Kibble Admin

Last week we welcomed a group of Japanese visitors to our Paisley campus to explore the range of services for children and young people.

The academic visitors have gathered from universities across Japan as part of The Japanese Society of Social Pedagogy. The newly formed group travelled to Europe to research how social pedagogy is accepted, promoted and practised in European countries. As part of their visit, the group was shown around Kibble’s residential care houses, Safe Centre and schools. The purpose of the visit was to share best practice and knowledge which could then be applied in a Japanese residential care setting.

At Kibble we pride ourselves in our commitment to social pedagogy, a practice that ensures the well-being, learning and growth of individuals. It ensures young people are connected with society in terms of their inclusion and contribution.

Kibble’s model of integrated care, education and support is one that organisations across the world come to see first-hand. In fact, the latest visit by Japanese academics is one of more than 40 international visits within the last 2 years. Jim Gillespie, chief executive of Kibble said, “We were thrilled to host the professors to learn about how social pedagogy informs practice, and it’s our hope that the trip has been informative and helpful in shaping how services move forward.

“As a care, education and employment provider for young people, it’s vital that we share information, learning and experiences that will improve services across the world; likewise, we are always very eager to learn about best practice from our colleagues, to ensure the best quality of life for our young people.”

Professor Shigeyuki Mori, clinical psychologist from Konan University, said: “Currently in Japan, we have a system for teaching and a system for social work but there has been no social pedagogy system until now.

“By visiting Scotland and other European countries, we’ve noticed many differences in the ways social pedagogy is practised varying on location, which we will consider among implementation across the many different regions of Japan.

“For extremely traumatised children, safety and care is not enough.

“Our visit to Kibble has been very beneficial to allow us to understand how we can introduce the approach within our services, learning from the young person’s response to care to provide more stimulus.”

We were delighted to welcome Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People’s Commissioner in Scotland, to Kibble earlier this week. This was Bruce’s first visit to Kibble and he joined us for a whistle-stop tour, catching up with young people in our residential services and the Safe Centre, before taking part in the fortnightly Who Cares? Scotland participation group.

During the group, young people discussed lots of different topics. At previous participation groups they’d talked in-depth about what young people can legally do in Scotland and at what age, with a strong focus on entertainment such as cinema, social media and DVD ratings.

The young people’s thoughts and comments were captured in a poster and this was used as a discussion point with Bruce to talk about the differences experienced by young people living in a care setting and their non-care experienced peers.

At Kibble, we place great importance on young people having the opportunity to voice their opinions and input into decisions that affect them. There are various ways young people can do this such as school council meetings, consultations, through their key worker, house meetings etc. This was also a great opportunity for young people to have their say and be listened to.

Bruce will be chairing the annual European Federation of Conflict Management in Education and Care (EFeCT) Symposium in Glasgow city centre on 15 May. This year’s event, ‘Enriching Young Lives: Therapeutic Steps Toward Healing the Hurt’ will be hosted by Kibble and will explore trauma-informed perspectives in working alongside children and young people.

Kibble’s Gender Pay Gap Report for 2018 is now available to view online. To access the report, please click on the link below:

Event: Enriching young lives – Therapeutic Steps Toward Healing the Hurt 
Date: 15th May 2019
Time: 8.30am – 4.45pm
Location: Principal Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow
Price: £149  

Book your place at this year’s EFeCT Symposium – the annual event for The European Federation of Conflict Management in Education and Care (EFeCT).

Kibble is delighted to host this years’ event which will take place in Glasgow. This engaging event will be delivered at the Principal Grand Central Hotel. The symposium will attract a host of international delegates to explore trauma-informed perspectives in working alongside children and young people; including everyone’s role in responding to healing the hurt inside.

About the Symposium

International experts on trauma-informed care will deliver presentations and chair conversations with delegates. Speakers presenting at this years’ symposium include:

• Howard Bath, The Three Pillars of Trauma-informed Care
• Shumela Ahmed, Resilience Learning Partnership – harnessing lived experience through a trauma-informed lens
• Mark Freado, Director Growing Edge Training Ohio – Connecting Trauma and Life Space Crisis Intervention
• Frank Fecser, President of Life Space Crisis Intervention & Mary Ellen Fecser, Consultant/trainer of the Positive Education Program in Cleveland, USA –  Positive Education
• Dan Johnson, Clinical Director, Kibble – a trauma-informed model in practice

Who is the event for?

This event is suitable for a wide-audience group interested in improving the life chances of children and young people affected by trauma including:

• European LSCI Trainers
• EFeCT members
• social care sector
• child and youth care
• educators
• psychologists
• managers
• researchers
• policy makers
• students

View event timetable

View keynote speakers

Cost

One-day event package costs £149. The price includes tea, coffee and lunches.

