29/01/2015
IAS launches Stepping Out! A new service to connect people in the community with shared interests.
Stepping Out is a service designed to connect people in the community with shared interests and will be running sessions 7 days per week, mornings, afternoons and evenings. A huge variety of experiences in a group setting that cover leisure, pleasure, learning, contributing, health, fitness, work, self-advocacy and membership will be offered.
Some of the sessions are building based and some will be out and about in the community either joining as existing group or club or getting up to things such as visiting museums, cinemas and other places of interest. We have an in exhaustive list of ideas for the different sessions that we are hoping to set up, and we are currently able to meet demand and create sessions around interest that we receive from people.
Stepping Out will offer high quality person centred support in a group setting and is a modern alternative to traditional formal Day Services. People can achieve specific outcomes whilst they are at Stepping Out and will make new friendships that will continue outside of the service.
The service currently sits within Wigan North but is accessible to both everyone we support within Wigan and people new to our service. We are hoping that in the near future we can offer our sessions company wide. The support team is currently made up of existing IAS support staff who have asked to work within Stepping Out and we are now also recruiting for new staff specifically for this service so we can expand.
Whats going on now?
Tuesdays 10-4pm – This is a low arousal sensory session where people come along and are supported by Stepping Out to enjoy a day filled with various sensory experiences in a relaxed and low noise environment. We currently have an external charity called Sensorial joining us on this day with a mobile sensory room delivering two hour long sessions with an experienced session leader that everyone seems to enjoy. Wednesday 10-4pm. On Games day people join us to play various table top and more physically interactive games such as twister and table tennis. Everyone loves the vibrant atmosphere created by everyone socialising and having fun. There is a café onsite that everyone goes to for lunch that offers homemade delicious food. Thursdays 10-4pm. Make and Bake Leigh - this successful group has been running for numerous years, set up by dedicated support staff in order for the people we support to come together and enjoy learning new cooking skills and take part in arts and crafts activities. Friday 10-4pm Make and Bake Hindley- This is a new session set up as a duplicate day as the Thursday one is so popular we wanted to be able to offer additional places. The Friday version is designed to be a quieter more relaxed day for people who prefer to socialise in this type of environment. Everybody brings along their ingredients for whatever is on the menu then cooks a delicious meal either for their lunch or to take away.
The Next steps for Stepping Out.
We will have two new sessions starting in the next few weeks and Stepping Out will continue to grow. The two new groups are still in the early stages but are likely to be a life skills session starting on a Monday 10-4pm where people come together to develop themselves in any area of their lives whether it be reading, writing, maths skills, managing their own finances, safely taking control of their own medication, health and safety skills etc. We are also planning a Music and singing group to take place on a Wednesday evening where people can join us in a themed sing a long and bring a long a musical instrument to complement our singing talent.
In the future as well as the regular weekly sessions taking place we will also be offering outings, events and holidays that people can join us on. The aim is to have a session available to suit everybody we support in Wigan within the next twelve months.
Accessibility
Currently people who would like to access our service can do so by contacting myself, Caroline Pilling at either the Leigh office on 01942 269467 or by emailing steppingout@imagineactandsucceed.co.uk. I will then arrange to meet you and discuss what we have to offer and the cost of the support. If you decide to join us, all that is left is for you to do is come along and join us at Stepping Out, having fun, learning and making new friends!