“I hope you all keep up the good work as you do a fantastic job” writes Anthony, Director and Founder at Beyond Boundaries in the heart of the North York Moors.
This is just one of many touching comments that our support workers at Supported Living North East received in an email from Anthony.
Beyond Boundaries is a community organisation in Commondale that offers fully inclusive training, activities, sports and courses in the beautiful countryside and coast of North Yorkshire. Since January this year, our staff have been working with Beyond Boundaries to support Hayden, 26 from Whitby, who has learning difficulties. Hayden currently receives care from Walsingham Support 5 days a week and spends time with his support workers shopping, walking and whatever he prefers. “He loves to walk and be out and about so we focus on that,” says Leah, Locality Manager. Two of these days are spent with Beyond Boundaries. Several activities are on the agenda there: feeding the animals, bike rides, helping to keep the farm running or even a course in dry stone walling which Hayden recently participated in, a typical Yorkshire day out then! Community, consistency, and education are the real focus here and together with Beyond Boundaries we believe they are key elements to supporting each individual to achieve their goals.
Before Hayden transitioned to Walsingham Support his attendance at Beyond Boundaries had been inconsistent. However, since our team began supporting Hayden at the start of this year the positive impact in the different approach by our staff has been remarkable: “We have seen a massive improvement in the young man’s whole character. His mental health, physical wellbeing and social skills have all improved dramatically” says Anthony.
Special mention was made to 2 support workers in particular: Mark and Liz, who both joined Supported Living North East during the past year. “Both Mark and Liz bring so much experience and drive to the job that Hayden is proving to be reliable, more mature and self-confident. Hayden is making friends (guided by Mark and Liz) which is all adding to make one very happy young man.”
What makes Walsingham Support staff stand out is their friendly professionalism, combined with a ‘can-do’ attitude and a passion for supporting people. Our partnership with Beyond Boundaries has enabled us to fulfill this passion: supporting people with disabilities to be happy and to reach their full potential, and to work together to enable greater independence for each individual. We believe that Hayden’s continuing development reflects this.
Anthony continues: “Liz and Mark are two dedicated support workers who are a credit to your organisation…they both arrive smiling and full of enthusiasm all of which is a positive influence upon the client in their care…It is a pleasure to work alongside Mark and Liz and to be linked to Walsingham Support.”
It fills us with pure joy to receive positive comments such as this from the people that we work with, knowing that the people we support are benefitting from our care, and that our staff’s enthusiasm, hard work and professionalism is bring recognised. After all, at Walsingham Support, our people are the linchpin of the organisation and all the work that we do.
The comments have also been unsurprisingly welcomed by the 9 dedicated staff members at Supported Living North East, including 7 support workers, who work around the clock to enable the people we support to live their lives to the full. Leah says: “It made me feel so proud as a manager. And then to pass the news onto the team, it makes the job worthwhile.”
We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with Beyond Boundaries in the years to come and to carry on supporting Hayden in his inspiring progress. “It is great to see something being done well and this is such a case,” says Anthony. We couldn’t put it better ourselves!