Leading health and wellbeing charity Pioneering Care Partnership are delighted to announce that Together 21 have been nominated as a finalist in the ‘Groups Making a Difference’ category at this year’s North East Equality Awards. Carol Gaskarth said: “This prestigious award, recognises the achievements of local organisations, individuals and groups in embedding inclusivity through good equality and diversity practices.”
This annual event organised by Equality North East celebrates those who’ve pioneered in leading the way to a fairer future for all. Together with those who continue to strive for, and achieve, fairness in an increasingly competitive economy. Those who demonstrate that diversity and inclusion make sound business sense and make a real difference to the lives of people from all walks of life.
In April 2016 PCP began working with a group of parents and carers of children with Down syndrome and established a project entitled ’Together 21’. Together 21, which is parent led, aims to help children and young people with Down syndrome and their parents acquire essential skills that will equip them to meet the future with confidence and maximize their potential.
Together 21 allows parents to get to know each other, providing a friendship and peer support network for families at a time when they can feel excluded from their existing friendship groups. The prospect of raising a child with Down syndrome can be daunting, scary and lonely, however Together 21 helps parent to see how the older children have developed and, whilst recognising that children are unique, this provides a positive experience for parents and carers who can be coming to terms with the diagnosis during the first few weeks. Recognising what children can do, practicing techniques to aid development and having good role models is important and Together 21 embraces this. The group works tirelessly to raise awareness and promote positive perceptions about Down Syndrome within mainstream schools, local communities and the workplace.
A group member said: “This is an excellent provision for our daughter. She loves to come each week and it supports her in her life skills. With pressures of schools to provide an academic service this provision has been vital to support her everyday life, without this it would leave a big hole in her progress.”
Carol Gaskarth said: “I hope PCP’s application has done them justice. Parents and carers should rightly be very proud of the achievements of their children and also themselves. Without the tenacity of the initial parents who contributed in the early planning stages, Together 21 would not exist and be thriving. No matter what the outcome we want you to know that PCP is incredibly proud of all you and the children achieve and it’s a privilege to be able to support Together 21. Fingers crossed!” The finalist will be announced at an awards ceremony which will be held on 25th October 2018.
For further information about PCP or Together 21 please contact us at the Pioneering Care Centre, Carer’s Way, Newton Aycliffe,DL5 4SF tel: 01325 321234 email: enquiries@pcp.uk.net website: www.pcp.uk.net or follow us on Twitter: @PioneeringCare and Facebook: @PCPandCentre
