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Circles Network
    building inclusive communities




Circles Network                 Impact Report
Contents




                                                                                      Contents
                                                     Mission, Vision, Acknowledgements        2
                                                                 Word from the Chairman       3
                                                                       Word from the CEO      4
                                                                  Our Impact with Adults      5 - 14
                             Our Impact with Adults, Children, Young People and Families      15 - 17
                               Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families         18 - 24
                                                          Leadership and Empowerment          25 - 30
                                                      Independent Auditors - Statement        31 - 32
                                                         Statement of Financial Activities    33 - 34




Front and Back
Cover Design
Alan Blackaby
Alan is a very talented artist preferring
to use the medium of pencils and felt-tip
pens; he is right handed but does all
of his artwork left handed following a
number of strokes and illnesses.
He has an excellent eye for detail and
enjoys drawing precisely and to scale.




   1           We have taken the liberty to change some of the names in the stories to preserve confidentiality.
Mission, Vision, Acknowledgements



                                                                        Our Mission
Introduction                                           Circles Network exists to complement the efforts of
                                                       people at risk of exclusion to become the architects
The purpose of this report and the                     of their own lives by:
accompanying DVD is to provide you with an
up-to-date snapshot of the expanding work                 engaging in all aspects of community life
of Circles Network throughout the UK during
                                                          increasing confidence, respect and value
the fiscal year 2008 - 2009.
                                                          fostering a variety of interdependent
Our ambition is to create sustainable and
                                                          relationships
inclusive communities, where everyone
                                                          encouraging informed choice and
belongs, in this lifetime.
                                                          individual control
Never has there been a time more urgent for               improving personal well-being, safety
bringing together all generations, cultures               and happiness
and diverse people to deal with issues that
affect all communities. We hope to include                developing gifts and competencies
you in a circle somewhere, collaborating with             towards productive, fulfilling lives.
others for collective advantage, building a
better world for all.

We thank you for your interest and support
and look forward to your participation and
contribution to our mission and vision in the
                                                                   Our Vision is
coming years.
                                                      To create social inclusion, promote the spirit of
                                                      community and accomplish the acceptance of
                                                      difference.




Acknowledgements
We extend our gratitude and thanks :

Front and Back cover                - Alan Blackaby

Graphics and layout                 - Alex Reeves and Jonny Cumiskey

Writing and text                    - All staff and volunteers

Production and printing 2009        - Impress Print, Northants
                                                                                                      2
Word from the Chairman




About Circles
Network
Circles Network is a UK wide voluntary
organisation based in Warwickshire, renowned
for building inclusive communities on the
foundations of justice, advocacy, empowerment
and relationships. Working with people of any        The Chairman
age who are isolated or at risk of isolation, this
                                                     That wonderful man Rabbi Hugo Gryn, wrote
organisation has ground breaking expertise
                                                     in his book ‘Chasing Shadows’ :
in the development of Circles of Support,
independent and collective advocacy, person
centred planning and inclusion into the              “Time is short and the task is urgent.
mainstream of life. Working in highly creative,      Evil is real. So is good. There is a
entrepreneurial styles, we are dynamic and ever      choice. And we are not so much
more determined to dream, dare and do.               chosen as choosers.”

                                                     I am constantly inspired by the choices which
Board Members                                        the staff at Circles Network continue to make
and Trustees                                         in their search to build inclusive communities
                                                     – inclusive of all people. And in our world of
Oliver Russell - President                           change those of us in the Network remain
Eric Adams - Chair                                   steadfast in our determination to encourage
Andrew Cater - Co Vice - Chair                       both ourselves and those with whom we work
Andrea Whittaker - Co Vice - Chair                   to be choosers and to grow, in all senses of the
Jim Inglis - Treasurer                               phrase.
Sue Pringle - Trustee                                All at Circles Network, not least my committed
Tony Mc Teare - Trustee                              colleagues on the Board of Trustees, continue
Julie Allen - Trustee                                to uphold that vision and ethos which gave
Jill Mordaunt - Trustee                              birth to the organisation fifteen years ago and
James Mc Neile - Trustee                             I am honoured to be able to commend all of
Mandy Neville - Chief Executive Officer              them and their choices to you in this report.
Claire Lloyd - Financial Controller
Tony Kirk - Director of Learning and
 Development, Company Secretary
                                                     Eric Adams
                                                     Chairman
   3
Word from the CEO




Word from
the CEO
“Keep your eyes on the stars
and your feet on the ground”
                                                    Our main purpose is to provide support
We at Circles Network have certainly followed       that enables and empowers disabled and
the advice in Theodore Roosevelt’s quotation in     disadvantaged people of all ages to take control
recent times. This year demanded high resilience    of and improve on life chances. Over the last
against the first major national recession in our   fifteen years we have provided direct support to
history. We were forced to make cost efficiencies   individuals and their families and indirect support
and reduce provision whilst staying constant to     through offering learning and development
our purpose.                                        opportunities to a wide range of professional
                                                    supporters, carers, parents and friends through
We have emerged in a very strong position
                                                    our educational programmes and projects.
with a skilful and passionate team, ready and
able to take forward a new agenda for growth.
                                                    Our challenge is to have the courage to continue
Remaining positive throughout this period,
                                                    to break new ground and to pass on the tools
unleashing hope and possibility, indeed,
                                                    and the wisdom so that others may follow and
shooting for the stars, has driven us towards
                                                    contribute their particular blend of magic.
even greater goals.
                                                    We want to see a multidimensional sustainable
We have looked carefully at our strategic           constellation for all.
capacity to shape new frontiers for inclusion to
flourish. Those new frontiers we are concerned      I am ever grateful to our allies and supporters, to
with are both geographic, spreading our reach       our volunteers, colleagues and funders for the
more fully across the UK, and holistic, ensuring    energy, commitment and generosity that provides
we reach all dimensions where people struggle       the life blood of this organisation.
for acceptance and belonging.
                                                    Thank you
One of the new requirements of the Charity
Commission is that of demonstrating the public
benefit each charitable organisation provides.
This demand sharpens the thinking and led us
to evaluate our own contribution, in truth, it      Mandy Neville
is clear that every project we undertake adds       Chief Executive Officer
public benefit and we have described this in our
business plan and in the ensuing report.
                                                                                               4
                                                                                               3
Our Impact with Adults




Modernising                                              Making a Difference

Day Services                                             When Brian was put in touch with Circles Network
                                                         Community Day Services at Leamington through
                                                         the local Social Services department, he was settled
We are delighted to provide day services across          in his own flat with 24 hour support. The one thing
Warwickshire for disabled people living in and           Brian wanted was to have more opportunities to
around Atherstone in the North, and Leamington           get out into the community as he realised he was
in the South, of the County.                             spending too much time worrying alone. Brian is
                                                         now supported by the day service to go for regular
As we make progress with modernising                     pub lunches. He recently visited friends where he
these services, so we work more directly with            used to live, who were surprised and delighted to
people from the setting of their homes and               be back in touch. Brian likes to sing songs by The
neighbourhoods. The service has attracted people         Beatles and The Rolling Stones and enjoys giving
who have great talents and skills, resulting in the      the friends he has made from his involvement in
emergence of social enterprises in craft production      Leamington Day Services a reminder of his vocal
and in high quality exhibits of photography and          talents. He has expressed an interest in live music
arts and crafts, amongst other interesting activities.   and is beginning to venture out, with support, to
                                                         live concerts.


                                                         Liam’s Story
                                                         Liam is one of Circles Network’s shining stars! With
                                                         our support, through the Atherstone Community
                                                         Day Service, he has gone from success to success.
                                                         Liam was encouraged to start an IT course at
                                                         College, his resilience and hard work was rewarded
  Brian enjoying                                         in 2007 with not only a 95% pass for his final test
  new found suppo                                        but also an achievement award from Nuneaton and
                  r      t
                                                         Hinckley College for the Best Student Overcoming
                                                         Difficulties. Not satisfied with this Liam went on to
                                                         push himself further gaining new independence
                                                         by moving from the family home to establish
                                                         independent living and travelling without assistance.
                                                         Liam, who will openly tell you about his learning
                                                         barriers, is an exceptional individual who is now
                                                         putting something back by volunteering with New
                                                         Ideas at Rugby, Coventry and Warwick, helping
                                                         others with IT training and supporting the Day
                                                         Service ten pin bowling Circle. Liam no longer needs
                     Liam’s Success
     5                                                   the support of Community Day Service and has
                                                         relinquished his place as a person in need!
Our Impact with Adults




Matt’s Story
Matt Howard’s Circle of Support started with        One of the things that is important to Matt is to
the help of Circles Network five years ago.         share his personal story, which is what Matt has
Nadine Jay, his facilitator, was ceremoniously      now done many times as part of the Academy
‘dumped’ at a beer festival some four years         for Inspiring Inclusion.
ago when Matt and the Circle decided they
were strong enough and committed enough             Matt has over the past five years, presented to
to go it alone!                                     Government Ministers in London, been invited
                                                    to speak at a Circles of Support conference in
Matt requires 24 hour support to assist with        Dortmund, Germany, co-chaired a transition
personal and communication requirements.            conference and has presented at numerous
                                                    events and workshops.
His Circle supported him to move in to his own
house, to recruit his own personal assistants, to   Matt will be developing his career in training in
have an active social life and to be involved in    the very near future, by becoming a trainer on
the world of work.                                  our person centred planning course alongside his
                                                    brother Simon.

                                                    On a community level, another of Matt and
                                                    his Circle’s dreams is to organise a street party
                                                    outside his house in August 2010. The aim of this
                                                    is to enable Matt’s neighbours to come together
                                                    and to build community, with Matt organising
                                                    and making a hugely positive contribution to his
                                                    local area. Matt has a regular column in his local
                                                    neighbourhood magazine and as a result of this,
                                                    so many people stop him to say hello, it now
                                                    takes him a lot longer to go shopping, which
      Matt wit
      his Mum, h eann
               J
                                                    is great!
                      e
                                                    Inclusion achieved.
                                                                                                 6
Our Impact with Adults


Circles of Support
                                                       The project in Oxfordshire was originally
 Circles of Support are perhaps the area of work       accessible only to those people living with
 Circles Network is best known for. We initiate and    elderly parents or carers.
 develop thousands of Circles of Support across
 the UK and further afield.                            We have been delighted to be able to open
                                                       up the project to more people with learning
 Along with assisting people with training and
                                                       difficulties, made possible thanks to an extra
 learning to help them take the lead in developing
                                                       two years of funding from the Oxfordshire
 Circles, we also run small and large projects
                                                       Partnership Board.
 where we directly provide on-going support.
 These projects are currently based in North and
                                                       The increase in funding reflects the impact
 South Wales, West Sussex, East Sussex, Surrey,
                                                       the project has made to people’s lives in such
 Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and
                                                       a short space of time and allows us to cope
 Warwickshire. We have captured a few examples
                                                       with the additional demand on resources.
 in these pages.
                                                       It has also enabled Oxfordshire Circles of
                                                       Support to recruit our first full-time dedicated
                                                       facilitator as well as a part-time manager.
  Circles of Support                                   The role of the Circles facilitator is greatly
                                                       valued by individuals, family and the
  in Oxfordshire                                       multidisciplinary teams. The facilitator is the
                                                       person who can co-ordinate the professionals
  The Circles of Support project in Oxfordshire        involved in the individual’s life to ensure that
  currently supports 19 Circles with the help of       the focus person gets the most out of the
  92 volunteers and additional family members.         services that are offered to them. Five of the
  These volunteers have been invited to                original 19 Circles now run independently.
  participate in a Circle of Support, and give their   This means that a natural unpaid facilitator
  own time to support the focus person to plan         has emerged from within the groups. This
  and meet their goals and dreams.                     is the eventual aim for all of the Circles so
                                                       that they can continue to support people
  “Most people who have a Circle of                    regardless of funding.
  Support say that, from the day that it
  is up and running their lives become so              Not only has the project been able to support
  much bigger”.                                        people by facilitating their Circles of Support,
                                                       but also by taking on the role of advocacy,
  People suddenly realise that they have a             and by supporting individuals to develop
  group of friends that have genuine interest in       and implement person centred plans. We
  supporting them to actualise their aspirations.      have provided people with opportunities
                                                       to meet others, to expand their networks of
                                                       relationships and to practise skills such as

    7
                                                       public speaking and assertiveness; which
                                                       they can use in other areas of their lives.
Our Impact with Adults




Ellie’s                                             It is a great way for people who have learning
                                                    differences to get in touch with other people.
New Venture
                                                    The web forum is open to all people who live in
One of the Circles of Support identified that       Oxfordshire. This is a real success for the Circle
Ellie, the focus person of their Circle, was        and also for the people of Oxfordshire.
interested in finding people who may want to
house share. However, she didn’t know anyone        Through the web forum, Ellie has met with other
else who may be interested or how she might         people who share the same desires as her.
meet other people. So Ellie, with the help of her
Circle, decided she needed to develop a way of      She is now living in a shared house
meeting other people. Ellie and her sister are      that has been totally set up by Ellie
really into computers, and decided that a web       and her Circle.
forum would be the best way.
                                                    They have chosen and purchased the house, had
                                                    building work done, interviewed and appointed
So with the help of her Circle members, she has
                                                    staff, agreed on two other house mates,
developed a website called ‘Bridging the Gap’.
                                                    and moved in.




                                                                                          enture
                                                                         Ellie’s New V




                                                                                               8
Our Impact with Adults



It Takes a Little Time
Circles Network first met Richard eighteen months
ago and in that time his life has been transformed
from a story of isolation and loneliness into one of
inspiration and joy.

