Brothers of Charity opens new Monksland centre

Wednesday last was a big day for the Brothers of Charity South Roscommon, which officially opened a new Open Doors Rehabilitative Training Centre/Day Support Service in Monksland for people with intellectual disabilities. Over 100 people attended the official opening performed by CEO of the Brothers of Charity Margaret Glacken, local singer Paschal Brennan and service user Mikey Fitzgerald. At present local people from the South Roscommon area use the service, based opposite Elan in the Monksland Business Park, above Savoury Fare Restaurant. It is a multi-functional space which is used as a drop-in work environment and has been evolving for the past five years before now being launched officially as a model of individualised service provision for people with intellectual disabilities. Open Doors aims to support people firstly by entering into a specific three year rehabilitative training funded by the Health Service Executive. Through this programme, service users have the opportunity to pick modules and subjects they have an interest in and modules which will help them to develop and learn new skills to enhance their independence. Clients attending this programme also gained experience working in the community, learning about technology, social skills, accessing public transport and local amenities such as gyms, hotels and much more. Support staff assist individuals in connecting them within their own community. Some individuals have gained employment and supported employment within the mainstream community in businesses such as M&V Medical, Kennedy's Londis in Monksland, Hair Salon Athlone, Vincent Bannon's Service Station, O'Meara's Garage, First Stop Tyres, Peter Treist Printing, Koka Hair Salon and Pet World. Open Doors is co-ordinated alongside other services in the area such as residential/respite supports, supported living, outreach and family support. Local Co-ordinators and Social Worker are also based there. The co-ordinators and staff in the service work actively as part of a wider team to ensure quality services in the local area for people that experience intellectual disability. In Open Doors, when individuals finish the three year RT programme, dependant on funding. They are supported to have an individual plan which assists them to move on from training. Some people may go on to use Open Doors as a drop-in base to continue to develop their skills and continue with their work plans they have established from their training. Other people can apply for a place in Open Doors for generic day supports if they have completed RT elsewhere once they have funding from their local health office. The individualised model of service in Open Doors and in the Brothers of Charity in general encourages people to access the amenities that are available to them in the community as much as possible. Individuals in Open Doors get to meet with friends through catching for lunch at the local cafes - one in particular they like is Loaves and Fishes in Pearse Street shopping mall, which is central to a lot of the services individuals can avail of for example, the Westmeath VEC, and Dr Stevens Centre where many attend to strengthen and develop their skills for future careers and the Athlone Meals on Wheels where individuals give up their time to do some voluntary work. People who use the Brothers of Charity services are encouraged and supported to make individual choices about their lives rather than choices as members of a group. Open doors is about developing and supporting individualised services for people with an intellectual disability in their own communities. People are able to be supported to plan and choose what they do on a daily basis from the small things like choosing what to eat for lunch to the big things such as choosing where to live. The interests, dreams and aspirations of people are not addressed by looking at the needs of a group and group based outcomes. Rather each person is an individual with their own interests, talents and wishes where supports and opportunities enable people to take charge of their own lives. By attending Open Doors individuals are supported by people who are important in the person's life. A great example is one lady supported by Open Doors who attends the local Women's and Active Age group in Monksland Community Centre. The programme also avails of many inspiring and enthusiastic students from the Athlone Institute of Technology from the Social Studies course who like to gain experience working in this area. Many students then go on to do voluntary work afterward. The Brothers of Charity actively encourages the participation of students in a wide variety of settings throughout the services. Individuals attending Open Doors are authors of their own vision for their life, in which support is tailored for an individuals needs. Staff are mentored and encouraged to work as part of a team to support individuals and families to live full lives. In supporting individuals through their life journey family and friends play a vital role in their lives. Through support from families, friends and people who have an interest in the person and support staff, individuals get the opportunity to achieve life goals, gain experience in the work place, receive extra training to develop individual's own skills and follow careers they would like to explore.