Bookings closed.

Accommodation and Travel

We have a number of discounted rooms allocated for EFeCT delegates. Rooms are discounted at 15% and can be booked on a first-come-first-served basis. To enquire about accommodation, please contact the hotel directly on 0141 240 3700 stating the code ‘EFeCT 2019’.

Alternatively, please visit the Principal Grand Central Hotel website to book online. When using the online booking form, please enter the promotion code FUNC15 to apply the discounted rate.

For a full list of hotels in the Glasgow area, please visit the Glasgow City Marketing Bureau website. Please be mindful that some hotels may be outside of the city centre.

Further Information

If you have any questions about the event, or having difficulties registering, please email gemma.gallacher@kibble.org or  patricia.walls@kibble.org. Alternatively, please call 0141 889 0044.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has heard from young people living in care at one of Kibble’s specialist sites in Paisley, home to those who have experienced significant trauma and adversity.

The visit was part of her commitment to listen to the voices and experiences of 1,000 people who are, or have been, in care.

The FM spent yesterday afternoon (21 January) learning about how it feels to be in secure care, understanding the environment that is home to the young people and hearing about the personal experiences from some of the young people there.

The First Minister made her commitment to listen to 1,000 Voices in 2016 and, shortly afterwards, announced the Independent Care Review which is chaired by Fiona Duncan.  The Review will look at, not only the experience of being in care, but also what causes children and young people to come into care in the first place as well as what happens when they leave.

Kibble is committed to developing its current services in line with The Review through its care for young people, while providing them with an education that is extended into the workforce within their social enterprises, and on to follow up support once they have left care.

The specialist care provider recently launched its Transition Team, offering extended support to care leavers to ensure they make positive and healthy steps as they move into an independent life with further education and employment.

The First Minister learned more about each of the care provider’s initiatives during her tour of the premises, which included a visit to the Safe Centre where young people, some with mental health issues, receive individual treatment plans enhanced by new and innovative interventions.

Jim Gillespie, chief executive at Kibble, said: “It was an honour to welcome the First Minister to our Paisley campus as part of the 1,000 Voices initiative, giving those living in care the platform to be heard like never before.

“It is imperative that the children and young people living in care are helping to shape the services that they encounter around the clock, using their own experiences, views and lessons learned to constantly improve and develop the way we look after our current and future generations.

“Our services continue to be redefined each year as we work closely with the young people on campus and around Scotland to ensure that they are given a chance at life. It is our hope that the outcome of 1,000 Voices initiative will support us in our offering of safe and supportive housing, education and employment for some of the most vulnerable young people in Scotland.”

First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am determined that we do everything we can to improve the life chances of young people in care who depend on us to make sure they enjoy safe, fulfilling, secure and loving childhoods.  Responsibility for young people with care experience is arguably the single most important responsibility I have and that is why I have made it a priority to improve the support we provide and it is why I commissioned the Independent Care Review.

“It was my absolute privilege to meet the young people at the Kibble safe centre and Mossway residential house and to hear how Kibble is supporting their specific needs.  I am clear that any support we provide to children and young people must have their best interests and welfare at heart so I was pleased to see this ethos underpinning everything that Kibble is designing and delivering for its young people.”

Kibble owned social enterprise recorded its highest year on year sales since opening in 2014. The Experience, a go-karting and entertainment venue in Hillington Park, has reported a 10% increase in turnover compared to this time last year.

The Experience is home to a go-karting arena, café, laser tag, conference centre, kids party rooms and sensory room. The vans used by Kibble have recently been liveried in new Experience branding, and it is hoped that they will become a familiar site in Paisley.

Jim Gillespie, Chief Executive of Kibble, said:

“The Experience is a business with a difference. As a social enterprise, every penny spent is reinvested into providing training and employment opportunities to local young people.

“I want to thank each and every one of our customers for their support this year, and we hope that next year is even better.”

Plans to install a brand-new soft play centre for younger kids are well advanced and the appointment of a new General Manager means hopes are high for an ever better 2019.

General Manager of The Experience, Justin Way, said:

“The New Year will see some exciting developments for our customers. The objective remains the same, to provide first class customer service and an adrenaline fuelled day for people of all ages.

“Why not drop in to see what we can offer?”

It’s been a busy and exciting few weeks at Kibble as the young people and staff team have been getting ready for Christmas.

The schools, care houses, Safe Centre, community houses and social enterprises have been buzzing with the spirit of Christmas. Pupils have taken to the stage to entertain audiences in their X-Mas Festival, there’s been Christmas Fayres, parties and nativity performances, not to mention an endless amount of fundraising for others that need a helping hand. As CEO at Kibble, I’ve been overwhelmed with pride for the young people, who despite their own difficulties have recognised the plight of others and given their all to make Christmas time a little easier for some.

