Well this is my last few days at DPHS(Fife).  They say life is a series of hellos and good-byes.

Saying good-bye to everyone and everything connected with an organisation you joined as the first employee is hard on the heart! It's also quite hard on the brain...ensuring some kind of helpful handover, succession planning, and simply getting on with tidying of paperwork when you keep finding old bits of.....oh what's that? I came across our first graphic facilitated PATH document from waaaaay back, and momentarily got all teary eyed when I realised the "dream" of what we had dared to wish for, actually now exists. I also laughed out loud at finding a key to a cupboard long consigned to....well, we may never know what's in there! However, looking forward,  I trust the future will be exciting for DPHS (F)  - it may look and feel different - and trust me, that's ok, in fact it's brilliant. There are most certainly exciting times ahead as DPHS(Fife) strive to continue to meet the needs of disabled people, their families and carers in Fife. 

An emotional and fond farewell to DPHS (Fife) for the most fulfilling 13 (& a half!) years of my working life! I’ve been so fortunate to work with committed, dedicated people – the team of Board members (past and present) and staff teams (past and present) and I thank each and every one for the huge support and experience afforded to me to develop my skills.  

We’ve come so far since the Board formed in 1999 and I then joined in 2005 as their first worker, it is simply humbling. I’ve learned so much and grown so much during my time here! Although the time has come for me to move on, the volunteer Directors, staff teams and their support network, are dedicated to providing the service for people in Fife (both housing and self directed support) and we are all so grateful for ongoing support that makes this possible.
Thanks also to all of our stakeholders over the period, our funders and Link Officers who helped so much (& will continue to!).  Exciting times ahead for all – DPHS(F) are in a new exciting period of growth so keep an eye on them! 

​For now my best wishes to everyone.

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Volunteers!  Where would we be without them? 

People are often surprised to know that all of our management committee (ie our Directors/Board Members) are volunteers and the majority of them are individuals who have disabilities. All of our members are people who have personal experience of housing or support issues and several members bring fantastic skills of either lived experience, and/or skills from the workplace eg around Finance. 

The Board members have been managing the charity business since 2005 but some of them worked very hard for years prior to that in order to set up a service to help other people who had experienced difficulties with their housing, adaptations or equipment.  A shadow board was set up in 1998 and those individuals looked at becoming a registered charity, a company limited by guarantee and sought funds to set up a service. That's 20 years! 

Board members are involved in a wide variety of on going tasks that support the charity which include a range of Sub-Groups for:  Customer Care;  Personnel;  FInance;  Policy & Standards.   If this is something that interests you, please do give us a call so that you can have a chat with one of the Board members and the Service Manager about upcoming roles on the Board.  Our paid staff carry out the day to day tasks that deliver the service, but it is the Board who direct the business via a series of business planning days and monthly meetings.  We have some places available for new members with disabilities and also a few places for people who may not have any disabling condition but who are passionate about independent living and the services we provide.  

We are very happy to announce that Harry Ferrier, our longest standing Board Member is up for a 20 year long service award this year at the Fife Voluntary Action Awards Ceremony being held at the Rothes Halls in Glenrothes.
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We also have one of our SDS Peer Mentor volunteers attending with our Self Directed Support Options Fife project and you can read more about that on their website on www.sdsoptionsfife.org.uk .

Well done to all the volunteers in Fife who are nominated for all of the tremendous work that you do to support people in Fife.  

From time to time we are passed details of housing which may be suitable for our customers and those who follow us on social media etc.

Hanover Scotland have sent us on details of an amenity property a:

Albany Court, St Andrews Road, Crail.
It is a two person, one bedroom (double), first floor flat (no lift available) in the heart of Crail in Fife.

Rent is £324.91 per month which includes contents insurance and service charge.  The property contains a dispersed alarm which is connected to Hanover Telecare (24 hour emergency alarm call centre).  Applicants must be able to manage one flight of stairs to access the property.

We hold full details of the property in the office and if you'd like further details you can contact Janice here at DPHS(Fife).

If you'd like more information about Hanover Scotland, Albany Court or the application process then you can contact Hanover directly of course on :0131 557 7404 or by email:  eastinfo@hanover.scot.

Hanover's website with further details about Albany Court can be found here: 

https://www.hanover.scot/developments/albany-court-crail-181/

 CARF Pop Ins to start up again at DPHS High Street office! 
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We are delighted to announce that we are partnering with Citizens Advice & Rights Fife (CARF) to provide Pop Ins at our High Street base on a monthly basis. Our Education Room is a confidential quiet space to spend time with an adviser from CARF. Timely money/benefits advice has helped many of our customers in the past. Stefan will be taking bookings for Wednesday 21st February for the morning on this occasion. These appointments are for current customers, at DPHS or at SDS Options Fife, who can access this assistance by contacting your adviser here (either Housing or Self Directed Support service), or alternatively, asking Stefan to book you a place on 01592 803280
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WE NEED YOU!!
​We are interested in hearing your views on *Personal Assistant employment…..

You may employ someone to support you - we'd be grateful if you tell them about this research!   If you are a Personal Assistant yourself, we'd be grateful for your views:  
 
****  Why do you do this kind of work?  What’s the future for this kind of work?  How well defined is your role? Do you have access to training and ongoing personal and professional development?  Keen to give your views?
Please participate in this online survey by Dr Amy Watson, Strathclyde University for the Scottish Centre for Employment Research.

https://strathbusiness.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e8rvdpcSUZ4gDkh

If you are an employer of a PA, you may wish to give them details of the research so that they can join in.  Similarly if your employment role brings you into contact with PAs or PA Employers you may wish to send the link on to them to ensure Dr Watson and the research team get as much feedback as possible.  We are particularly keen for those in the Fife area to be able to feed into this research.  Dr Watson will be holding a session here at our offices, Law's Close, 339 High Street, Kirkcaldy  on Thursday 18th January  from 2 – 3pm and you are welcome to attend to give further feedback.  You can sign up for the event at the end of the survey.
 
Thank you! 
 
*What’s a PA?
Personal Assistants (commonly known as ‘PAs’) are employed directly by people who need care and support to enable them to live their life independently in the way they choose.
Each role is unique and Personal Assistants carry out a wide range of tasks based on the individual needs of their employer, providing flexible support with things like personal care, healthcare, domestic tasks, employment and social activities.
The overall aim of PA work is to support someone to exercise choice and control and lead a full, active and independent life. Rather than being employed by an agency or other care provider, Personal Assistants are employed directly by the person they provide care and support to (these employers are sometimes known as ‘individual employers’ or ‘Direct Payment employers’).  The employer may use their own monies to pay the person,  they may use a budget via Social Work that they have been assessed as requiring and choose to use the budget to employ a PA (Option One), and they may choose to top this up with their own monies.
 
 YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ON OUR SISTER PAGE   www.sdsoptionsfife.org.uk  

Everyone here at DPHS(Fife) wishes our customers and working partners a very happy Christmas and a happy 2018.  

Our opening hours for festive period:
Last working day:  Friday 22nd December (closing 4pm)
Closed:  Mon 25 December  through to Tuesday 2nd January 2018
Re-Open on Wednesday 3rd January

Here we are enjoying a celebration Christmas Lunch together with our volunteers!