Kibble Admin

Posted: November 29, 2023

On Tuesday 28^th November, we welcomed BUD to our Paisley Campus to support Goudie Academy pupils to learn the story of how the poppy came to be a symbol of remembrance. Run by Poppy Scotland, the interactive mobile museum travels across Scotland to share their archive, veterans’ stories and information on the poppy’s heritage.

In groups, pupils and teachers visited the BUD library where they were welcomed by Poppy Scotland staff to explore the exhibition, hear more about Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory and the historic poppy appeal. Pupils also got to make their own poppies using the special apparatus, with instructions led by interactive projections. It’s fair to same that the pupils got the knack a bit quicker than the staff!

In addition to learning about the history and heritage of the poppy, pupils also made special poppy wreaths made from recycled egg boxes which were painted red and displayed at special Remembrance Day assemblies at our schools.

To raise funds for the Poppy Appeal Scotland Charity, pupils took part in ‘The Big Poppy Bounce’, a sponsored space hop, and sold poppies across Kibble.

Poppy Scotland provides life-changing support to those who have served, those still serving and their families. Their poppy was created 100 years ago, to provide vital support to the Armed Forces community which it still does today. It is also a symbol of remembrance, helping us to learn from the past to positively impact our future.

We would like to give thanks for BUD and Poppy Scotland for coming to visit us and look forward to following their journey which is helping to inform the nation of the great, ongoing work of the charity.

Posted: November 27, 2023

Young people qualifying in Bike Maintenance have refurbished bikes to an impeccable condition. The bicycles are now on sale at affordable prices for Kibble employees who are shopping for Christmas gifts. The bike shop operates as a social enterprise with all profits reinvested into the entrepreneurial project.

The Skills Academy is Kibble’s education and training centre based in Hillington Park and St Mirren Football Club. Young people who are enrolled develop skills, gain qualifications and complete valuable work experience, which all help to build employability skills.

Our prospectus promises young people a varied curriculum with practical and entrepreneurial projects. Recent achievements have ranged from construction students renovating St Mirren’s training complex and refurbishing SMISA stadium’s hospitality entrance to a young aspiring car mechanic mentoring younger pupils interested in engineering too. The Bike Maintenance students have been working towards their SCQF qualification and the prestigious Saltire award while maintaining the bike fleet within Kibble’s PE Department and upcycling old bikes. The supportive learning environment helps young people feel a sense of achievement, boosting their confidence levels.

Entrepreneurial skills are an important factor of The Skills Academy. Our aim is for young people to learn the value in possessing knowledge and expertise in a life-long skill.

By students opening their own Bike Shop to our workforce, young people can develop an aptitude for business, finance, customer service and leadership. Young people are also appealing for staff to donate any unused bikes that are in repairable condition.

The recent initiative is part of The Skills Academy’s purpose to equip young people with qualifications and practical experience that can help them build a potential career and look towards a bright future.

Learn more about The Skills Academy

Posted: November 23, 2023

This summer, Connor, a young person at Kibble realised his dream to travel to the USA and work at the elusive Camp America. The journey to get there was long, and at times arduous, but his unwavering commitment to working at one of the world’s most famous children’s camps, meant he gave his all and had the time of his life.

Connor had always wanted to travel to the States, and inspired by others in his friend’s circle who had worked a summer at Camp America, decided to set this on his horizons. The decision to go was bourne out of a conversation he had with family support worker, Lisa, whose son had just returned from the trip. Lisa encouraged Connor to look into it further and decide if he wanted to take the idea forward. This was a big step for Connor, who at the age of 21, had never travelled without his foster carers and described himself as a “home bird”. After reviewing the website, he knew this was for him and so applied on line to take part in the interview process.

He successfully got through the first stage of the process and an initial call with the team at Camp America identified that Connor would make a good swimming instructor due to his interest and abilities. To ensure this was right for Connor, he was set a physical training programme by the Camp which included ten weeks of arduous training to build up his stamina in the water. Connor could climb a hill like a mountain goat according to Lisa, however he needed to work on his strength and endurance. So committed to his goal, Connor set the alarm for 7am three times a week to go swimming before college where he swam 30 lengths each time and built his strength at treading water. Lisa went along with Connor, and often Lisa’s son would join them too for added peer support and encouragement.