When Circles Network were first introduced
                                                        This led to Richard making the most out of gym
to Richard he made it very clear that he hated
                                                        sessions and the beginning of some sustainable
meetings, reviews and social workers. He refused
                                                        relationships with people he met there. His spirits
to comment when asked about how his life was
                                                        had lifted hugely by now and he took Steve on for
going, preferring to let Brenda, his supportive
                                                        three days a week to pursue a range of interests. He
mum, do the talking.
                                                        started to show a distinct liking for the outdoor life,
Richard spent most nights playing on his                he took up horse riding and gardening and enjoyed
PlayStation and then all day in bed. Brenda             getting out to local farms and places of interest.
described her son’s situation as “stagnant and          Now he had the hang of Direct Payments, Richard
having no life”. Brenda was worried that Richard        and the small Circle of Support he had developed
would never find a way to move on as he would           around him by then, decided to give up his place at
not engage with anyone. Previously he had               a local respite care facility and take on another
enjoyed a job at a pub for two hours a week             personal assistant to support him at weekends at
through a local supported employment scheme             the family’s caravan in Skegness.
but unfortunately the placement had broken
down.                                                   Employment came next and through a connection
                                                        of Caroline’s, Richard gained a trial placement
When asked if Richard was interested in a Circle of     with the Estate Manager of a nearby stately home
Support he said yes, but that he definitely did not     for a groundsman position. Through his own
want anyone in it!                                      determination, he showed how capable and strong
A relationship had to be built with Richard and         he is and is now working there officially for two
Circles Network facilitator Caroline Garner felt the    days a week. He even has his own set of keys to the
ideal opportunity, given his interest in modern         tractor he operates.
music, was through a night club project that she
was involved with. “I helped Richard get his name       Brenda is overjoyed and is the first to acknowledge
down for the six week DJ workshop. Richard made         Richard’s new found confidence and conversational
some friends at the workshop and on the last            skills. His dad is also incredibly proud of Richard’s
journey home he said to me, ‘I want to do what          success and both parents agree that,
Paul does and go to the gym’.”                          “this has been the making of him and them”.

To help this become a reality, Caroline supported       “Richard has made Wednesdays and
Richard to access Direct Payments and gain the          Thursdays the best days of the week
support of a personal assistant and, after a small      because we all look forward to
              battle, Richard was able to hire Steve.   working with him”.
     9                                                  Work Colleague
Our Impact with Adults



Barry's Story
Barry decided that he would like to go on holiday,
but didn’t know how to organise it, with the
support of his Circle, he found that it was easy.
Typically he would spend one week of the year
with his family near a British beach. However, this
year he wanted to do something different.
                                                                           out with
                                                          Ma tty, on a day oodstock
                                                                         W
A few months earlier he had decided that he               his friends at
wanted to find someone to go out with at the              museum.
weekends. He tried various friendship schemes,
and eventually decided to advertise, and employ
someone. He was fortunate enough to meet
someone who he actually became good friends
with and even after the money ran out, they
continued to spend much of the weekend
together.
                                                                       Preparing for a
Barry decided that Jed is a really good friend and                     meeting.        circles
someone that he would like to go on holiday with.
Barry plucked up the courage to ask if Jed would
go to Spain with him and his parents, who would       Ricky and Matty
be staying in separate resorts, but in the same
area. Jed was delighted, and said that it was an      In August Ricky and Matty, who both have their
honour to be asked. The holiday went ahead as         own Circles of Support, planned a day out. They
planned, and everyone had a great time! Barry         are both really keen on dinosaurs, and found
said that he never dreamed that he would be able      out about an exhibition that was happening in
to go abroad.                                         Woodstock. They had originally met through
                                                      one of Matty’s Circle members Greg who worked
                                                      with Matty, and lives next door to Ricky and his
                                                      family. When Greg realised that both Matty and
                                                      Ricky were fascinated by dinosaurs, he suggested
                                                      that they might like to meet, and invited them
                                                      both over for a summer bar-b-que, along with
                                                      many of his friends. The three planned their trip
                                                      to Woodstock, and had a wonderful time. The
                                                      sun was shinning and they really enjoyed the
                                                      exhibition, and are now organising a trip to the
                                                      Natural History Museum in London.


                                                                                           10
Our Impact with Adults



West Sussex Circles
The Circles Project in West Sussex has been our
longest running, spanning more than nine years
with support from West Sussex County Council.
In this area alone there are more than a thousand
volunteers who belong to a Circle of Support.
Some of these volunteers also support Circles        Saturday Circles
Network at community events, raising our profile     This Summer volunteers and people from the
and that of the concept and practice of inclusion    Saturday Circles performed at the Lion’s Fare. The
and equality for all. One group of volunteers run    show had songs from Mamma Mia, and Grease and
a regular stall in the main shopping centre in       was very well received. After the event the group
Burgess Hill, talking to shoppers and introducing    were approached to appear at two other events
conversations that matter towards building           in the area. Parents said they had never seen their
inclusive communities in that particular locality.   young people so confident and couldn't believe
In this last year we have increased our provision    that they sang in front of such a big crowd.
for the sons and daughters of older parents who
live at home, prioritising Circles of Support and
increasing natural networks.
                                                     The Young People’s Group
                                                     The Saturday Circles’ young people’s group raised
Social Opportunities                                 money at the Lion’s Fare through a sponsored
and Saturday Circles                                 sports event and a stall. The group decided to
                                                     use the money for a trip to Chessington World of
Saturday Circles emerged to provide for a            Adventure.
growing need expressed by people who found
themselves isolated at weekends. In the South        The Circle hired a large fully accessible coach for
East of England we have worked with 43 people,       the journey and organised for a separate car as one
supporting them to take a lead in deciding what      of the mothers was concerned that her daughter,
activities the three separate projects would take.   Amy, was too frightened to use the coach.

Involvement in such decisions led to greater         On the morning of the outing Amy was given
confidence and leadership experience. This in        the choice of travelling on the coach and time
turn encouraged four young people to take up         was taken to gently help her on board. Amy then
employment in this work and another two to           decided she really didn’t want to use the coach, to
become volunteers.                                   her mother’s relief, she did agree to travel in the car.

These new groups are gaining interest nationally     Her mother admitted that this trip had meant a
and we have plans to set up further Saturday         lot to Amy and to her and her husband, as it gave
Circles projects in two areas of Warwickshire.       them a chance to spend the day together. She was
                                                     also impressed by the positive adaptable attitude
                                                     towards her daughter and her needs by the

   11                                                volunteers and young people in the Saturday Circle.
Our Impact with Adults


Advocacy                                           What does Circles Network
Our advocacy projects include those                provide through our
commissioned to provide Circles of Support,        advocacy services?
Patient’s Councils and groups of people using
services as a form of collective advocacy.         Circles Network have been providing advocacy
                                                   with disabled and disadvantaged people in a
We also provide professional advocacy for:         variety of ways since our inception. The aims of
people with dementia or enduring mental ill        our endeavours are to ensure that we are:
health, people with eating disorders, people
with learning difficulties and people supported      Safeguarding people who are vulnerable and
in forensic settings.                                discriminated against, or who services find
                                                     difficult to serve.
In this year we have supported over 1000 people
individually and hundreds of collective advocacy     Empowering people who need a stronger
groups. In Scotland we have projects in Glasgow,     voice, by enabling them to express their own
Edinburgh and more recently in Fife.                 needs and make their own decisions.

                                                     Enabling people to gain access to information,
                                                     to explore and understand their options, and
                                                     to make their views and wishes known.

                                                     Speaking on behalf of people who are
                                                     unable to do so for themselves.




   We are the Cha
                  mp        ions




                                                         It’s cool to belon
                                                                             g

           Enjoying the open air life
                                                                                             12
Our Impact with Adults




  How Advocacy helped                                  Modelling Advocacy
  in George’s Life                                     Suzanna was brought into hospital against
                                                       her wishes; she was frightened, insecure and
  George had lived in Dundee for most of his life      anxious about being in a psychiatric hospital.
  and had moved to Edinburgh to take up an             Through contact and interaction with an
  amazing new job. Sadly, he found himself ‘let        advocate she was able to find out what her
  go’ after a few short years, coinciding with his     rights were regarding her treatment. She
  diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.                            hadn’t realised that she had rights when she
                                                       was initially brought into hospital. As a result
  George told Janine, our advocate, that he            of this she began to feel less threatened as
  felt he belonged in Dundee. He had been              she was able to see how her treatment was
  apprehended a number of times by police as           progressing and to exercise choice about what
  he tried desperately, despite his confusion, to      was happening to her.
  return there.
                                                        Suzanna’s stress levels began to decrease as
  Edinburgh was simply not the place of his birth,     a result of her interactions with her advocate,
  besides, his sister, who still lived in Dundee,      and she began to feel more supported on her
  was far more likely to spend time with him if        journey. She grew in confidence, learned to
  only he could get back there. Instead he found       organise her thinking and was able to highlight
  himself stuck on a hospital ward, unable to be       points and questions she wanted to raise with
  supported at home because of his travelling          staff. She also received quality information
  adventures. Each time he left and got a coach        regarding her medication.
  or train he found himself back in a hospital he
  didn’t want to be in.

  Janine set to work exploring avenues with the
  nursing staff, the social services departments
  for both cities and the mental health officer, all
  at George’s request.

  The transfer seemed to take forever, mainly
  because people were afraid for George’s safety.
  However, the plan eventually came to fruition
  and George was able to move to a home where
  he could be supported. His closeness with his
  sister had been rekindled and he is particularly
  happy that he can see more of his nephews and
  nieces and their young families.



  13
  11
Our Impact with Adults



In this case the advocate played a                Changing the Outcomes:
bridge-building role between Suzanna and
the medical staff, modelling the concept          come
of advocacy and, in effect, teaching her to       Ali was brought into hospital on a short term
advocate for herself. Ben, the advocate, was      detention order. He had not slept for weeks
able to demonstrate to Suzanna that she could     and told the clinical team that the noises from a
get involved in decisions regarding her care      nearby twenty-four hour parcel depot kept him
and treatment, and that she could express her     awake. As a consequence of this he began to
own opinions.                                     suffer from sleep deprivation and racing thoughts,
                                                  culminating in nervous exhaustion.
                                                  Nobody went to his accommodation to verify
                                                  this, and the hospital gave him a diagnosis of
                                                  schizophrenia. When he accessed Circles Network
                                                  Advocacy he was adamant that he was just tired,
                                                  and not delusional in any way.

                                                  The advocate put his views forward at ward
                                                  rounds as he was too upset and angry to attend.
                                                  We claimed on his behalf that he needed rest,
                                                  or to change his accommodation, rather than
                                                  hospitalisation. Ali was given medication, against
                                                  his wishes, and despite his insistence that he
                                                  didn’t need it.

                                                  This situation continued until his Mental Health
Eventually, Suzanna told her advocate that        Officer went to visit Ali’s home and returned in full
she felt able to attend meetings and represent    agreement with him and that the premises were
herself in the hospital. She was grateful for     incredibly noisy.
the assistance she had received and said that
it had been better for her to be involved at      Ali was relieved that other professionals finally
the start of her treatment rather than remain     accepted what he was saying, he was grateful that
uninvolved and powerless.                         his advocate had believed him from the start. His,
                                                  consistently-stated, views had been accepted by
                                                  the advocate alone when no one else would listen
International Interest                            to him.
Circles Network has gained widespread
interest nationally and internationally for our   As a result, his section was withdrawn, he
work. We welcomed visitors this year from         was made an informal patient and the local
Australia, from Bangladesh, from India and        Social Services department helped him to find
from Europe.                                      alternative accommodation.


                                                                                              14
Our Impact with Adults, Children and Young People and Families




 Dream
 Dare Do
 Circles Network have launched a new and
 exciting way of supporting people who want an
 alternative to conventional support services.

 3D Community Support: Dream Dare Do!
                                                   3D Community Support:
 Circles Network have been involved in driving     Dream Dare Do:
 the creation and implementation of a new
                                                   3D provides flexible and highly individual
 system of social care, in which people will
                                                   support to help people create and implement a
 control their own support, their own money
                                                   tailored Support Plan that works for them.
 and their lives as valued citizens.
 This system is called Self-Directed Support.      Our support includes:

                                                      Person Centred Planning and Life Coaching
 “First and foremost, Self-Directed
 Support is about people having                       Building a Circle of Support
 control over their lives. To have
                                                      Developing social networks and local
 that overall control, people need
                                                      community opportunities
 more control over their money and
 support.”                                            Empowerment to Employment training
                          In Control (June 2008)      Support to access community based services
                                                      and facilities
 3D Community Support: Dream Dare Do
 has been designed specifically to empower            Developing life and relationship skills to
 individuals and families to understand what          increase interdependence
 they are entitled to and how to take as much
 control as they want!                                Support with advocacy

                                                   The move to personalised individual budgets
                                                   is a great opportunity to promote the values of
                                                   inclusion that guide our work, for individuals to
                                                   take control of their lives and for local authorities
                                                   to streamline their services and be at the cutting
                                                   edge of building sustainable communities.

