Jobs Fair next week 🎉

The team will be able to answer all of your questions about the diverse range of roles we are recruiting for, and the exciting career opportunities that we can offer you. We can't wait to meet you!

🕗 10:00 - 13:00
🗓️ 19th April 2024
📍 The County Ground, County Rd, Swindon, SN1 2ED

If you're unable to make it but would like to learn more about what we do, please visit: https://ow.ly/7gbs50RePGy

Learn more about this event: https://ow.ly/m1aw50RePGx

Develop your career in care and healthcare. Iris Care Group offers great pay + excellent training and career opportunities.