A year after it’s launch in 2017, ‘Ty Eirlys’, Pobl’s sector leading independent living service for people with learning disabilities in Newport, has won the coveted TPAS Cymru ‘Participation Award.’
The annual award ceremony, held earlier this month at the Park Inn, Cardiff, sees the great and good in the housing sector come together to celebrate some of the most innovative and inspirational projects successfully engaging tenants throughout the year.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when tenants Emma and Lynne went up to receive the award and spoke passionately about what their new home at Ty Eirlys means to them and to thank the other tenants and staff for all their support.
Sarah Evans, Pobl Group Engagement Officer, was delighted to accompany the tenants both to the awards ceremony and on their journey into Ty Eirlys, she said: “It has been fantastic to witness how many people living at Ty Eirlys have naturally developed meaningful relationships and friendships, after bonding on their shared experience of moving into their new apartment”.
“Staff have commented that it has been like a group of students living together for the first time in a hall of residence – experiencing a new way of living, helping each other out, sharing in the excitement of new opportunities and eating meals together in one another’s apartments.”
“Many tenants’ self-confidence has increased enormously and we have noticed they are taking much more responsibility for what they do themselves without deferring to staff for reassurance. It appears many of the people feel they are being allowed to be adults and to be themselves and are relishing being in control of how they spend their time and what they choose to do”.
She added: “What we have achieved at Ty Eirlys really is testament to the successful collaborative working with our partners, and to receive this recognition from TPAS really is the icing on the cake.”
Ty Eirlys provides a much needed pathway between supported and independent living for adults with learning disabilities and is the result of a successful collaboration between Pobl Group, Newport City Council and Welsh Government.
It comprises 14 apartments, including staff sleep-over accommodation, 2 stylish communal lounge areas, a communal kitchen for skill building, a large landscaped garden, and a lift to all floors, enabling people to live independently with the ability to access individually tailored packages of support if needed.
The tenants also formed a ‘Committee’ soon after moving into Ty Eirlys, which is responsible for organising events and activities including recent arts and crafts sessions, which lead to an art exhibition being held to showcase their works of art.
It was a very successful evening for Pobl Group, with their ‘Care Conversations’ project runners up in the ‘Participation in Supported Housing’ category and Gwalia Housing (also part of Pobl Group) taking the honours by winning the award for ‘Digital Engagement’.
Added: 30th July 2018