                                                   We want to hear from local authorities and trusts
                                                   that are keen to explore how we can create
                                                   partnerships to offer people wider choices of
                                                   support and from people who are looking to

    15                                             take more control of their own life.
Our Impact with Adults, Children and Young People and Families



Circles Network’s experience of creative and
flexible person centred thinking and working in         Joe’s
partnership with individuals, families, services
and local authorities mean we are ideally placed
                                                        Dream Dare Do Story
to provide personalised support.                        Joe is a young man who, through the Dream
                                                        Dare Do programme, the encouragement of his
Our experience is vast, working in
                                                        Circle of Support, and a lot of personal courage,
neighbourhoods across the UK and with people
                                                        has managed to go from living in a hostel to
of all ages and challenges.
                                                        employing his own personal assistants and living
Using Dream Dare Do! We are changing lives.             in his own flat, which he rents privately.
In the South East, Circles Network worked with
                                                        From the first meeting things changed for Joe
Brighton and Hove Social Services Department
                                                        when he asked “would people be able to have a
as part of their self directed support pilot project.
                                                        cup of tea with me when we are out?”
Through the 3D Community Support: Dream
                                                        The previous agency staff had said they were
Dare Do project we supported eight young
                                                        not allowed to have a drink with him when they
people to move out of their family home,
                                                        were out shopping. He was delighted when he
creating imaginative support plans with
                                                        heard the answer was “Yes! You are the boss!”.
individuals and their families that focused on
the outcomes they really desired.                       Joe now has three different people in his
                                                        staff team. With the help of his mum he has
A family in Essex funded Circles Network to
                                                        employed someone to support him with
develop a Circle of Support in the classroom
                                                        cooking, budgeting and housework. He has also
for a young boy who wanted to maximise his
                                                        employed a young man the same age as him
opportunities for social interaction and to gain
                                                        to meet up with friends and socialise and has
support from his peers. The project was highly
                                                        another person to help him learn the bus and
inspirational and our Dream Dare Do tools led
                                                        train routes he wants to use. Joe chose people
to some wonderful outcomes and experiences
                                                        who shared his enthusiasm for his dream to be a
for the young boy.
                                                        self-employed artist.
This work is now informing the development
                                                        Recently Joe held an exhibition of his paintings,
of our Transition Matters training and learning
                                                        pottery and photography. His team of personal
materials.
                                                        assistants helped him to get ready for the
                                                        exhibition and his Circle helped him to invite
                                                        people.

                                                        The exhibition was a great success, everything
                                                        was sold and he received commissions. He also
                                                        made links with local artists who invited
                                                        him to exhibit his work with them.




                                                                                                 16
Our Impact with Adults, Children and Young People and Families




                                                           Person centred planning tools are alive and
   Person Centred                                          active, always ensuring the focus person is
                                                           central and in control. They are flexible, setting
   Planning                                                no limits to the person’s wants, needs and
                                                           dreams for their life.

   ‘The Circle is hard to describe;                        In person centred planning the process, as well
   it’s too simple’ Regina DeMarasse                       as the product, is owned and controlled by the
                                                           person and sometimes their closest family and
   Person centred planning is at the heart of              friends. There are no prescribed forms, tick boxes
   all Circles Network work, we use it to inspire          or checklists, which means the resulting plan
   change, drive innovation and continually                of support is totally individual. The plan creates
   challenge and work to improve service                   a comprehensive portrait of who the person is
   provision.                                              and what they want to do with their life. It brings
                                                           together all of the people who are important to
   Person Centred Planning is a process of life
                                                           the person including family, friends, neighbours,
   planning for individuals, based around the
                                                           support workers and professionals involved in
   principles of inclusion and the social model of
                                                           their lives.
   disability. It is a process that is now gaining rapid
   acceptance and is replacing more traditional            Derived from the early work in building Circles
   styles of assessment and planning based on a            of Support, Circles Network aim to make
   medical approach to people’s needs.                     these tools available to everyone through
                                                           publications, training and support.


 Making Planning Work
 Tim’s Circle has worked hard to put his person centred
 plan together and his Circle have met over tea and
 cakes, selecting photos of family and friends and
 working on the things he would like to do in the
 future. The Circle want to work towards supporting
 Tim to realise his true potential away from being at a
 day centre and to use self directed support to achieve
 the things he wanted to do. The Circle of Support
 has helped change his life course and has meant that                        t
                                                               Learning abou
 Tim was able to talk to his Circle about his father’s                       d planning
                                                               person centre
 recent death. Tim now has personal assistants who
 he employs with the support of his Circle and has
 stopped going to the day centre.
                                                                                  Inspiring
                                                                                               Ideas
    17
Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families




Working
with Children
The earlier we can introduce the range of tools
and techniques applied by Circles Network, the
more dramatic the life shifting opportunities
for inclusion become. For this reason work with
children, young people and families is targeted
to expand dramatically over the next three years.
                                                    Children's Advocacy
Across the UK, wherever funding is available, we    Growing trust and word of mouth amongst
are providing the following projects:               young people have led to a steady increase in
                                                    requests for support and it would appear that
  Circles of Support                                service providers are becoming increasingly
  Family Empowerment – supporting disabled          aware of the benefits of advocacy involvement
  parents and parents of disabled children          for those young people who are considered very
  Friendship and Relationship Building – LG2        isolated and marginalised. With the permission
  (Let’s Get Together)                              of young people, advocates have been able to
  Peer Mentorship                                   channel privileged information to the relevant
  Person Centred Planning                           professionals securing both short and long
  Saturday Circles                                  term benefits for the young person. Working
  Steering to Success – The Nurtured Heart          with young people can be politically very
  Approach                                          sensitive and challenging, requiring great levels
  Taking the Reins – Equine Facilitated Learning    of tact and diplomacy in order to keep lines of
  Transition Matters – CREDO                        communication open. The skills employed by our
                                                    advocates are evident as this area of work grows
Independent Advocacy                                in capacity and in its positive reputation.

for Children and Young
People
As we have threaded advocacy into children
and young people’s services there have been
challenges. But also amazing experiences of
growing relationships built on trust shared
directly from young people. Some of those
experiences relate to the transition between
children’s and adult services and have allowed
us to develop recommendations which embed
the provision of advocacy for young people at
this time.                                                                                  18
                                                                                            16
Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families




  Taking
  the Reins
  Inclusion, relationship building,
  skills based learning, sustainability…
  this project has it all in abundance!

  Circles Network’s approach to innovation shines
  out through the eyes of over 160 children who
  benefitted from their involvement with ponies          The children and young people learn how to safely
  and horses this year. Equine Facilitated Learning,     approach a horse, have an introduction into how
  still unique in the UK, aims to improve the lives of   to communicate with such a powerful, majestic
  children through a fusion of fun, education and        animal and achieve positive outcomes through
  therapy. Taking the Reins is an extraordinarily        a two way trusting partnership. This enables
  happy place to be and in the words of children         participants to gain further understanding and
  who attend can be described as “heaven”, “my           awareness of how their own behaviour, posture,
  special safe place” and “the place I always want       movement, energy, stance and voice are
  to be”. The “place” of course is in the hearts         important aspects of communication between
  and minds of those children as, although the           human and horse. This learning soon becomes
  horses are based in Warwickshire, they do travel       intrinsic and works well in all kinds of relationships.
  to various locations so that the experience of
  bonding with beautiful, intelligent and loving         The journey continues with choosing mutual
  equines can be shared widely.                          respect through grooming, leading, lunging and
                                                         many more activities including loose schooling
  Participants range in age from two to eighteen.        with the horse in a round pen and learning to take
  We particularly welcome disabled and                   leadership with their chosen horse.
  disadvantaged children and young people and
  have just begun a separate project with adults.        All of these sessions are designed to build
                                                         foundations for strong, positive relationships,
  Many of the children involved have been through        allowing children to grow in confidence and
  loss and other experiences of early childhood          self-esteem. The achievements of all
  trauma and there are evident benefits of working       participants are highly recognised and
  “hands on” with horses who enjoy all the cuddles       celebrated throughout the courses. For many
  they can get. The care and welfare of the herd         children Equine Facilitated Learning is very
  is a big feature of this project and conversations     empowering as they may feel they have little
  about safety, nutrition, exercise, relaxation and      control over their lives. The informal and
  happiness abound.                                      inclusive environment provided encourages
                                                         children to be expressive, confident, passionate
                                                         and most of all happy. This unique experience

     19
                                                         is both lasting and valuable.
Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families




                                           Creative thinkin
                                                                     g


                                                                                                ilding
                                                                            Friendship bu
Making a difference...
Carla is a young woman with a severe form of            Having worked on her personal development she
epilepsy and she approached Circles Network             learned how to be more assertive and confident
wanting to volunteer. As she has never entered          with the horses showing a really caring nature
employment her goal was to find some part-time          and thorough attitude towards her goals. She
work involving working with animals.                    established an excellent journal folder recording
                                                        her feelings and emotions and has now achieved
She was nervous and shy about approaching               her goal to become a volunteer.
people and had spent many years unable to
explore her gifts and skills.                           Carla has also begun to make friends with other
                                                        young people with whom she can go out socially
Carla’s lack of communication with her peers            and has been to live pop concerts in London and
had affected her self-esteem and social life as         Birmingham, staying away overnight.
she didn’t have close friends.She felt that simple
elements like meeting new people, speaking on
the phone and exploring new avenues in her life
were too difficult.

Carla’s life has changed dramatically after enrolling
on the Equine Facilitated Learning project and
completing a ten week course with a trained
facilitator.




                                                                                                 20
                                                                                                 16
                                                                                                 12
Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families




                                                     One student commented;
 Peer                                                “School never asks about personal stuff, they just
                                                     want to know I can do the work”
 Mentorship                                           He began to recognise what he is good at and
                                                      seemed proud that the group were interested.
 Our peer mentorship work brought together            This student believed that his achievements were
 students from mainstream and special schools in only meaningful if they were of academic value;
 Cambridgeshire. The project took place weekly        we believe that the peer mentorship project has
 during curriculum time with the aim of developing challenged this belief.
 real friendships, planning for positive futures,
 creating person centred portfolios and supporting Another student shared; “I used to be scared of the
 peers in reviews. The project had an underlying      students from the college, because one person
 essence of exposing young people with learning called me a loser. I now have friends at college and
 difficulties to the ‘ordinariness’ of growing up and love that they wave at me when we go over for
 being a teenager in today’s world.                   woodwork”.

 This project not only helped students to gain       The work was also valued by teaching staff, a class
 confidence it also offered a better understanding   teacher from Highfield School in Ely felt that it
 of communication and learning styles that may       was…
 be used by their peers or themselves. This has
 been beneficial in building new friendships and     “absolutely invaluable to the running
 in ensuring that ALL young people have the          of our person centred annual reviews
 possibility to achieve, feel that they belong,      for Year 9 students. Our Year 9 students
 and experience being truly valued.                  have enjoyed, developed and matured
                                                     as a consequence of the project”.
 Without doubt, a distinct outcome was that all
 students benefitted by spending time together
 and sharing their experiences, thoughts and
           aspirations.



  21
Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families




Family                                            Having up to date knowledge and references can
                                                  be powerful additions to the armoury necessary
Empowerment                                       to get the best available opportunities in place
                                                  for a disabled and disadvantaged child.
There are two different distinct strands to
our family empowerment work; the first            In support of disabled parents we have
one, supporting parents, foster parents and       developed specific projects across the UK.
carers to support disabled and disadvantaged       In response to demand we offer the following:
children and the second strand, supporting
disabled parents and carers to support their      Direct support for parents going through the
families.                                         court system, fighting to maintain their rights to
                                                  parent, we provide assessments, viability reports
In supporting parents and carers of disabled      and reviews.
children, we often become involved in
setting up Circles of Support in the school,      Direct support for parents going through the
home or neighbourhood. We also provide            family court system in the home, preventing
assistance in compiling person centred plans      situations of crisis and coaching in parenting
or school transition reviews, involving the       skills.
whole family as appropriate. We are keen
to share knowledge about the many other           Developing Sustainability Circles of Support to
organisations available to offer assistance and   further opportunities for parents to be included
can help parents find a path through the maze     in their local communities.
of different providers to get the best outcomes
for their needs.

In some areas we have set up support or
study groups, we also have an exciting
programme for parents and carers of children
who challenge, known as the Nurtured Heart
Approach.




 Rio’s master piece                                                                          22
Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families

  Families Forward
  Our Family Empowerment Project in West Sussex,
                                                          Motherhood
  supported eight families with disabled parents          Maria gave us a resounding testimony in her
  who have attended family court hearings. This           own words following the successful outcome
  project recently produced a Parents Charter and         of a twelve week parenting assessment.
  a list of recommendations for changes that could
  be made in public services. Five of the families        “When I started working with Circles
  involved now have ongoing Circles of Support.           Network I had no confidence, I was on
  Family Empowerment Wales, is funded directly
                                                          antidepressants and just kept thinking
  through the Welsh Assembly has enabled fifteen
                                                          I was going to lose my son. I would
  families to receive the support they required to
                                                          agree to anything Social Services said,
  improve their parenting skills. All of those families
                                                          I was not allowed to be with my son
  had experienced the painful trauma of separation
                                                          on my own.
  from their children and are now at least back
  in regular touch and in some cases completely
                                                          Circles helped me to learn how to
  reunited.
                                                          cook, gave me more confidence in
                                                          myself and gave me more ideas about
                                                          what to do with my son at different
  Steering to Success                                     ages. The people from Circles Network
                                                          were there to listen and they were
  Funded by the Dulverton Trust, this innovative          really good. They would be really
  project was the first of its kind to bring learning     fantastic for other people too.
  about the Nurtured Heart approach to parents in
  the UK. More about the approach can be found            Now I have lots of confidence, I stand
  in our section about the work of the Academy for        up for myself in meetings and not
  Inspiring Inclusion.                                    behave like a mouse. I now have my
  Parents of children who challenge are typically         own house and live with my son on my
  given very few alternatives to medication as a          own and I can do everything and go
  solution. Already overwrought and tired this            anywhere”.
  option is often taken up in desperation. By
  providing the techniques of the Nurtured Heart
  approach, many of the parents involved in Steering
  to Success found that their children’s behaviour
  improved rapidly, making a difference to the whole
  family.
  The project has designed specific teaching aids
  in the form of a box set of cards and a set of
  recommended books and these are available
  to help parents and practitioners.