After ten weeks of training, Connor had passed the interview process with flying colours and was set for a summer of adventure in Lake Connecticut, Massachusetts.

But there was no time to rest, next stop Connor had to travel to the American Embassy in London to attain his Visa and complete all necessary checks. He travelled to London with Lisa, who ensured that he was able to navigate his way there, as well as around the city. This was important as Connor would be required to do this on his own when he eventually travelled to the States.

On the 5^th of June, the big day finally arrived for Connor to travel to the States and begin his Camp America Adventure. He was both nervous and excited, but had contacted another young person travelling too which made the experience a little less daunting. He waved cheerio to his foster family and held his head high as he stepped through the airport gates. Next stop… New York!

Connor spent two days in the Big Apple and took in the sights and sounds of the city! He saw the Statue of Liberty looming in the distance, the bright lights of Broadway and the famous Central Park. After a whistle wind tour, he boarded the train to the camp at Lake Connecticut alongside a number of other excited camp mates.

On arrival, they made their way to their tents to unpack their things and get to know the others at the camp. After a long day, everyone wearily went to their bunkbeds for some much-needed sleep before further training the following day. The training involved a swim test, and three days of lifeguard training which included diving for weights, and collecting hoops to sustain holding his breath. He also had to do CPR training and a theory test. Safe to say Connor passed the test and was ready to welcome a group of very excited children to experience their first summer at Camp America.

With the camp in full swing, Connor was primarily in the vital role of life guard by the lake. However, he also took part in other areas of the camp including creative arts, boating, swim lessons, climbing and mountain biking. He worked six days a week, with one evening off where he could catch up on washings and other duties. He excelled in everything that he did and no task was too much! He made great connections with the kids and staff alike.

“We all looked out for each other and had each other’s back. The kids were amazing and used to shout King Connor. We had so much fun and I have made friends for life.”

At the end of 11 weeks, it was time to head back home. The summer in Camp America had been life-changing for Connor and he was so proud of what he had achieved. He stepped out of his comfort zone and immersed himself in a new country, culture and group of people. The experience can’t be underestimated and Connor has made memories that will stay with him his whole life.

When he touched down in Glasgow, he couldn’t wait to share his stories with his foster family and Lisa who were eagerly waiting with banners to welcome him home. With America ticked off the list, the world is his oyster, and with a love for music and travel we can’t wait to hear where Connor’s next adventure will take him.

Posted: November 21, 2023

To mark the end of Care Experience week 2023, young people and staff at Kibble danced the night away at the highly anticipated Time to Shine Festival.

The annual event run by Who Cares? Scotland, provides an opportunity for Scotland’s Care Experienced community and their friends to get together, celebrate and have fun.

This years Festival transported party-goers to glittering Hollywood and the world of cinema with the theme “Film Characters”. This cinematic theme was chosen by Who Cares? Scotland members, and its fair to say that young people across Kibble embraced the theme with gusto! Among the film icons lining the red carpet from Kibble included ‘Daisy Duke’ from Dukes of Hazard, ‘Cassie’ from A Promising Young Woman, ‘Stitch’ from Disney’s Lilo and Stitch, and “Maverick” from Top Gun, to name a few.

The iconic celebrities were treated to an evening of dancing at a silent disco, a DJ, bucking bronco, a movie room playing Toy Story, a delicious street food stall and lots of party games from pass the parcel to musical statues.

When it came to the dancing, young people at Kibble did not hold back and were first on the dance floor throwing some shapes and entertaining fellow party goers. They also encouraged the younger children to get onto the stage and dance, showing them the moves and giving them the confidence to shine!

It was a fantastic evening and everyone was in high spirits. Events such as this provide a great opportunity for young people to meet new friends, come together and celebrate Care Experience week which seems to get bigger and better every year. Huge thanks to Who Cares? Scotland for organising another fantastic event, and to all the star-studded young people for their amazing costume efforts. We can’t wait to hear what next year’s theme will be!

Posted: November 20, 2023

Young people challenged staff to a fun game of football. The match involved young people and adults from Jura, Barra and Islay.

Young and old(er) football players met at the pitch for the friendly yet competitive match. Before kick-off the rules were explained with everyone agreeing to play a fair game.

