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SSBA - A Positive Future Ahead

Changes at the Scottish Spina Bifida Association (SSBA)

A Positive Future Ahead

Over recent months there have been significant changes to staffing within SSBA. This has been partly due to the impact of the recession, where it has become increasingly difficult to raise enough money to continue some of the core services we have enjoyed over the years, and partly as staff have moved onto new posts.

In March of this year Anne Kane, our Groupwork and Financial Support Co-ordinator left to enjoy early retirement and in May of this year Anne Metcalfe left to take up a new post in Edinburgh.

This has meant that the remaining key staff in Direct Services, Lisa Henderson (Senior Specialist Nurse), Sophie Teear (North of Scotland Co-ordinator) and Mary Anne McCafferty (SEA Change Co-ordinator) have been ably taking on some of the additional work in dealing with your general enquiries, in addition to their usual roles.

Because of these difficult financial times we are determined to look at ways of developing additional services for children, young people and adults throughout Scotland who depend on our support. We have listened to your feedback and are responding to the needs you have identified by providing important projects to improve independence and social skills and, most importantly, to improve the lives of those living with the conditions through health awareness, support and training.

Thanks to the huge amount of effort by the staff here at The Dan Young Building, there are over 7 new projects being developed right now for the coming 12 months, with the following being launched in the next few weeks and months:

The Positive Connections Project. Led by Project Co-ordinator, Joanne Milligan, this project will support group work for 3 age specific groups (8 to 12, 13 to 17 and 18 to 25) for those living in North and South Lanarkshire and Glasgow City.

Breakaway Project. Led by Project Co-ordinator, Mel Cook, this project will support carers through offering respite for young people between the ages of 12 and 16 in North and South Lanarkshire, Glasgow City, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

Bring IT on Project. Scottish Government have extended our funding for another year to allow us to further develop and offer this innovative project offering internet access, for service users, to a Person Centred Health and Social Care Record. This will allow you to store all of your health and social care information in the one place (Hospital and GP Appointments, Visits from Social Work or other professionals), use Skype to link into our Nursing and Direct Service staff and making keeping well and managing your health and wellbeing fun and enjoyable. In addition, all of the information stored on our database, relating to any contacts you have had with our staff over the years, will be instantly available on this record. For Young People, there is also a special web based launch page where you can add your own material as and when you wish.

In addition, Lisa Henderson and Sophie Teear have been given additional time to extend the range of services they offer and to employ two new sessional workers, Wendy Hulse and Kelly Jovanic who will be supporting Sophie in the North.

The other projects in the pipeline are Finance and Benefit Advice for Families,Family Support in Lothian, Support for families in Tayside and Youth Work and Befriending Support in the North.

Longer term we are also hoping to open a Community Café at the Dan Young Building which will offer employment opportunities for our service users and we are investigating the possibility of a research project to look at understanding the particular challenges our young people face as they become eligible for the job market or are looking to enhance their employability opportunities.

As you can see, there are lots of positive changes ahead for the Association and I welcome any feedback you may have. Please call 01236 794500 or email mail@ssba.org.uk.

We hope you will see the real benefits of these changes over the coming months and you will support us to continue these improvements.

Andrew H D Wynd

Chief Executive, SSBA

June 2013