     23
Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families


                                                        Angela, a Circles Network Coordinator, met the couple
Andrea                                                  and worked with the family over a number of weeks.
and Thomas’ Story                                       She was invited by the couple to attend court, core
                                                        meetings and a case conference, as well as visiting
Andrea and Thomas are in their 40s, and have a          their home a number of times.
young child in early primary education. They are
a lovely family and their child is the focus of their   Supporting Andrea and Thomas to put together their
life. All Andrea wanted, was to be a mother and         own person centred plan, Angela helped the couple
enjoy parenting. Thomas from the start loved            begin to take control. Both Andrea and Thomas felt
being a father and was the main carer for their         that they had never had their strengths and skills
child in the early months, looking after Andrea         acknowledged until they had a plan. They now use
and the baby.                                           their person centred plan at all core meetings.

The couple felt the early months were “the best         “We have never had such positive things
time of our lives”. When their child was one,           said about our family; it has given us the
Andrea felt she needed some support, as she was         confidence to continue to do the best for
finding some parenting issues difficult. Their GP       our child.”
referred her to Social Services, with the idea that
they had the resources to help the family.              Circles Network’s
                                                        Parent’s Charter
Over the next four years 13 social workers
worked with the family, each doing their own            At the core of all our work with parents are our
assessment and focusing on Andrea’s learning            guiding principles:
difficulty rather than providing the help they
needed.                                                   All parents should be listened to.

Andrea and Thomas attended parenting                      All parents should be respected and valued.
classes, but found them to be unhelpful and
confusing. Andrea said she would have found               All parents should be involved in planning for
one-to-one home parenting visits more help,               their children.
as she would remember more and feel more
comfortable about asking questions. A home                All parents should feel welcomed by services
visit was arranged from a support worker with             that support them.
this in mind, but it again seemed more like an
assessment.                                               All parents should be able to have support to
                                                          be good parents.
This was very distressing to the family as a whole,
making parenting even more of a challenge.                All parents should have the support they need
Andrea, as a result, suffered from depression             if they are going through family courts.
and was prescribed antidepressants. The family
after four years were left intimidated, powerless,      These principles came from our Families
confused and exhausted.                                 Forward project; they were put together
                                                        by the parents involved in the project.
                                                                                                     24
Leadership and Empowerment




Academy
for Inspiring:
                                                   New to The Academy
Inclusion
                                                         The Nurtured Heart Approach to
                                                   New
The Academy for Inspiring Inclusion has been             Challenging Behaviour (ADHD)
established to drive the value of inclusion
through all our training and learning delivery     The Nurtured Heart Approach is a revolutionary
work and to help us share our experiences and      new way of reducing challenging behaviours
expertise.                                         such as ADHD and is widely practised
                                                   throughout the United States.
Circles Network has developed many highly
effective methods and inspirational techniques     The approach steers away from managing
through the support they have given individuals.   behaviour and prescribing medication and
We are now keen to ensure that we share these      focuses on a positive approach to channel
resources, tools and techniques with other         people’s energy into more creative pursuits.
professionals. We have many new and exciting
developments underway as well as plans to          Circles Network are proud to have some of
develop our current suite of courses into          the country’s few trained practitioners on the
highly accessible self study packs to improve      Academy’s training team and would encourage
accessibility.                                     anyone that would like to learn these skills to
                                                   get in touch.
The Academy’s portfolio includes:
                                                   New   Majestic Achievement
  Inclusion Matters
  Circles of Support                               Circles Network developed a new training
  Person Centred Planning and Life Building        course in 2009 aimed at personal development
  Transition Matters – CREDO                       and positive business solutions at management
  Friendship and Relationship Building             level.
  Disability Equality Training
                                                   Managers from all walks of life were invited to
  Equine Facilitated Learning
                                                   develop skills and strategies through equine
  Partners in Policymaking
                                                   facilitation that will help them to reflect on
  Peer Mentorship
                                                   and refine their own strategies and talents as
  Measuring Up
                                                   managers of people.
The Academy also specialises in providing
training in self-directed support for both         Delivered by Mandy Neville and Emma
professional practitioners and for people          Knowles, who are both experienced in high
wanting to direct their own support.               level management and have an extensive
                                                   equine knowledge. The course is being
                                                   described as offering a genuine wow factor

   25                                              and will be offered again in 2010.
Leadership and Empowerment




Independent
Advocacy
Advocacy is one of the foundations upon which
Circles Network was founded along with justice,
empowerment and relationships.

Perhaps because, until recently, we have been
best acknowledged for the development of
relationships through Circles of Support, the
advocacy element of our work has gone largely
unnoticed. However, our reputation in this field
has grown steadily since we were contracted to      Now we are confident that we have a wealth of
provide independent advocacy in Glasgow as          practical experience and knowledge which we
long ago as 2001.                                   could share for the benefit of other advocates
                                                    and ultimately for the benefit of those who
Since then we have continued to grow and            need advocacy.
develop our advocacy skills alongside people
with mental health challenges in Glasgow,           Through the Academy for Inspiring Inclusion
Edinburgh and now also in Fife.                     we will soon be launching a range of learning
                                                    opportunities related to advocacy and which
The introduction of mental health legislation       consider the social, technical, legal and policy
which enshrines the individual’s right to           requirements of the role.
advocacy has seen massive growth in the area
of provision and there is clearly a need for more   The concept of advocacy is simple but in
learning opportunities for those who choose this    practice it can be a highly complex challenge!
demanding but rewarding career pathway.

Initially we developed courses in advocacy
which were for the benefit of our team of
advocates.




                                                                                         26
Leadership and Empowerment


 Nurtured
 Heart Approach
 In 2009 Circles Network hosted the Nurtured
 Heart Approach Course the first of its kind In
 England. Two events were run in Manchester
 aimed at parents, carers, teachers and
 professionals.

 People travelled from around the world to
 attend the course run by Howard Glasser and
 Tom Groves, experts that have extensively            Practitioners have had extraordinary results in
 researched alternative methods for reducing          helping parents and teachers to quickly succeed
 difficult behaviour in the classroom and home.       in becoming extraordinarily skilful and effective in
 It was an inspiring week with overwhelming           helping children to achieve wonderful new levels
 feedback and convinced Circles Network to add        of competency…almost always without the need
 this learning experience to courses offered by       for medications or long-term treatment.
 The Academy.
                                                      Many professional practitioners believe that a
 The Nurtured Heart                                   child’s intensity is a problem that needs to be
 Training Experience                                  treated with medications and made to go away.
 Earlier this year, parents, foster carers and        The Nurtured Heart technique puts parents and
 professionals from across the UK and from            teachers into the driver’s seat and gives them the
 health & social care, education and the              perspective and strategies to shift children into
 voluntary sectors were immersed in the               using their intensity in beautiful ways.
 Nurtured Heart technique by Kathryn B. Sherrod
 Ph.D, Clinical Psychologist and experienced          Ordinary methods of parenting and teaching
 Nurtured Heart Practitioner from Tennessee           typically backfire with intense children. Despite
 and Brenda Richardson, Foster Carer and              the best of intentions, the more adults attempt
 experienced Nurtured Heart Practitioner from         normal responses, the worse the situation can
 Manchester. This is how Kathryn and Brenda           inadvertently become.
 describe the Nurtured Heart Approach and what
 you can gain from the training experience.           The culprits are the methods most people have at
                                                      their disposal…not the parents, teacher, therapist
 Nurtured Heart is an amazing set of strategies       or the child. Approaches designed for the average
 developed specifically for children with ADHD        child are not powerful or encompassing enough.
 and other challenging behaviours to facilitate
 parenting and classroom success. These               Instead of believing that you get a great deal more
 methods have helped thousands of families to         from adults through negativity and that positive
 transform their child from using their intensity     choices are a less certain bet, the child is moved to
               in primarily negative ways to          believing that he or she can fully invest energy and
               using their intensity in beautifully   intelligence in successes.
   27            creative and constructive ways.
Leadership and Empowerment



Identifying how to enable challenging            Benefits from attending the Nurtured Heart
children to thrive, the Nurtured Heart           learning programme include:
Approach is a powerful and quick way to
create a new scenario of success and it has         Learning about yourself and your reactions so
achieved national acclaim for its results with      you can maintain a calmer approach.
children who have been diagnosed with:              Preparation for a total mind shift - a life
                                                    change!
    Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder        Understanding why conventional methods of
    (ADHD)                                          parenting and teaching often fail with intense
    Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD)            children.
                                                    Learning ways to enable challenging children
    Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
                                                    to use their intensity in creative ways.
    Reactive Attachment Disorder
                                                    Identifying how to enable challenging
    Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD)           children to thrive.
    Foetal Alcohol Syndrome
    Other abuse, neglect and chaos related       What our delegates have said:
    syndromes
    Autism.                                      ‘It has been a great learning experience
                                                 all round and I want to take it forward
                                                 in many aspects of my life’.

                                                 ‘That I can change and in doing so,
                                                 it may hopefully help family life and
                                                 relationships within the family unit’.




                              hardson
                   Brenda Ric lived experience
                   shares her




 Kathy Sherrod visit
 professor from the ing
                    USA
                                                                                          28
Leadership and Empowerment




 Person Centred Planning and
 Lifebuilding
 Although Circles Network have been delivering        The six day Person Centred Planning and Life
 Person Centred Planning Courses for 15               Building Programme is Circles Network’s most
 years this is a continually evolving and fresh       popular programme. Open courses are available
 programme that is constantly enriched with the       across the country throughout 2010. Circles
 team’s experiences of disability and promoting       Network also run bespoke courses to meet
 inclusion. This six day course provides an           organisation’s particular needs.
 in depth exploration of the values, skills,          We are currently working with Edexcel to ensure
 approaches and tools that can be used with           this programme achieves nationally recognised
 individuals to create fluid, colourful and truly     accreditation.
 original life plans. During 2009 we ran events
 nationwide, with a significant take up in Suffolk    What our delegates say:
 where we have trained over 200 facilitators
 many of whom now contribute to the many              “Excellent, with a lot of relevant
 Circles of Support at work across the county.The     information that I can take back
 work of the team in Suffolk attracted great praise   and apply to my work and myself.”
 from the partnership board and social services.




  29
Leadership and Empowerment

Circles Network                                        Circles of Sustainability
Moving Forward                                         Climate change and the inevitable need to move to
                                                       a low carbon economy will potentially present new
Circles Network is poised on the verge of some         ways in which individuals can be disadvantaged
new and very exciting projects as we move              and disengaged from society. Using a unique
into 2010. These are projects that will drive our      Circle of Support approach Circles Network will
practitioner and management skills to new              be working with communities to understand the
heights, requiring new understanding and               implications and opportunities created by the
innovative methodologies and placing the               move to a low carbon economy, and to drive the
organisation in a unique position.                     community to work to reduce their collective
                                                       carbon footprint.
BBC Digital Switchover
Help Scheme                                            Professional Advocacy
                                                       Training and Development
Circles Network will be working with the BBC
and Digital Outreach to provide advocacy and           Circles Network has embarked on a programme
information relating to the switchover from            to gain national accreditation for The Academy’s
analogue to digital television in 2010. Television     training programmes, working both with
can often play a vital role in preventing loneliness   Edexcel and a UK University. As part of this work,
or isolation and for many the loss of signal could     development has begun on a range of advocacy
be potentially detrimental to their wellbeing.         qualifications with the aim of delivering a
This innovative new project will allow Circles         professional pathway from Level 2 through to a
Network to work with individuals who require           Masters programme. This will be the first suite of
support during the switchover due to issues of age,    qualifications in advocacy in the country.
disability and isolation.

                                                       Person Centred Service
Timebanking in the
                                                       Evaluation Interactive and
South East of England
                                                       Online
Through our work with Circles of Support, we
have begun to look for new ways to recognise           Circles Network is extending the potential of its
the contribution our volunteers make to our            IPSI evaluation tool by taking this highly impactful
work and the local community. The Timebank             and effective process online. The methodology
project seeks to address this by setting up a          has been trialled and tested across many settings
system where people in the community can               and with a wide range of professionals and people
exchange their time and skills with one another        who use services. Creating an online version
by using ‘Timebank Credits’. It is hoped that this     now adds a new dimension to the framework by
will extend our network of Circles to reach across     improving access, adding new levels of guidance
whole communities and encourage a new kind of          for practitioners and providing data for
equaliser, beyond status and money.                    strategic management.

                                                                                                30
Independent Auditors’ - Statement



Independent                                          Respective
Auditors' -                                          responsibilities of
                                                     trustees and auditors
Statement
                                                     The trustees are responsible for preparing the
                                                     Impact Report.
To the Trustees
of Circles Network                                   Our responsibility is to report to you our opinion
                                                     on the consistency of the summary financial
We have examined the summary financial               statement within the Impact Report with the full
statement of Circles Network for the year ended      annual accounts and the Trustees’ Report. We
31 March 2009 which comprise the statement           also read the other information contained in the
of financial activities, the balance sheet and the   Impact Report and consider the implications for
related notes.                                       our report if we become aware of any apparent
                                                     misstatements or material inconsistencies with
This report is made to the charity’s trustees,       the summary financial statement.
as a body, in accordance with the terms of our       You are responsible as trustees for the
engagement. Our work has been undertaken             preparation of the summary financial statement.
so that we might state to the charity’s trustees     We have agreed to report to you our opinion on
those matters that we have agreed to state in        the summarised statement’s consistency with the
this report and for no other purpose. To the         full financial statements, on which we reported to
fullest extent permitted by law, we do not           you on 11 November 2009.
accept or assume responsibility to anyone other
than the charity and the charity’s trustees, as a
body, for our work or for this report.
                                                     Basis of opinion

                                                     We conducted our work in accordance with
                                                     Bulletin 1999/6 ‘The auditors’ statement on the
                                                     summary financial statement’ issued by the
                                                     Auditing Practices Board for use in the United
                                                     Kingdom.