On a freezing cold November night with the rain lashing, a group of boys and staff slept out to raise vital funds for the homeless charity Social Bite. Despite the awful weather conditions through the night, the young people embraced it and enjoyed spending time together and supporting such a great cause. So far, they have raised over £400 and with money still coming in, they’re hoping to smash their £500 target! The experience gave the boys a deeper understanding and compassion for those without a home and warm bed. The kindness that they have shown is incredible and we are all very proud of what they have done to help others.

In one of the other care houses, the young people have been avidly seeking donations of male and female bags filled with warm clothing, sanitary products, food items and gifts for the homeless. The young people and care staff will be heading out over the festive period to hand these out to those living on the streets to bring some joy in a difficult situation. The young people will be supporting the Glasgow City Mission who provide Christmas dinner, warmth, a kind ear and helping hand to those living on the streets at Christmas.

But the charity-giving and selflessness hasn’t stopped there, young people and staff across Kibble have been gathering up items of non-perishable food items, toiletries and gifts to make up Christmas Hampers. The hampers will be delivered to nearby food banks on Christmas Eve to help local people living in crisis and unable to afford food and other basic needs. At the Hillington Park Church foodbank, run by the Trussell Trust, 183 people sought food parcels on the Friday before Christmas alone.

Alongside this, pupils in education raised an incredible £160 for charity Save the Children. They raised funds through their X-Mas festival performance in front of a packed audience, as well as Christmas Jumper day on 14th December. The Safe Centre Christmas Fayre also helped raise vital funds for ME Action Scotland.

As you can see it’s certainly been a season of kindness and giving and I’m overwhelmed by the generosity of the young people and staff who have gone above and beyond to help others. As I sit here about to head home to my family and keep my son amused for a few hours longer as he excitedly awaits Santa’s arrival, I’m reminded by how much love and warmth exists in our Kibble family. This is what Christmas is all about; not turkey, Santa, mince pies and mistletoe. It’s about gathering together to show kindness and love.

On behalf of myself and all of us at Kibble, I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2019.

Jim

YOUNG people from Kibble tackled the big questions on religion, politics and morality as part of UNESCO’s World Philosophy Day. A panel debate with Fr Dennis Carlin, Cllr Mags McLaren and Kibble Head Teacher Tom Laurie took questions from young people on topics such as the existence of God, assisted suicide, the legalisation of cannabis, and the justification for experiments involving animals.

World Philosophy Day is a global celebration targeted at young people that is designed to encourage critical thinking, independent thought and debate. First held in 2005, it has grown into a major event with thousands of participants and events on every continent.

Speaking after the debate Tom Laurie, Head Teacher at Kibble, said:

“The quality of the debate and the ideas being discussed in the room were first class. Being able to interact and hear first-hand from the panel has been hugely valuable for our pupils.

“Philosophy is not an abstract concept that applies to a few academics in a university. It is something that allows us to contemplate about the world we live in and our place in it. I want to thank our guests who took part in today’s event and got the young people thinking.”

Father Dennis said:

“This is the second time I have participated in this debate with young people from Kibble and I am amazed at how well they argued their differing points of view.

“The articulate and confident nature in how they expressed their opinions is a credit to themselves. My thanks go to the staff and young people at Kibble for inviting me along.”

Cllr Mags McLaren said:

“There were many thoughtful questions and points on what can be considered controversial issues. It was heartening to hear how the young people respectfully heard each other’s point of view, even if they agreed with them or not.”

In the week leading up to Remembrance Sunday, Kibble’s Gannochy Trust Centre for Expressive Arts was transformed into a scene reminiscent of the 1940s.

Young and old gathered together to join in a chorus of songs that were sung during the war and stories were swapped around the table as everyone enjoyed some high tea. And it wasn’t just chatter and the clatter of crockery that could be heard – there was the distinct sound of clicking knitting needles as our guests showed the younger generation how it’s done!

The ages of those in attendance may have spanned the generations, but everyone came together as they paid a moving tribute to the fallen, which was particularly poignant with this year marking 100 years since the end of World War I.

As music teacher Alexis Urie explained: “Kibble’s been hosting this event for a number of years now. It’s an excellent example of an intergenerational learning project where people come together and have the opportunity to find out more about each other. It’s also important for young people to learn about the war and the effects it had on people’s lives. Our young hosts were exceptional and played a key role in making the day special for everyone who attended.”

We’re looking forward to continuing the tradition at Kibble next year.