Young people formed a team to try and out skill the adults and were determined to prove their footwork was up to the task. The young players showed brilliant enthusiasm and encouraged one another to keep heads up even when their older opponents scored a goal. Everyone laughed and enjoyed spending time together outside on the pitch.

One young player found the goalie’s performance hilarious: “For a free-kick we picked our goalie to take a turn. However, he kicked the ball so high that it flew out the back-pitch – thankfully we had a spare football.”

The game had everyone laughing, although, young people have requested a re-match!

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Jura is one of three houses within Kibble’s Safe Centre and it is filled with adults who protect young people, making sure they are safe and happy. Jura’s staff team dedicated a day to team-building as part of their vision to continue learning, grow their service and help young people be the best versions of themselves.

The Development Day Agenda

The development day was held within one of St Mirren’s conference rooms allowing everyone to focus solely on the activities planned. It was an opportunity for the entire team to connect, reflect and implement new ideas. Insightful presentations were included too.

Kibble’s Specialist Interventions Services (SIS) team of psychologists and therapists joined to deliver a training session about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

Jura’s management team led a discussion on house ethos with everyone sharing their pride on being part of a fun-loving and friendly team as kids respond to the genuine camaraderie.

“Laughter is the best medicine”
Jura’s new house motto

The personalised house slogan was a product of the team spending the day together as they agreed both adults and kids have great fun together with plenty of jokes and laughs.

Overall Jura truly represents Kibble’s value of belonging.

Posted: November 16, 2023

Investors in People (IIP) is a prestigious accreditation presented to outstanding organisations who empower their workforce and have formally recognised Kibble as an organisation who prioritise their staff team.

Kibble understands the employees who work across all services are our most valuable resource. Therefore, Kibble strives to invest in people, motivating each staff member to drive forward the shared mission of ‘transforming lives, families and communities’.

The IIP framework evaluates companies across three key areas: leading, supporting and improving. Through the evaluation, Kibble achieved ‘Gold’ status with the results illustrating that for several categories, we are operating at the higher Platinum level, a standard met by only 2% of the companies assessed.

Kibble’s results outlined in the IIP Framework

Kibble’s ambitious nature of helping young people thrive and opening much-needed new services is brought to life by our staff team who want to develop themselves. It is understood that to get the best from people, we must support their personal and professional goals as the organisation and wider care sector can benefit. Through continued learning and further training, our staff can identify the need for new ways of working and help Kibble continue to evolve. This has led to Kibble investing in career development opportunities for employees as well as implementing initiatives that promote a good work-life balance.

The IIP report credited our people for being the ‘backbone of Kibble’ and highlighted that our dedication to health and wellbeing and learning and development was shown through the following actions –

Our own trauma-informed model of care includes ‘Skilled and Supported Staff’ as a key component to our practice. By investing in qualified staff and further training and development, we had the expertise to open new essential services.
Kibble agreed in 2022, in line with previous years, to increase the rate of pay in line with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) recommendation, which resulted in an above average 5% pay increase.
Increased recruitment ensured young people received consistent love and care from familiar faces while colleagues were supported by a steady and competent workforce.
Strategic plans for succession meant new roles were introduced for experienced Child and Youth Care Workers to continue professional development.
Kibble has achieved sector-leading results from the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland.
An evolving staff benefits package reflective of employee demands. Each employee has access to a free gym membership, physiotherapy, a health cashback scheme, and other benefits with the services continually enhancing in line with the competitive job market.
Research drives forward improvements across all operations from the opening of new services to upgraded ways of working using new technology.
Partnerships are valued and included within The Skills Academy’s student-led social business enterprises, bringing value to the services offered to the community. Additionally, our partnership with St Mirren Football Club is working to strengthen youth employment.

Jim Gillespie, Kibble Chief Executive, shared: “It is with great pride Kibble accepts the ‘Gold’ status for investing in people and investing in young people.

“We do understand that the difference Kibble makes to the lives of children, young people and families is only possible due to our driven and caring staff team and to be recognised for respecting and prioritising our workforce is an honour.

“We will continue to invest in the individuals who dedicate themselves to developing a rewarding career with us. Our aim has always been to ensure each employee has access to the support and resources needed to change the lives of young people who have faced adversity and give them the best chance at life.”