   31
Independent Auditors’ - Statement



                                                   For further information, the full annual accounts
Opinion                                            and the auditors’ report and the trustees’ report
                                                   on those accounts should be consulted.
In our opinion the summary financial statement
is consistent with the full annual accounts and    Copies of the full accounts are available from
the Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March   Circles Network registered office
2009.
                                                     Circles Network,
                                                     Potford’s Dam Farm,
                                                     Coventry Road,
                                                     Cawston,
                                                     Rugby,
                                                     Warwickshire,
                                                     CV23 9JP
Mazars LLP
Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors      These summary accounts do not constitute full
The Broadway, Dudley, West Midlands, DY1 4PY       accounts within the meaning of the Companies
                                                   Act 1985 and the Charities Act 1993.
11 December 2009

                                                   A copy of the statutory accounts of the charity,
Financial Summary                                  upon which the auditors have reported without
                                                   qualification, will be delivered to both Companies
                                                   House and the Charity Commission.
The trustees confirm that the accounts on
these pages are a summary of the information
extracted from the full annual accounts, which     Approved by the trustees
were approved on the 11 November 2009.
The summary accounts may not contain
                                                   and signed on their behalf:
sufficient information to allow for a full
understanding of the financial affairs of
the charity.


                                                   Eric Adams, Chairman




                                                                                             32
Statement of Financial Activities



   Statement of Financial Activities
                                               Unrestricted   Restricted
                                                  Funds         Funds        Total      Total
                                                  2009          2009         2009       2008
for the Year Ended 31st March 2009                  £             £            £          £
Incoming Resources
Incoming resources from generated
funds:
Voluntary income                                 29,027          -            29,027      28,329
Investment income                                 4,782          -             4,782       8,301
Incoming resources from charitable              627,784       902,089      1,529,873   1,683,499
activities

Total Incoming Resources                        661,593       902,089      1,563,682   1,720,129


Resources Expended
Costs of generating funds:                        9,114           -            9,114      19,809
Charitable activities:                          653,990        833,948     1,487,938   1,693,746
Governance costs:                                 11,456          -           11,456      12,018
Total Resources Expended                                                       1,         1,9
                                                 674,560      833,948      1,508,508   1,725,573

Net Incoming/(Outgoing)
Resources for the Year                     (      12,967)       68,141       55,174     ( 5,444)
Decrease/ Increase in value of investments          -             -           -         ( 8,946)
Balance transfers                          (       7,592)        7,592        -           -

Net Movement In Funds                      (      20,559)      75,733        55,174    ( 14,390)
Total funds at 1 April 2008                      391,850      119,784       511,634     526,024

Total Funds At 31 March 2009                     371,291      195,517       566,808     511,634




      33
Statement of Financial Activities




                   Balance Sheet at 31 March 2009
                                                     2009              2008
                   Fixed Assets                        £                 £
Tangible assets                                     36,428             27,639

                  Current Assets
Debtors and prepayments                            159,949            173,142
Investments                                        212,473            202,883
Cash at bank and in hand                           216,908            187,283
                                                   589,330            563,308

Current Liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due within 12 months     (58,950)          (79,313)

Net Current Assets                                 530,380            483,995

Total Assets less current liabilities              566,808            511,634


Unrestricted Funds

General funds                                      132,994            162,342
Designated funds                                   238,297            229,508
Restricted Funds                                   195,517            119,784


Total Funds                                        566,808            511,634




                                                                          34
Contact Us:
                                                            Circles Network,
                                                            Potford’s Dam Farm,
                                                            Coventry Road,
                                                            Cawston,
                                                            Rugby, Circles Network
                                                            CV23 9JP            building inclusive communities




                                                            01788 816 671




                                    www.circlesnetwork.org.uk
                                                    information@circlesnetwork.org.uk

© Copyright Circles Network   Company No: 2972700     Scotland Charity No: SCO38068                  Charity No: 1043601

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Circles Network Impact Report 2009

