Kate Toms presentation, Doing Different Things conference, December 4th 2014

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DOING DIFFERENT THINGS

atMenter fachwen

since 1988

4th December 2014 Menter Fachwen

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The Menter Fachwen project was started in 1988 out of a need to do things differently. We were established as an alternative to Institutions and the more traditional Adult Training Centres. We were guided by the principles of the All Wales Strategy.



In 1983 the Welsh Office launched the All Wales Strategy to develop services for people with learning disabilities. It had three basic principles in mind:

1. People with learning disabilities have a right to a normal pattern of life in their communities.

We do this by working in and around our beautiful Llanberis Valley. Community is a key word here. Everyone needs a reason to get up in the morning, opportunities to socialise and make friends. We need stimulating, interesting activities to look forward to. How do you measure a feeling of well being? but that is what its all about.

2. People with learning disabilities should be treated as individuals.

We do this by embracing Person Centred Approaches foe everyone, staff and volunteers included.

3. People with learning disabilities will develop their maximum potential as individuals with help from their local communities and from professional services.

We do this by ensuring that people have opportunities for progression, whether those steps are tiny or huge, progression must at the heart of everything we do.

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Restoration work was carried out by local volunteers and funded by small grants and money raised from a MF charity shop in Bangor. £3 = 1 bag of cement. People were passionate and believed in the project.


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Our first Service Level Agreement (SLA)Two people who lived near the project came from Adult Training Centre on a Service Level Agreement contract with the Local Authority.


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We have nine small enterprises on five different sites in and around the Llanberis Valley.

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Caban Y Cwm Cafe & ICT suite Cwm Y Glo

Greenworks – Craig y Wylan: Joinery & Ty Twydyr: Horticulture

EB’s Coffee Shop & Bakery Deiniolen

Padarn Cafe & Cwm Derwen: Conservation Site Fachwen

Walk and Discover Centre & Caxton House Shop, Llanberis


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“a social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners”(DTI 2002)

The Menter Fachwen Social Enterprise Businesses

What is a Social Enterprise?


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Green Works - Joinery

• Making wooden products.

• Recycling and up-cycling wood.

• Using wood that would otherwise go into landfill sites.

• Wooden furniture repairs.

• Contracts with local schools.

• Supplying our new shop in Llanberis with gorgeous gift items.


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Ty Gwydr - Horticulture:• Contracts with local businesses.

• Selling plants and produce at local fairs.

• Contracts for local community councils.

• Working with local schools.

• Gardening contracts.

• Supplying our shop in Llanberis.

• We also volunteer at a local nursing home.


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Cwm Derwen: Fachwen• Maintaining the 8 acre conservation

site.

• Clearing and maintaining the local footpath networks for various community councils.

• Working closely with Environmental Wales and our next door neighbours at Parc Padarn.

• Working in partnership with the Llanberis lake Railway.


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EB’s Cafe & Bakery Deiniolen

• Producing and selling cakes, biscuits, bara brith, pickles, chutneys and jams.

• Coffee shop.

• Selling produce to local shops and businesses.

• Catering for buffets.

• Room hire.

• Running a village vegetable Co-op scheme.


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Padarn Cafe Fachwen

• A seasonal cafe popular with tourists & walkers.

• Working in partnership with Llanberis Lake Railway.

• Production of delicious food for our hampers.

• Available for special occasions, teddy bears picnic, Halloween, themed evenings etc.

• Open 7 days a week in summer


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Caban Y Cwm Cafe: Cwm Y Glo

• Small busy community cafe.

• IT classes & free wi - fi for our customers.

• Available for buffets.

• Meeting rooms available free if refreshments are purchased.

• Special occasions – BBQ’s, Christmas Dinners etc.

• Selling produce at local fairs.


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Just a few of our products.


Caxton House Walk & Discover Centre and Shop: High Street, Llanberis.

4th December 2014 14Menter Fachwen

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Menter Fachwen Volunteers.

• In 2014 we had 14 Volunteers.

• Their value to our organisation cannot be underestimated.

• Local volunteers are the eyes and ears of the community.

• People volunteer for their own reasons.


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£ Where does our income come from?

• Approximately 15% from the Social Enterprises. We are focusing our efforts on increasing this income.

• We have a Service Level Agreement with Local Authority to work with people who have a Learning Disability.

• We have contracts with individuals. Direct Payments, Independent Living Fund.

• Income from grants usually to start new projects.


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2014 Our relationship with Local Authority is strong:

• Social Enterprise Forum – Strategic & Improvement Department.

• Training – We are proud to be part of Gwynedd Workforce Development.

• Hen Orsaf – Sharing a site with Highways & Municipal Department.

• Ty Elidir – We have recently taken over the lease for this property. Economy & Community Development Department.

• Service Level Agreement – Social Services Housing & Leisure Department.

• Commissioner on ‘work experience’ Facing the Future Together project.


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Community Involvement : Every opportunity to get involved with our community.


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Is the job too big for us?


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We want to be involved in regular activities.

Its important to us that we are involved in the community not ‘special or discreet groups’


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•We take advantage of any opportunity to mingle with local people, a good example is fruit picking.

•We use the apples & plums to make chutneys, jams & pickles.

•More profit for our Social Enterprise and the best way to mix with our neighbours.


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We use public transport whenever we can.

• Opportunities to mix with local people.

• Promotes independence.

• Making connections.

• It’s an ordinary way to travel.

• Saves on mileage.


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Doing things differently:

• We made a case study, we sent it to the Service Manager at the Social Services, they came to meet the gentleman.

• This led to a multi agency task group.

• A little extra funding paid for ‘understanding dementia’ training.

• We were able to change with him.

• Because of these changes five people who have dementia have been able to stay with us.

• Savings for the Local Authority.


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Menter Fachwen working in India

• Working with a Charity in Kerala Since 2008.

• Exchange visits both ways.

• We have formed strong links with each other.

• Taking the principle of Person Centred Planning to India.

• Helped to form and establish the Institute of person centred Approaches in India (IPCAI)

• Connecting Ysgol Cwm y Glo with local schools in Kottayam.


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Making new friends at Ashabhavan in India.


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Institute of Person Centred Approaches in India (IPCAI) est: 2011


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2014: 100’s of professionals now trained and practicing Person centred Approaches to working with people.


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Thank you for listening.

Do you have any questions for me?


Government & Nonprofit

Kate Toms presentation, Doing Different Things conference, December 4th 2014