Find out why Sunnyside House is a Winner of Winners

News release 17 July 2012

Skills for Care has released a new DVD celebrating the work of Sunnyside House who were Winner of Winners at the prestigious Skills for Care Accolades in March 2012.

Entries are now open for the Accolades 2012/13 and the DVD shares the innovative work the team at Sunnyside House are doing to support people with learning disabilities in Thurrock.

The DVD features Sunnyside House Managing Director Andrew Azzopardi talking about the My Life Programme that uses a series of interactive teaching units to prepare the people they work with for independent living.

Hear about Catherine, the first person to live independently after completing the My Life programme, explain the pros and cons of living independently. Then listen to Allen, who didn't speak for seven years before coming to Sunnyside House but now takes part in talent contests, and Josh who has joined a local amateur dramatic group.

"I've visited Sunnyside House and was very impressed by the innovative work the team are doing to give people real choice and control over their own lives. This innovative, person centred work rightly earned them our top Accolade," says Skills for Care CEO Sharon Allen.

"The Accolades are not only about celebrating excellence but also sharing learning, so this DVD is a fascinating snapshot of what Sunnyside do so well which we hope other organisations will find useful."

Skills for Care has released a new DVD celebrating the work of Sunnyside House who were Winner of Winners at the prestigious Skills for Care Accolades in March 2012.

Entries are now open for the Accolades 2012/13 and the DVD shares the innovative work the team at Sunnyside House are doing to support people with learning disabilities in Thurrock.

The DVD features Sunnyside House Managing Director Andrew Azzopardi talking about the My Life Programme that uses a series of interactive teaching units to prepare the people they work with for independent living.

Hear about Catherine, the first person to live independently after completing the My Life programme, explain the pros and cons of living independently. Then listen to Allen, who didn't speak for seven years before coming to Sunnyside House but now takes part in talent contests, and Josh who has joined a local amateur dramatic group.

"I've visited Sunnyside House and was very impressed by the innovative work the team are doing to give people real choice and control over their own lives. This innovative, person centred work rightly earned them our top Accolade," says Skills for Care CEO Sharon Allen.

"The Accolades are not only about celebrating excellence but also sharing learning, so this DVD is a fascinating snapshot of what Sunnyside do so well which we hope other organisations will find useful."

To watch the DVD go to http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/videolibrary/Sunnyside_1.aspx

To find more about the Skills for Care Accolades or to download an entry form go to www.skillsforcare.org.uk/accolades

Media enquiries:

Paul Clarke: 0113 2411297/ 07977519287. paul.clarke@skillsforcare.org.uk

Notes to editors:

1. Skills for Care is the employment-led strategic body for workforce development in adult social care in England, which is licensed jointly with its UK allies by UKCES to be the 'Skills for Care and Development' Sector Skills Council (SSC). Both organisations are chaired by Professor David Croisdale-Appleby. The other members of the SSC are the Children's Workforce Development Council (also for England), the General Social Care Council, the Scottish Social Services Council, the Care Council for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Social Care Council.
2. Skills for Care forms a strategic overview of workforce needs in adult social care, which accounts for nearly 1.56 million workers spread over 48,300 establishments employing care staff. Skills for Care members are drawn from groups representing public, private and voluntary sector care employers, along with representatives of staff, trainers, service users and informal carers. Social care includes residential care, domiciliary care and social work with all its specialisms.
3. Skills for Care and its SSC allies promote and develop the social care sector's National Occupational Standards which are statements of competence that describe 'best practice'.
4. Skills for Care area networks are major brokers of funding for social care workforce development.