  • 1. Circles Network building inclusive communities Circles Network Impact Report
  • 2. Contents Contents Mission, Vision, Acknowledgements 2 Word from the Chairman 3 Word from the CEO 4 Our Impact with Adults 5 - 14 Our Impact with Adults, Children, Young People and Families 15 - 17 Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families 18 - 24 Leadership and Empowerment 25 - 30 Independent Auditors - Statement 31 - 32 Statement of Financial Activities 33 - 34 Front and Back Cover Design Alan Blackaby Alan is a very talented artist preferring to use the medium of pencils and felt-tip pens; he is right handed but does all of his artwork left handed following a number of strokes and illnesses. He has an excellent eye for detail and enjoys drawing precisely and to scale. 1 We have taken the liberty to change some of the names in the stories to preserve confidentiality.
  • 3. Mission, Vision, Acknowledgements Our Mission Introduction Circles Network exists to complement the efforts of people at risk of exclusion to become the architects The purpose of this report and the of their own lives by: accompanying DVD is to provide you with an up-to-date snapshot of the expanding work engaging in all aspects of community life of Circles Network throughout the UK during increasing confidence, respect and value the fiscal year 2008 - 2009. fostering a variety of interdependent Our ambition is to create sustainable and relationships inclusive communities, where everyone encouraging informed choice and belongs, in this lifetime. individual control Never has there been a time more urgent for improving personal well-being, safety bringing together all generations, cultures and happiness and diverse people to deal with issues that affect all communities. We hope to include developing gifts and competencies you in a circle somewhere, collaborating with towards productive, fulfilling lives. others for collective advantage, building a better world for all. We thank you for your interest and support and look forward to your participation and contribution to our mission and vision in the Our Vision is coming years. To create social inclusion, promote the spirit of community and accomplish the acceptance of difference. Acknowledgements We extend our gratitude and thanks : Front and Back cover - Alan Blackaby Graphics and layout - Alex Reeves and Jonny Cumiskey Writing and text - All staff and volunteers Production and printing 2009 - Impress Print, Northants 2
  • 4. Word from the Chairman About Circles Network Circles Network is a UK wide voluntary organisation based in Warwickshire, renowned for building inclusive communities on the foundations of justice, advocacy, empowerment and relationships. Working with people of any The Chairman age who are isolated or at risk of isolation, this That wonderful man Rabbi Hugo Gryn, wrote organisation has ground breaking expertise in his book ‘Chasing Shadows’ : in the development of Circles of Support, independent and collective advocacy, person centred planning and inclusion into the “Time is short and the task is urgent. mainstream of life. Working in highly creative, Evil is real. So is good. There is a entrepreneurial styles, we are dynamic and ever choice. And we are not so much more determined to dream, dare and do. chosen as choosers.” I am constantly inspired by the choices which Board Members the staff at Circles Network continue to make and Trustees in their search to build inclusive communities – inclusive of all people. And in our world of Oliver Russell - President change those of us in the Network remain Eric Adams - Chair steadfast in our determination to encourage Andrew Cater - Co Vice - Chair both ourselves and those with whom we work Andrea Whittaker - Co Vice - Chair to be choosers and to grow, in all senses of the Jim Inglis - Treasurer phrase. Sue Pringle - Trustee All at Circles Network, not least my committed Tony Mc Teare - Trustee colleagues on the Board of Trustees, continue Julie Allen - Trustee to uphold that vision and ethos which gave Jill Mordaunt - Trustee birth to the organisation fifteen years ago and James Mc Neile - Trustee I am honoured to be able to commend all of Mandy Neville - Chief Executive Officer them and their choices to you in this report. Claire Lloyd - Financial Controller Tony Kirk - Director of Learning and Development, Company Secretary Eric Adams Chairman 3
  • 5. Word from the CEO Word from the CEO “Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground” Our main purpose is to provide support We at Circles Network have certainly followed that enables and empowers disabled and the advice in Theodore Roosevelt’s quotation in disadvantaged people of all ages to take control recent times. This year demanded high resilience of and improve on life chances. Over the last against the first major national recession in our fifteen years we have provided direct support to history. We were forced to make cost efficiencies individuals and their families and indirect support and reduce provision whilst staying constant to through offering learning and development our purpose. opportunities to a wide range of professional supporters, carers, parents and friends through We have emerged in a very strong position our educational programmes and projects. with a skilful and passionate team, ready and able to take forward a new agenda for growth. Our challenge is to have the courage to continue Remaining positive throughout this period, to break new ground and to pass on the tools unleashing hope and possibility, indeed, and the wisdom so that others may follow and shooting for the stars, has driven us towards contribute their particular blend of magic. even greater goals. We want to see a multidimensional sustainable We have looked carefully at our strategic constellation for all. capacity to shape new frontiers for inclusion to flourish. Those new frontiers we are concerned I am ever grateful to our allies and supporters, to with are both geographic, spreading our reach our volunteers, colleagues and funders for the more fully across the UK, and holistic, ensuring energy, commitment and generosity that provides we reach all dimensions where people struggle the life blood of this organisation. for acceptance and belonging. Thank you One of the new requirements of the Charity Commission is that of demonstrating the public benefit each charitable organisation provides. This demand sharpens the thinking and led us to evaluate our own contribution, in truth, it Mandy Neville is clear that every project we undertake adds Chief Executive Officer public benefit and we have described this in our business plan and in the ensuing report. 4 3
  • 6. Our Impact with Adults Modernising Making a Difference Day Services When Brian was put in touch with Circles Network Community Day Services at Leamington through the local Social Services department, he was settled We are delighted to provide day services across in his own flat with 24 hour support. The one thing Warwickshire for disabled people living in and Brian wanted was to have more opportunities to around Atherstone in the North, and Leamington get out into the community as he realised he was in the South, of the County. spending too much time worrying alone. Brian is now supported by the day service to go for regular As we make progress with modernising pub lunches. He recently visited friends where he these services, so we work more directly with used to live, who were surprised and delighted to people from the setting of their homes and be back in touch. Brian likes to sing songs by The neighbourhoods. The service has attracted people Beatles and The Rolling Stones and enjoys giving who have great talents and skills, resulting in the the friends he has made from his involvement in emergence of social enterprises in craft production Leamington Day Services a reminder of his vocal and in high quality exhibits of photography and talents. He has expressed an interest in live music arts and crafts, amongst other interesting activities. and is beginning to venture out, with support, to live concerts. Liam’s Story Liam is one of Circles Network’s shining stars! With our support, through the Atherstone Community Day Service, he has gone from success to success. Liam was encouraged to start an IT course at College, his resilience and hard work was rewarded Brian enjoying in 2007 with not only a 95% pass for his final test new found suppo but also an achievement award from Nuneaton and r t Hinckley College for the Best Student Overcoming Difficulties. Not satisfied with this Liam went on to push himself further gaining new independence by moving from the family home to establish independent living and travelling without assistance. Liam, who will openly tell you about his learning barriers, is an exceptional individual who is now putting something back by volunteering with New Ideas at Rugby, Coventry and Warwick, helping others with IT training and supporting the Day Service ten pin bowling Circle. Liam no longer needs Liam’s Success 5 the support of Community Day Service and has relinquished his place as a person in need!
  • 7. Our Impact with Adults Matt’s Story Matt Howard’s Circle of Support started with One of the things that is important to Matt is to the help of Circles Network five years ago. share his personal story, which is what Matt has Nadine Jay, his facilitator, was ceremoniously now done many times as part of the Academy ‘dumped’ at a beer festival some four years for Inspiring Inclusion. ago when Matt and the Circle decided they were strong enough and committed enough Matt has over the past five years, presented to to go it alone! Government Ministers in London, been invited to speak at a Circles of Support conference in Matt requires 24 hour support to assist with Dortmund, Germany, co-chaired a transition personal and communication requirements. conference and has presented at numerous events and workshops. His Circle supported him to move in to his own house, to recruit his own personal assistants, to Matt will be developing his career in training in have an active social life and to be involved in the very near future, by becoming a trainer on the world of work. our person centred planning course alongside his brother Simon. On a community level, another of Matt and his Circle’s dreams is to organise a street party outside his house in August 2010. The aim of this is to enable Matt’s neighbours to come together and to build community, with Matt organising and making a hugely positive contribution to his local area. Matt has a regular column in his local neighbourhood magazine and as a result of this, so many people stop him to say hello, it now takes him a lot longer to go shopping, which Matt wit his Mum, h eann J is great! e Inclusion achieved. 6
  • 8. Our Impact with Adults Circles of Support The project in Oxfordshire was originally Circles of Support are perhaps the area of work accessible only to those people living with Circles Network is best known for. We initiate and elderly parents or carers. develop thousands of Circles of Support across the UK and further afield. We have been delighted to be able to open up the project to more people with learning Along with assisting people with training and difficulties, made possible thanks to an extra learning to help them take the lead in developing two years of funding from the Oxfordshire Circles, we also run small and large projects Partnership Board. where we directly provide on-going support. These projects are currently based in North and The increase in funding reflects the impact South Wales, West Sussex, East Sussex, Surrey, the project has made to people’s lives in such Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and a short space of time and allows us to cope Warwickshire. We have captured a few examples with the additional demand on resources. in these pages. It has also enabled Oxfordshire Circles of Support to recruit our first full-time dedicated facilitator as well as a part-time manager. Circles of Support The role of the Circles facilitator is greatly valued by individuals, family and the in Oxfordshire multidisciplinary teams. The facilitator is the person who can co-ordinate the professionals The Circles of Support project in Oxfordshire involved in the individual’s life to ensure that currently supports 19 Circles with the help of the focus person gets the most out of the 92 volunteers and additional family members. services that are offered to them. Five of the These volunteers have been invited to original 19 Circles now run independently. participate in a Circle of Support, and give their This means that a natural unpaid facilitator own time to support the focus person to plan has emerged from within the groups. This and meet their goals and dreams. is the eventual aim for all of the Circles so that they can continue to support people “Most people who have a Circle of regardless of funding. Support say that, from the day that it is up and running their lives become so Not only has the project been able to support much bigger”. people by facilitating their Circles of Support, but also by taking on the role of advocacy, People suddenly realise that they have a and by supporting individuals to develop group of friends that have genuine interest in and implement person centred plans. We supporting them to actualise their aspirations. have provided people with opportunities to meet others, to expand their networks of relationships and to practise skills such as 7 public speaking and assertiveness; which they can use in other areas of their lives.
  • 9. Our Impact with Adults Ellie’s It is a great way for people who have learning differences to get in touch with other people. New Venture The web forum is open to all people who live in One of the Circles of Support identified that Oxfordshire. This is a real success for the Circle Ellie, the focus person of their Circle, was and also for the people of Oxfordshire. interested in finding people who may want to house share. However, she didn’t know anyone Through the web forum, Ellie has met with other else who may be interested or how she might people who share the same desires as her. meet other people. So Ellie, with the help of her Circle, decided she needed to develop a way of She is now living in a shared house meeting other people. Ellie and her sister are that has been totally set up by Ellie really into computers, and decided that a web and her Circle. forum would be the best way. They have chosen and purchased the house, had building work done, interviewed and appointed So with the help of her Circle members, she has staff, agreed on two other house mates, developed a website called ‘Bridging the Gap’. and moved in. enture Ellie’s New V 8
  • 10. Our Impact with Adults It Takes a Little Time Circles Network first met Richard eighteen months ago and in that time his life has been transformed from a story of isolation and loneliness into one of inspiration and joy. When Circles Network were first introduced This led to Richard making the most out of gym to Richard he made it very clear that he hated sessions and the beginning of some sustainable meetings, reviews and social workers. He refused relationships with people he met there. His spirits to comment when asked about how his life was had lifted hugely by now and he took Steve on for going, preferring to let Brenda, his supportive three days a week to pursue a range of interests. He mum, do the talking. started to show a distinct liking for the outdoor life, Richard spent most nights playing on his he took up horse riding and gardening and enjoyed PlayStation and then all day in bed. Brenda getting out to local farms and places of interest. described her son’s situation as “stagnant and Now he had the hang of Direct Payments, Richard having no life”. Brenda was worried that Richard and the small Circle of Support he had developed would never find a way to move on as he would around him by then, decided to give up his place at not engage with anyone. Previously he had a local respite care facility and take on another enjoyed a job at a pub for two hours a week personal assistant to support him at weekends at through a local supported employment scheme the family’s caravan in Skegness. but unfortunately the placement had broken down. Employment came next and through a connection of Caroline’s, Richard gained a trial placement When asked if Richard was interested in a Circle of with the Estate Manager of a nearby stately home Support he said yes, but that he definitely did not for a groundsman position. Through his own want anyone in it! determination, he showed how capable and strong A relationship had to be built with Richard and he is and is now working there officially for two Circles Network facilitator Caroline Garner felt the days a week. He even has his own set of keys to the ideal opportunity, given his interest in modern tractor he operates. music, was through a night club project that she was involved with. “I helped Richard get his name Brenda is overjoyed and is the first to acknowledge down for the six week DJ workshop. Richard made Richard’s new found confidence and conversational some friends at the workshop and on the last skills. His dad is also incredibly proud of Richard’s journey home he said to me, ‘I want to do what success and both parents agree that, Paul does and go to the gym’.” “this has been the making of him and them”. To help this become a reality, Caroline supported “Richard has made Wednesdays and Richard to access Direct Payments and gain the Thursdays the best days of the week support of a personal assistant and, after a small because we all look forward to battle, Richard was able to hire Steve. working with him”. 9 Work Colleague
  • 11. Our Impact with Adults Barry's Story Barry decided that he would like to go on holiday, but didn’t know how to organise it, with the support of his Circle, he found that it was easy. Typically he would spend one week of the year with his family near a British beach. However, this year he wanted to do something different. out with Ma tty, on a day oodstock W A few months earlier he had decided that he his friends at wanted to find someone to go out with at the museum. weekends. He tried various friendship schemes, and eventually decided to advertise, and employ someone. He was fortunate enough to meet someone who he actually became good friends with and even after the money ran out, they continued to spend much of the weekend together. Preparing for a Barry decided that Jed is a really good friend and meeting. circles someone that he would like to go on holiday with. Barry plucked up the courage to ask if Jed would go to Spain with him and his parents, who would Ricky and Matty be staying in separate resorts, but in the same area. Jed was delighted, and said that it was an In August Ricky and Matty, who both have their honour to be asked. The holiday went ahead as own Circles of Support, planned a day out. They planned, and everyone had a great time! Barry are both really keen on dinosaurs, and found said that he never dreamed that he would be able out about an exhibition that was happening in to go abroad. Woodstock. They had originally met through one of Matty’s Circle members Greg who worked with Matty, and lives next door to Ricky and his family. When Greg realised that both Matty and Ricky were fascinated by dinosaurs, he suggested that they might like to meet, and invited them both over for a summer bar-b-que, along with many of his friends. The three planned their trip to Woodstock, and had a wonderful time. The sun was shinning and they really enjoyed the exhibition, and are now organising a trip to the Natural History Museum in London. 10
  • 12. Our Impact with Adults West Sussex Circles The Circles Project in West Sussex has been our longest running, spanning more than nine years with support from West Sussex County Council. In this area alone there are more than a thousand volunteers who belong to a Circle of Support. Some of these volunteers also support Circles Saturday Circles Network at community events, raising our profile This Summer volunteers and people from the and that of the concept and practice of inclusion Saturday Circles performed at the Lion’s Fare. The and equality for all. One group of volunteers run show had songs from Mamma Mia, and Grease and a regular stall in the main shopping centre in was very well received. After the event the group Burgess Hill, talking to shoppers and introducing were approached to appear at two other events conversations that matter towards building in the area. Parents said they had never seen their inclusive communities in that particular locality. young people so confident and couldn't believe In this last year we have increased our provision that they sang in front of such a big crowd. for the sons and daughters of older parents who live at home, prioritising Circles of Support and increasing natural networks. The Young People’s Group The Saturday Circles’ young people’s group raised Social Opportunities money at the Lion’s Fare through a sponsored and Saturday Circles sports event and a stall. The group decided to use the money for a trip to Chessington World of Saturday Circles emerged to provide for a Adventure. growing need expressed by people who found themselves isolated at weekends. In the South The Circle hired a large fully accessible coach for East of England we have worked with 43 people, the journey and organised for a separate car as one supporting them to take a lead in deciding what of the mothers was concerned that her daughter, activities the three separate projects would take. Amy, was too frightened to use the coach. Involvement in such decisions led to greater On the morning of the outing Amy was given confidence and leadership experience. This in the choice of travelling on the coach and time turn encouraged four young people to take up was taken to gently help her on board. Amy then employment in this work and another two to decided she really didn’t want to use the coach, to become volunteers. her mother’s relief, she did agree to travel in the car. These new groups are gaining interest nationally Her mother admitted that this trip had meant a and we have plans to set up further Saturday lot to Amy and to her and her husband, as it gave Circles projects in two areas of Warwickshire. them a chance to spend the day together. She was also impressed by the positive adaptable attitude towards her daughter and her needs by the 11 volunteers and young people in the Saturday Circle.
