17 September 2008
Pictured: South Wight Housing Association's Clare Dawkins with supported housing resident Matthew Draper on the giant swing at Little Canada (Isle of Wight) on Friday, 12 September, 2008.
Abseiling, archery, fencing, trampolining and riding on a giant swing were just some of the activities that 75 Isle of Wight residents and 50 staff enjoyed on Friday at South Wight Housing Association's (SWHA) Supported Housing Involvement Day held at the Little Canada Adventure Centre. It was a unique event where people -- aged between 16 and 86 -- joined together with people with learning disabilities, mental health problems and with staff to learn new adventure skills. Last Friday's event was the first of two annual events being held for SWHA residents.
Today SWHA will be holding its annual residents' conference at the Riverside Centre in Newport. The conference enables residents to have their say, raise issues, get involved and influence the services they receive from SWHA.
Margaret Wright, Executive Director of South Wight Housing Association, says: "the aim of the Involvement Day and our conference this week is to give residents and customers the opportunity to influence how we progress with improving and developing our care and support services, enabling them to reach their potential. Friday's event promoted independence and the activities they did were designed to build residents' confidence."
She added that residents got together, worked in teams, learned new skills and made new friends. "It has been a rewarding experience seeing people enjoying themselves and taking on the challenge of a new activity," she said.
Friday's event began with a presentation and there was a prize giving for a gardening competition as well as the launch of the brand-new Supported Residents' handbook.
SWHA provides supported care housing and community services, for more than 500 residents on the Isle of Wight.
SWHA support and care services comprise:
- Three sheltered schemes for young people;
- One housing scheme for young mothers and their babies;
- One homeless families' scheme;
- Ten sheltered housing schemes specifically for elderly people;
- One care home for the elderly;
- Four supported schemes for people with mental health issues;
- Six supported schemes for people with learning disabilities;
- One care home for people with learning disabilities;
- Community support service for people with mental health problems and older people living in their own homes;
- Outreach services for young people and teenage parents.
Margaret added that it was a team effort to make the event happen as South Wight Housing Association's Supported Housing staff held a series of events to raise money towards the cost of Friday's involvement day.
"South Wight Housing Association staff and residents held a strawberry tea, cake sales, a car-washing service, and a barbeque. Together they raised more than £500 for the event."
Matthew Draper said: "the jump was really good fun and exciting and Friday was a very enjoyable day."
Sixteen-year old Rachel Sneddon who lives at one of SWHA's young people's schemes said that she loved Friday.
"I thought it was great to meet other residents like the elderly and people with Downs Syndrome. It has made me really think about my future because I want to work with people and to know that I have changed their way of living. I live at Atkinson House and it's the only place that I've ever felt completely safe and supported and that makes me happy."
Jackie White who lives at Worsley Court in Wroxall said: "It was really interesting to come along today because I've met people from other housing schemes and I'm finding out what other people's experiences are of living in other housing schemes."
Cllr Dawn Cousins, the Cabinet Member for Health, Housing and Community Well Being from the Isle of Wight Council, came along on Friday and said:
"We very much enjoy working with the residents and staff of South Wight Housing Association and we are committed to working together to provide high-quality homes and to support those who are most vulnerable," she said.
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Notes for Editors
South Wight Housing Association Ltd owns and manages more than 3,000 properties on the Isle of Wight and it is also a major developer of affordable housing on the island. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southern Housing Group.
South Wight Housing Association is a Charitable Industrial and Provident Society No. 26341R.
Southern Housing Group is one of southern England’s largest housing associations. Founded over 100 years ago, we own and manage 24,000 homes for more than 66,000 residents, employing more than 900 people and working with more than 80 local authorities.
Our activities centre on four-key areas: the development of quality-affordable housing, housing and neighbourhood management, a range of rent and home ownership and social investment.