Day Opportunities for Adults with Learning Disabilities

Sutton Support Services delivers a wide variety of projects, day opportunities and learning disability support, designed to promote personal and social development.

Transitional Support

A resource and advice centre open daily where people of all ages are encouraged to access a number of Personal Development and Informal Education courses.  Each day, we have a range of inclusive opportunities and activities on offer to cater for those people needing support, which include a training programme for young people to access alongside any of the Community Initiatives. This gives them a flavour of working and at the same time introduces them slowly to life after school or their current life situation.

Basic Education Skills

With the reduction of college courses there is a need for a more flexible form of academic training which must be geared to their strengths and needs. We have a learning zone within our centre offering basic education and computer skills. In addition a group of participants regularly access the local library and take part in educational sessions on offer there.

Day Opportunities - A new style of adult day centre

The Phoenix Award has been designed to offer each individual the opportunity to access a challenging and varied programme of activities that can be used to encourage participants to utilize community based services. The emphasis being on only positive comments are recorded in their personal record books. This award will allow participants to strive towards a goal and be able to achieve it at their own pace! Each participant builds their own Personal Development Portfolio and is encouraged to create their own working plan and timetable which is updated regularly by the participants themselves with a little support!

Learning Disability Service

A peer education approach is used in order to develop each individual’s true potential, currently in one project in Sutton Coldfield, people with learning disabilities are already receiving training and acting as instructors on projects. With further training and support they could become employed as Project Leaders. This approach is also designed to offer people with disabilities the opportunity to take part in informal education and leisure activities.

Community Engagement and Education

We are committed to working with the wider community, who gain a greater understanding of the capabilities and talents of people with disabilities and reinforces our commitment to an inclusive society.  Our participants also benefit from engaging with a broader range of people. We have a group of people who perform regularly in our Concert Party entertaining and raising funds across the West Midlands. We are currently working with local schools, the police, the fire service, hospices, health services and religious groups and The Great Midland Fun Run. Most recently was our involvement in the Made in Sutton and Dance Exchange projects.

Volunteering

Through working with adults with learning disabilities, people have the opportunity to enhance their volunteering experience by taking part in a successful and motivating training programme which could lead on to other rewarding volunteering opportunities or to paid employment.

Respite Breaks

One of our most popular and valuable services are our holidays. Each year we organise and deliver several breaks varying from 3 days to 10 days. Locations range from Bournemouth to Bydgoscossz in Poland and anywhere in between! We stay a variety of places depending on the time of year, in Fishguard we have a base which we use two or three times a year. In Bournemouth we stay in a family owned hotel for our main holiday in May and for our Turkey & Tinsel in December. In between we have many weekend trips to various places.

Crisis Management

In addition to all our other services we provide crisis intervention to groups, families and individuals in times of need. We will take over, manage, train and support other groups on a temporary basis in the event of illness or unresolvable problems. This has included supporting participants during hospital stays. We have covered visiting times, escorted friends on visits and supported parents and carers during difficult periods.

Music & Drama

This activity is definitely one of the most popular activities on offer at Sutton Support Services. We have a thriving Concert Party group who regularly perform across the West Midlands in order to raise money for a number of causes. We rehearse every Wednesday at Mere Green Community Centre, this gives us another link in the community and acts as good vehicle for interaction with the various other groups using the club.