  • 13. Our Impact with Adults Advocacy What does Circles Network Our advocacy projects include those provide through our commissioned to provide Circles of Support, advocacy services? Patient’s Councils and groups of people using services as a form of collective advocacy. Circles Network have been providing advocacy with disabled and disadvantaged people in a We also provide professional advocacy for: variety of ways since our inception. The aims of people with dementia or enduring mental ill our endeavours are to ensure that we are: health, people with eating disorders, people with learning difficulties and people supported Safeguarding people who are vulnerable and in forensic settings. discriminated against, or who services find difficult to serve. In this year we have supported over 1000 people individually and hundreds of collective advocacy Empowering people who need a stronger groups. In Scotland we have projects in Glasgow, voice, by enabling them to express their own Edinburgh and more recently in Fife. needs and make their own decisions. Enabling people to gain access to information, to explore and understand their options, and to make their views and wishes known. Speaking on behalf of people who are unable to do so for themselves. We are the Cha mp ions It’s cool to belon g Enjoying the open air life 12
  • 14. Our Impact with Adults How Advocacy helped Modelling Advocacy in George’s Life Suzanna was brought into hospital against her wishes; she was frightened, insecure and George had lived in Dundee for most of his life anxious about being in a psychiatric hospital. and had moved to Edinburgh to take up an Through contact and interaction with an amazing new job. Sadly, he found himself ‘let advocate she was able to find out what her go’ after a few short years, coinciding with his rights were regarding her treatment. She diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. hadn’t realised that she had rights when she was initially brought into hospital. As a result George told Janine, our advocate, that he of this she began to feel less threatened as felt he belonged in Dundee. He had been she was able to see how her treatment was apprehended a number of times by police as progressing and to exercise choice about what he tried desperately, despite his confusion, to was happening to her. return there. Suzanna’s stress levels began to decrease as Edinburgh was simply not the place of his birth, a result of her interactions with her advocate, besides, his sister, who still lived in Dundee, and she began to feel more supported on her was far more likely to spend time with him if journey. She grew in confidence, learned to only he could get back there. Instead he found organise her thinking and was able to highlight himself stuck on a hospital ward, unable to be points and questions she wanted to raise with supported at home because of his travelling staff. She also received quality information adventures. Each time he left and got a coach regarding her medication. or train he found himself back in a hospital he didn’t want to be in. Janine set to work exploring avenues with the nursing staff, the social services departments for both cities and the mental health officer, all at George’s request. The transfer seemed to take forever, mainly because people were afraid for George’s safety. However, the plan eventually came to fruition and George was able to move to a home where he could be supported. His closeness with his sister had been rekindled and he is particularly happy that he can see more of his nephews and nieces and their young families. 13 11
  • 15. Our Impact with Adults In this case the advocate played a Changing the Outcomes: bridge-building role between Suzanna and the medical staff, modelling the concept come of advocacy and, in effect, teaching her to Ali was brought into hospital on a short term advocate for herself. Ben, the advocate, was detention order. He had not slept for weeks able to demonstrate to Suzanna that she could and told the clinical team that the noises from a get involved in decisions regarding her care nearby twenty-four hour parcel depot kept him and treatment, and that she could express her awake. As a consequence of this he began to own opinions. suffer from sleep deprivation and racing thoughts, culminating in nervous exhaustion. Nobody went to his accommodation to verify this, and the hospital gave him a diagnosis of schizophrenia. When he accessed Circles Network Advocacy he was adamant that he was just tired, and not delusional in any way. The advocate put his views forward at ward rounds as he was too upset and angry to attend. We claimed on his behalf that he needed rest, or to change his accommodation, rather than hospitalisation. Ali was given medication, against his wishes, and despite his insistence that he didn’t need it. This situation continued until his Mental Health Eventually, Suzanna told her advocate that Officer went to visit Ali’s home and returned in full she felt able to attend meetings and represent agreement with him and that the premises were herself in the hospital. She was grateful for incredibly noisy. the assistance she had received and said that it had been better for her to be involved at Ali was relieved that other professionals finally the start of her treatment rather than remain accepted what he was saying, he was grateful that uninvolved and powerless. his advocate had believed him from the start. His, consistently-stated, views had been accepted by the advocate alone when no one else would listen International Interest to him. Circles Network has gained widespread interest nationally and internationally for our As a result, his section was withdrawn, he work. We welcomed visitors this year from was made an informal patient and the local Australia, from Bangladesh, from India and Social Services department helped him to find from Europe. alternative accommodation. 14
  • 16. Our Impact with Adults, Children and Young People and Families Dream Dare Do Circles Network have launched a new and exciting way of supporting people who want an alternative to conventional support services. 3D Community Support: Dream Dare Do! 3D Community Support: Circles Network have been involved in driving Dream Dare Do: the creation and implementation of a new 3D provides flexible and highly individual system of social care, in which people will support to help people create and implement a control their own support, their own money tailored Support Plan that works for them. and their lives as valued citizens. This system is called Self-Directed Support. Our support includes: Person Centred Planning and Life Coaching “First and foremost, Self-Directed Support is about people having Building a Circle of Support control over their lives. To have Developing social networks and local that overall control, people need community opportunities more control over their money and support.” Empowerment to Employment training In Control (June 2008) Support to access community based services and facilities 3D Community Support: Dream Dare Do has been designed specifically to empower Developing life and relationship skills to individuals and families to understand what increase interdependence they are entitled to and how to take as much control as they want! Support with advocacy The move to personalised individual budgets is a great opportunity to promote the values of inclusion that guide our work, for individuals to take control of their lives and for local authorities to streamline their services and be at the cutting edge of building sustainable communities. We want to hear from local authorities and trusts that are keen to explore how we can create partnerships to offer people wider choices of support and from people who are looking to 15 take more control of their own life.
  • 17. Our Impact with Adults, Children and Young People and Families Circles Network’s experience of creative and flexible person centred thinking and working in Joe’s partnership with individuals, families, services and local authorities mean we are ideally placed Dream Dare Do Story to provide personalised support. Joe is a young man who, through the Dream Dare Do programme, the encouragement of his Our experience is vast, working in Circle of Support, and a lot of personal courage, neighbourhoods across the UK and with people has managed to go from living in a hostel to of all ages and challenges. employing his own personal assistants and living Using Dream Dare Do! We are changing lives. in his own flat, which he rents privately. In the South East, Circles Network worked with From the first meeting things changed for Joe Brighton and Hove Social Services Department when he asked “would people be able to have a as part of their self directed support pilot project. cup of tea with me when we are out?” Through the 3D Community Support: Dream The previous agency staff had said they were Dare Do project we supported eight young not allowed to have a drink with him when they people to move out of their family home, were out shopping. He was delighted when he creating imaginative support plans with heard the answer was “Yes! You are the boss!”. individuals and their families that focused on the outcomes they really desired. Joe now has three different people in his staff team. With the help of his mum he has A family in Essex funded Circles Network to employed someone to support him with develop a Circle of Support in the classroom cooking, budgeting and housework. He has also for a young boy who wanted to maximise his employed a young man the same age as him opportunities for social interaction and to gain to meet up with friends and socialise and has support from his peers. The project was highly another person to help him learn the bus and inspirational and our Dream Dare Do tools led train routes he wants to use. Joe chose people to some wonderful outcomes and experiences who shared his enthusiasm for his dream to be a for the young boy. self-employed artist. This work is now informing the development Recently Joe held an exhibition of his paintings, of our Transition Matters training and learning pottery and photography. His team of personal materials. assistants helped him to get ready for the exhibition and his Circle helped him to invite people. The exhibition was a great success, everything was sold and he received commissions. He also made links with local artists who invited him to exhibit his work with them. 16
  • 18. Our Impact with Adults, Children and Young People and Families Person centred planning tools are alive and Person Centred active, always ensuring the focus person is central and in control. They are flexible, setting Planning no limits to the person’s wants, needs and dreams for their life. ‘The Circle is hard to describe; In person centred planning the process, as well it’s too simple’ Regina DeMarasse as the product, is owned and controlled by the person and sometimes their closest family and Person centred planning is at the heart of friends. There are no prescribed forms, tick boxes all Circles Network work, we use it to inspire or checklists, which means the resulting plan change, drive innovation and continually of support is totally individual. The plan creates challenge and work to improve service a comprehensive portrait of who the person is provision. and what they want to do with their life. It brings together all of the people who are important to Person Centred Planning is a process of life the person including family, friends, neighbours, planning for individuals, based around the support workers and professionals involved in principles of inclusion and the social model of their lives. disability. It is a process that is now gaining rapid acceptance and is replacing more traditional Derived from the early work in building Circles styles of assessment and planning based on a of Support, Circles Network aim to make medical approach to people’s needs. these tools available to everyone through publications, training and support. Making Planning Work Tim’s Circle has worked hard to put his person centred plan together and his Circle have met over tea and cakes, selecting photos of family and friends and working on the things he would like to do in the future. The Circle want to work towards supporting Tim to realise his true potential away from being at a day centre and to use self directed support to achieve the things he wanted to do. The Circle of Support has helped change his life course and has meant that t Learning abou Tim was able to talk to his Circle about his father’s d planning person centre recent death. Tim now has personal assistants who he employs with the support of his Circle and has stopped going to the day centre. Inspiring Ideas 17
  • 19. Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families Working with Children The earlier we can introduce the range of tools and techniques applied by Circles Network, the more dramatic the life shifting opportunities for inclusion become. For this reason work with children, young people and families is targeted to expand dramatically over the next three years. Children's Advocacy Across the UK, wherever funding is available, we Growing trust and word of mouth amongst are providing the following projects: young people have led to a steady increase in requests for support and it would appear that Circles of Support service providers are becoming increasingly Family Empowerment – supporting disabled aware of the benefits of advocacy involvement parents and parents of disabled children for those young people who are considered very Friendship and Relationship Building – LG2 isolated and marginalised. With the permission (Let’s Get Together) of young people, advocates have been able to Peer Mentorship channel privileged information to the relevant Person Centred Planning professionals securing both short and long Saturday Circles term benefits for the young person. Working Steering to Success – The Nurtured Heart with young people can be politically very Approach sensitive and challenging, requiring great levels Taking the Reins – Equine Facilitated Learning of tact and diplomacy in order to keep lines of Transition Matters – CREDO communication open. The skills employed by our advocates are evident as this area of work grows Independent Advocacy in capacity and in its positive reputation. for Children and Young People As we have threaded advocacy into children and young people’s services there have been challenges. But also amazing experiences of growing relationships built on trust shared directly from young people. Some of those experiences relate to the transition between children’s and adult services and have allowed us to develop recommendations which embed the provision of advocacy for young people at this time. 18 16
  • 20. Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families Taking the Reins Inclusion, relationship building, skills based learning, sustainability… this project has it all in abundance! Circles Network’s approach to innovation shines out through the eyes of over 160 children who benefitted from their involvement with ponies The children and young people learn how to safely and horses this year. Equine Facilitated Learning, approach a horse, have an introduction into how still unique in the UK, aims to improve the lives of to communicate with such a powerful, majestic children through a fusion of fun, education and animal and achieve positive outcomes through therapy. Taking the Reins is an extraordinarily a two way trusting partnership. This enables happy place to be and in the words of children participants to gain further understanding and who attend can be described as “heaven”, “my awareness of how their own behaviour, posture, special safe place” and “the place I always want movement, energy, stance and voice are to be”. The “place” of course is in the hearts important aspects of communication between and minds of those children as, although the human and horse. This learning soon becomes horses are based in Warwickshire, they do travel intrinsic and works well in all kinds of relationships. to various locations so that the experience of bonding with beautiful, intelligent and loving The journey continues with choosing mutual equines can be shared widely. respect through grooming, leading, lunging and many more activities including loose schooling Participants range in age from two to eighteen. with the horse in a round pen and learning to take We particularly welcome disabled and leadership with their chosen horse. disadvantaged children and young people and have just begun a separate project with adults. All of these sessions are designed to build foundations for strong, positive relationships, Many of the children involved have been through allowing children to grow in confidence and loss and other experiences of early childhood self-esteem. The achievements of all trauma and there are evident benefits of working participants are highly recognised and “hands on” with horses who enjoy all the cuddles celebrated throughout the courses. For many they can get. The care and welfare of the herd children Equine Facilitated Learning is very is a big feature of this project and conversations empowering as they may feel they have little about safety, nutrition, exercise, relaxation and control over their lives. The informal and happiness abound. inclusive environment provided encourages children to be expressive, confident, passionate and most of all happy. This unique experience 19 is both lasting and valuable.
  • 21. Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families Creative thinkin g ilding Friendship bu Making a difference... Carla is a young woman with a severe form of Having worked on her personal development she epilepsy and she approached Circles Network learned how to be more assertive and confident wanting to volunteer. As she has never entered with the horses showing a really caring nature employment her goal was to find some part-time and thorough attitude towards her goals. She work involving working with animals. established an excellent journal folder recording her feelings and emotions and has now achieved She was nervous and shy about approaching her goal to become a volunteer. people and had spent many years unable to explore her gifts and skills. Carla has also begun to make friends with other young people with whom she can go out socially Carla’s lack of communication with her peers and has been to live pop concerts in London and had affected her self-esteem and social life as Birmingham, staying away overnight. she didn’t have close friends.She felt that simple elements like meeting new people, speaking on the phone and exploring new avenues in her life were too difficult. Carla’s life has changed dramatically after enrolling on the Equine Facilitated Learning project and completing a ten week course with a trained facilitator. 20 16 12
  • 22. Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families One student commented; Peer “School never asks about personal stuff, they just want to know I can do the work” Mentorship He began to recognise what he is good at and seemed proud that the group were interested. Our peer mentorship work brought together This student believed that his achievements were students from mainstream and special schools in only meaningful if they were of academic value; Cambridgeshire. The project took place weekly we believe that the peer mentorship project has during curriculum time with the aim of developing challenged this belief. real friendships, planning for positive futures, creating person centred portfolios and supporting Another student shared; “I used to be scared of the peers in reviews. The project had an underlying students from the college, because one person essence of exposing young people with learning called me a loser. I now have friends at college and difficulties to the ‘ordinariness’ of growing up and love that they wave at me when we go over for being a teenager in today’s world. woodwork”. This project not only helped students to gain The work was also valued by teaching staff, a class confidence it also offered a better understanding teacher from Highfield School in Ely felt that it of communication and learning styles that may was… be used by their peers or themselves. This has been beneficial in building new friendships and “absolutely invaluable to the running in ensuring that ALL young people have the of our person centred annual reviews possibility to achieve, feel that they belong, for Year 9 students. Our Year 9 students and experience being truly valued. have enjoyed, developed and matured as a consequence of the project”. Without doubt, a distinct outcome was that all students benefitted by spending time together and sharing their experiences, thoughts and aspirations. 21
  • 23. Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families Family Having up to date knowledge and references can be powerful additions to the armoury necessary Empowerment to get the best available opportunities in place for a disabled and disadvantaged child. There are two different distinct strands to our family empowerment work; the first In support of disabled parents we have one, supporting parents, foster parents and developed specific projects across the UK. carers to support disabled and disadvantaged In response to demand we offer the following: children and the second strand, supporting disabled parents and carers to support their Direct support for parents going through the families. court system, fighting to maintain their rights to parent, we provide assessments, viability reports In supporting parents and carers of disabled and reviews. children, we often become involved in setting up Circles of Support in the school, Direct support for parents going through the home or neighbourhood. We also provide family court system in the home, preventing assistance in compiling person centred plans situations of crisis and coaching in parenting or school transition reviews, involving the skills. whole family as appropriate. We are keen to share knowledge about the many other Developing Sustainability Circles of Support to organisations available to offer assistance and further opportunities for parents to be included can help parents find a path through the maze in their local communities. of different providers to get the best outcomes for their needs. In some areas we have set up support or study groups, we also have an exciting programme for parents and carers of children who challenge, known as the Nurtured Heart Approach. Rio’s master piece 22