Karen Kerr, Kibble HR Manager, said: “Kibble stays true to its values of Respect, Ambition and Belonging by listening to employees and ensuring their needs are considered within overall business operations.

“The ‘Gold’ status from Investors in People confirms our commitment to our workforce and the fact there is an opportunity to build a long-term career with us. We will match your ambitions by supporting you complete valuable training and gain further qualifications.”

Overall, Kibble is ambitious with the aim of helping more young people through prioritising a skilled and supported workforce and are proud to have received Investors in People and Investors in Young People ‘Gold’ status.

Posted: October 31, 2023

So far, Halloween 2023 has been extremely busy for Kibble. Beware, great fun ahead. Read on to discover what we’ve been up to this spooky season from putting up decorations everywhere to creating sculptures for Paisley’s Halloween Festival and hosting our own Halloween Disco.

Look at Our Halloween House Décor

Each house has transformed into a spectacular Halloween haunt with young people showcasing their personality and imagination through ‘spook-tacular’ displays of spider webs, pumpkins and ceiling decorations.

Kibble’s official Spooky House Competition is set for Wednesday 1st November where the judges will be on the look out for

Scariest Design
Funniest Design
Most Creative Design

Artwork by Kibble Pupils Featured in Paisley’s Halloween Festival

Pupils at Goudie Academy and Forest View created magnificent sculptures for the Paisley Halloween Festival’s Trail Zone. Young people took part in creative workshops with visual artist, Tim Parfitt and used their skills and imagination to design artwork for the festival’s walk-through experience. The theme was decadent décor and pupils handmade the chilling, ghostly, clear-like figures.

Halloween Disco

This weekend’s Halloween Disco was great fun with young people and adults joining in and dressing up in costumes. The disco lights and DJ set got everyone on the dancefloor.

Kibble goes all out for Halloween with more and have plenty of treats still planned. Look out for more photos coming soon.

Posted: October 20, 2023

Kibble’s Career Start training programme gave Paul the chance to begin an entirely new career at 32.

Previously a fork lift driver, Paul had the ambition to find a job role that involved him helping others. He wanted a more fulfilling career and was prepared to develop existing skills to make it a reality. He had looked up to guidance teachers while at school himself and was motivated to learn how he could do something similar. An avid sports fan and team player, Paul knew he was outgoing, enthusiastic and active. He believed he could relate to young people and bring laugher and fun into their lives.

Paul shared, “When I found out about Kibble’s Career Start training programme, the opportunity was too good not to try.

“It has been 10 months into the year-long training course and I am so happy I made the decision to join.”

I’d 100% recommend Career Start to anyone keen to start a new career helping other people. Through Kibble you really can make a difference in the world.

“The academic side of the course and gaining a HNC in Social Care was daunting. However, one day a week is dedicated to spending time in the classroom with Kibble’s experienced trainers plus we have a study day to reflect on what has been taught.

“The trainee role is practice-based with a work placement so I’d say the theory-side is enlightening. It is good to understand the reasoning behind why we do what we do.

“The best thing about working at Kibble is seeing the difference in a young person between meeting them for the first time and as they spend more time with us, seeing their confidence grow and their full personality come out.

“Three traits you need to become a trainee are transparency, honestly and communication. Be yourself and if you say you’re going to do something, follow-through as that’s the best way for young people to trust you. By building trust, young people are more likely to listen to you and take onboard your explanations, advice and friendship.”

Learn More About Career Start

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Through the Scottish Book Trust, Forest View experienced the magic of a storybook session. A creator and storyteller inspired children to enjoy reading and writing.

Forest View in Lochwinnoch has two children’s residential houses and a therapeutic primary school for those aged 5-12-years-old who have experienced trauma and adversity. The adults at Forest View love and care for the children and support them to move forwards. At Forest View, happy childhood memories are made, and imagination is brought to life through adventure and play.

Children were captivated by the recent story-telling session. A range of interesting stories were told about the world around us. Together we moved through the chapters with props to bring the words to life.

The feeling of textiles can help us understand what certain adjectives describe and the thrill of using a parachute can illustrate a scene in our minds. For example, the movement of the parachute replicated the motion of crashing waves, helping us imagine the ocean.

The sessions were held inside and outdoors in the garden and made everyone realise the fun of storytelling.

Learn More About Our Early Years’ Service