  • 24. Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families Families Forward Our Family Empowerment Project in West Sussex, Motherhood supported eight families with disabled parents Maria gave us a resounding testimony in her who have attended family court hearings. This own words following the successful outcome project recently produced a Parents Charter and of a twelve week parenting assessment. a list of recommendations for changes that could be made in public services. Five of the families “When I started working with Circles involved now have ongoing Circles of Support. Network I had no confidence, I was on Family Empowerment Wales, is funded directly antidepressants and just kept thinking through the Welsh Assembly has enabled fifteen I was going to lose my son. I would families to receive the support they required to agree to anything Social Services said, improve their parenting skills. All of those families I was not allowed to be with my son had experienced the painful trauma of separation on my own. from their children and are now at least back in regular touch and in some cases completely Circles helped me to learn how to reunited. cook, gave me more confidence in myself and gave me more ideas about what to do with my son at different Steering to Success ages. The people from Circles Network were there to listen and they were Funded by the Dulverton Trust, this innovative really good. They would be really project was the first of its kind to bring learning fantastic for other people too. about the Nurtured Heart approach to parents in the UK. More about the approach can be found Now I have lots of confidence, I stand in our section about the work of the Academy for up for myself in meetings and not Inspiring Inclusion. behave like a mouse. I now have my Parents of children who challenge are typically own house and live with my son on my given very few alternatives to medication as a own and I can do everything and go solution. Already overwrought and tired this anywhere”. option is often taken up in desperation. By providing the techniques of the Nurtured Heart approach, many of the parents involved in Steering to Success found that their children’s behaviour improved rapidly, making a difference to the whole family. The project has designed specific teaching aids in the form of a box set of cards and a set of recommended books and these are available to help parents and practitioners. 23
  • 25. Our Impact with Children and Young People and Families Angela, a Circles Network Coordinator, met the couple Andrea and worked with the family over a number of weeks. and Thomas’ Story She was invited by the couple to attend court, core meetings and a case conference, as well as visiting Andrea and Thomas are in their 40s, and have a their home a number of times. young child in early primary education. They are a lovely family and their child is the focus of their Supporting Andrea and Thomas to put together their life. All Andrea wanted, was to be a mother and own person centred plan, Angela helped the couple enjoy parenting. Thomas from the start loved begin to take control. Both Andrea and Thomas felt being a father and was the main carer for their that they had never had their strengths and skills child in the early months, looking after Andrea acknowledged until they had a plan. They now use and the baby. their person centred plan at all core meetings. The couple felt the early months were “the best “We have never had such positive things time of our lives”. When their child was one, said about our family; it has given us the Andrea felt she needed some support, as she was confidence to continue to do the best for finding some parenting issues difficult. Their GP our child.” referred her to Social Services, with the idea that they had the resources to help the family. Circles Network’s Parent’s Charter Over the next four years 13 social workers worked with the family, each doing their own At the core of all our work with parents are our assessment and focusing on Andrea’s learning guiding principles: difficulty rather than providing the help they needed. All parents should be listened to. Andrea and Thomas attended parenting All parents should be respected and valued. classes, but found them to be unhelpful and confusing. Andrea said she would have found All parents should be involved in planning for one-to-one home parenting visits more help, their children. as she would remember more and feel more comfortable about asking questions. A home All parents should feel welcomed by services visit was arranged from a support worker with that support them. this in mind, but it again seemed more like an assessment. All parents should be able to have support to be good parents. This was very distressing to the family as a whole, making parenting even more of a challenge. All parents should have the support they need Andrea, as a result, suffered from depression if they are going through family courts. and was prescribed antidepressants. The family after four years were left intimidated, powerless, These principles came from our Families confused and exhausted. Forward project; they were put together by the parents involved in the project. 24
  • 26. Leadership and Empowerment Academy for Inspiring: New to The Academy Inclusion The Nurtured Heart Approach to New The Academy for Inspiring Inclusion has been Challenging Behaviour (ADHD) established to drive the value of inclusion through all our training and learning delivery The Nurtured Heart Approach is a revolutionary work and to help us share our experiences and new way of reducing challenging behaviours expertise. such as ADHD and is widely practised throughout the United States. Circles Network has developed many highly effective methods and inspirational techniques The approach steers away from managing through the support they have given individuals. behaviour and prescribing medication and We are now keen to ensure that we share these focuses on a positive approach to channel resources, tools and techniques with other people’s energy into more creative pursuits. professionals. We have many new and exciting developments underway as well as plans to Circles Network are proud to have some of develop our current suite of courses into the country’s few trained practitioners on the highly accessible self study packs to improve Academy’s training team and would encourage accessibility. anyone that would like to learn these skills to get in touch. The Academy’s portfolio includes: New Majestic Achievement Inclusion Matters Circles of Support Circles Network developed a new training Person Centred Planning and Life Building course in 2009 aimed at personal development Transition Matters – CREDO and positive business solutions at management Friendship and Relationship Building level. Disability Equality Training Managers from all walks of life were invited to Equine Facilitated Learning develop skills and strategies through equine Partners in Policymaking facilitation that will help them to reflect on Peer Mentorship and refine their own strategies and talents as Measuring Up managers of people. The Academy also specialises in providing training in self-directed support for both Delivered by Mandy Neville and Emma professional practitioners and for people Knowles, who are both experienced in high wanting to direct their own support. level management and have an extensive equine knowledge. The course is being described as offering a genuine wow factor 25 and will be offered again in 2010.
  • 27. Leadership and Empowerment Independent Advocacy Advocacy is one of the foundations upon which Circles Network was founded along with justice, empowerment and relationships. Perhaps because, until recently, we have been best acknowledged for the development of relationships through Circles of Support, the advocacy element of our work has gone largely unnoticed. However, our reputation in this field has grown steadily since we were contracted to Now we are confident that we have a wealth of provide independent advocacy in Glasgow as practical experience and knowledge which we long ago as 2001. could share for the benefit of other advocates and ultimately for the benefit of those who Since then we have continued to grow and need advocacy. develop our advocacy skills alongside people with mental health challenges in Glasgow, Through the Academy for Inspiring Inclusion Edinburgh and now also in Fife. we will soon be launching a range of learning opportunities related to advocacy and which The introduction of mental health legislation consider the social, technical, legal and policy which enshrines the individual’s right to requirements of the role. advocacy has seen massive growth in the area of provision and there is clearly a need for more The concept of advocacy is simple but in learning opportunities for those who choose this practice it can be a highly complex challenge! demanding but rewarding career pathway. Initially we developed courses in advocacy which were for the benefit of our team of advocates. 26
  • 28. Leadership and Empowerment Nurtured Heart Approach In 2009 Circles Network hosted the Nurtured Heart Approach Course the first of its kind In England. Two events were run in Manchester aimed at parents, carers, teachers and professionals. People travelled from around the world to attend the course run by Howard Glasser and Tom Groves, experts that have extensively Practitioners have had extraordinary results in researched alternative methods for reducing helping parents and teachers to quickly succeed difficult behaviour in the classroom and home. in becoming extraordinarily skilful and effective in It was an inspiring week with overwhelming helping children to achieve wonderful new levels feedback and convinced Circles Network to add of competency…almost always without the need this learning experience to courses offered by for medications or long-term treatment. The Academy. Many professional practitioners believe that a The Nurtured Heart child’s intensity is a problem that needs to be Training Experience treated with medications and made to go away. Earlier this year, parents, foster carers and The Nurtured Heart technique puts parents and professionals from across the UK and from teachers into the driver’s seat and gives them the health & social care, education and the perspective and strategies to shift children into voluntary sectors were immersed in the using their intensity in beautiful ways. Nurtured Heart technique by Kathryn B. Sherrod Ph.D, Clinical Psychologist and experienced Ordinary methods of parenting and teaching Nurtured Heart Practitioner from Tennessee typically backfire with intense children. Despite and Brenda Richardson, Foster Carer and the best of intentions, the more adults attempt experienced Nurtured Heart Practitioner from normal responses, the worse the situation can Manchester. This is how Kathryn and Brenda inadvertently become. describe the Nurtured Heart Approach and what you can gain from the training experience. The culprits are the methods most people have at their disposal…not the parents, teacher, therapist Nurtured Heart is an amazing set of strategies or the child. Approaches designed for the average developed specifically for children with ADHD child are not powerful or encompassing enough. and other challenging behaviours to facilitate parenting and classroom success. These Instead of believing that you get a great deal more methods have helped thousands of families to from adults through negativity and that positive transform their child from using their intensity choices are a less certain bet, the child is moved to in primarily negative ways to believing that he or she can fully invest energy and using their intensity in beautifully intelligence in successes. 27 creative and constructive ways.
  • 29. Leadership and Empowerment Identifying how to enable challenging Benefits from attending the Nurtured Heart children to thrive, the Nurtured Heart learning programme include: Approach is a powerful and quick way to create a new scenario of success and it has Learning about yourself and your reactions so achieved national acclaim for its results with you can maintain a calmer approach. children who have been diagnosed with: Preparation for a total mind shift - a life change! Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Understanding why conventional methods of (ADHD) parenting and teaching often fail with intense Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD) children. Learning ways to enable challenging children Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to use their intensity in creative ways. Reactive Attachment Disorder Identifying how to enable challenging Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD) children to thrive. Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Other abuse, neglect and chaos related What our delegates have said: syndromes Autism. ‘It has been a great learning experience all round and I want to take it forward in many aspects of my life’. ‘That I can change and in doing so, it may hopefully help family life and relationships within the family unit’. hardson Brenda Ric lived experience shares her Kathy Sherrod visit professor from the ing USA 28
  • 30. Leadership and Empowerment Person Centred Planning and Lifebuilding Although Circles Network have been delivering The six day Person Centred Planning and Life Person Centred Planning Courses for 15 Building Programme is Circles Network’s most years this is a continually evolving and fresh popular programme. Open courses are available programme that is constantly enriched with the across the country throughout 2010. Circles team’s experiences of disability and promoting Network also run bespoke courses to meet inclusion. This six day course provides an organisation’s particular needs. in depth exploration of the values, skills, We are currently working with Edexcel to ensure approaches and tools that can be used with this programme achieves nationally recognised individuals to create fluid, colourful and truly accreditation. original life plans. During 2009 we ran events nationwide, with a significant take up in Suffolk What our delegates say: where we have trained over 200 facilitators many of whom now contribute to the many “Excellent, with a lot of relevant Circles of Support at work across the county.The information that I can take back work of the team in Suffolk attracted great praise and apply to my work and myself.” from the partnership board and social services. 29
  • 31. Leadership and Empowerment Circles Network Circles of Sustainability Moving Forward Climate change and the inevitable need to move to a low carbon economy will potentially present new Circles Network is poised on the verge of some ways in which individuals can be disadvantaged new and very exciting projects as we move and disengaged from society. Using a unique into 2010. These are projects that will drive our Circle of Support approach Circles Network will practitioner and management skills to new be working with communities to understand the heights, requiring new understanding and implications and opportunities created by the innovative methodologies and placing the move to a low carbon economy, and to drive the organisation in a unique position. community to work to reduce their collective carbon footprint. BBC Digital Switchover Help Scheme Professional Advocacy Training and Development Circles Network will be working with the BBC and Digital Outreach to provide advocacy and Circles Network has embarked on a programme information relating to the switchover from to gain national accreditation for The Academy’s analogue to digital television in 2010. Television training programmes, working both with can often play a vital role in preventing loneliness Edexcel and a UK University. As part of this work, or isolation and for many the loss of signal could development has begun on a range of advocacy be potentially detrimental to their wellbeing. qualifications with the aim of delivering a This innovative new project will allow Circles professional pathway from Level 2 through to a Network to work with individuals who require Masters programme. This will be the first suite of support during the switchover due to issues of age, qualifications in advocacy in the country. disability and isolation. Person Centred Service Timebanking in the Evaluation Interactive and South East of England Online Through our work with Circles of Support, we have begun to look for new ways to recognise Circles Network is extending the potential of its the contribution our volunteers make to our IPSI evaluation tool by taking this highly impactful work and the local community. The Timebank and effective process online. The methodology project seeks to address this by setting up a has been trialled and tested across many settings system where people in the community can and with a wide range of professionals and people exchange their time and skills with one another who use services. Creating an online version by using ‘Timebank Credits’. It is hoped that this now adds a new dimension to the framework by will extend our network of Circles to reach across improving access, adding new levels of guidance whole communities and encourage a new kind of for practitioners and providing data for equaliser, beyond status and money. strategic management. 30
  • 32. Independent Auditors’ - Statement Independent Respective Auditors' - responsibilities of trustees and auditors Statement The trustees are responsible for preparing the Impact Report. To the Trustees of Circles Network Our responsibility is to report to you our opinion on the consistency of the summary financial We have examined the summary financial statement within the Impact Report with the full statement of Circles Network for the year ended annual accounts and the Trustees’ Report. We 31 March 2009 which comprise the statement also read the other information contained in the of financial activities, the balance sheet and the Impact Report and consider the implications for related notes. our report if we become aware of any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with This report is made to the charity’s trustees, the summary financial statement. as a body, in accordance with the terms of our You are responsible as trustees for the engagement. Our work has been undertaken preparation of the summary financial statement. so that we might state to the charity’s trustees We have agreed to report to you our opinion on those matters that we have agreed to state in the summarised statement’s consistency with the this report and for no other purpose. To the full financial statements, on which we reported to fullest extent permitted by law, we do not you on 11 November 2009. accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustees, as a body, for our work or for this report. Basis of opinion We conducted our work in accordance with Bulletin 1999/6 ‘The auditors’ statement on the summary financial statement’ issued by the Auditing Practices Board for use in the United Kingdom. 31
  • 33. Independent Auditors’ - Statement For further information, the full annual accounts Opinion and the auditors’ report and the trustees’ report on those accounts should be consulted. In our opinion the summary financial statement is consistent with the full annual accounts and Copies of the full accounts are available from the Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 March Circles Network registered office 2009. Circles Network, Potford’s Dam Farm, Coventry Road, Cawston, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV23 9JP Mazars LLP Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors These summary accounts do not constitute full The Broadway, Dudley, West Midlands, DY1 4PY accounts within the meaning of the Companies Act 1985 and the Charities Act 1993. 11 December 2009 A copy of the statutory accounts of the charity, Financial Summary upon which the auditors have reported without qualification, will be delivered to both Companies House and the Charity Commission. The trustees confirm that the accounts on these pages are a summary of the information extracted from the full annual accounts, which Approved by the trustees were approved on the 11 November 2009. The summary accounts may not contain and signed on their behalf: sufficient information to allow for a full understanding of the financial affairs of the charity. Eric Adams, Chairman 32
  • 34. Statement of Financial Activities Statement of Financial Activities Unrestricted Restricted Funds Funds Total Total 2009 2009 2009 2008 for the Year Ended 31st March 2009 £ £ £ £ Incoming Resources Incoming resources from generated funds: Voluntary income 29,027 - 29,027 28,329 Investment income 4,782 - 4,782 8,301 Incoming resources from charitable 627,784 902,089 1,529,873 1,683,499 activities Total Incoming Resources 661,593 902,089 1,563,682 1,720,129 Resources Expended Costs of generating funds: 9,114 - 9,114 19,809 Charitable activities: 653,990 833,948 1,487,938 1,693,746 Governance costs: 11,456 - 11,456 12,018 Total Resources Expended 1, 1,9 674,560 833,948 1,508,508 1,725,573 Net Incoming/(Outgoing) Resources for the Year ( 12,967) 68,141 55,174 ( 5,444) Decrease/ Increase in value of investments - - - ( 8,946) Balance transfers ( 7,592) 7,592 - - Net Movement In Funds ( 20,559) 75,733 55,174 ( 14,390) Total funds at 1 April 2008 391,850 119,784 511,634 526,024 Total Funds At 31 March 2009 371,291 195,517 566,808 511,634 33
  • 35. Statement of Financial Activities Balance Sheet at 31 March 2009 2009 2008 Fixed Assets £ £ Tangible assets 36,428 27,639 Current Assets Debtors and prepayments 159,949 173,142 Investments 212,473 202,883 Cash at bank and in hand 216,908 187,283 589,330 563,308 Current Liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due within 12 months (58,950) (79,313) Net Current Assets 530,380 483,995 Total Assets less current liabilities 566,808 511,634 Unrestricted Funds General funds 132,994 162,342 Designated funds 238,297 229,508 Restricted Funds 195,517 119,784 Total Funds 566,808 511,634 34
  • 36. Contact Us: Circles Network, Potford’s Dam Farm, Coventry Road, Cawston, Rugby, Circles Network CV23 9JP building inclusive communities 01788 816 671 www.circlesnetwork.org.uk information@circlesnetwork.org.uk © Copyright Circles Network Company No: 2972700 Scotland Charity No: SCO38068 Charity No: 1043601