User:Theorpheuscentre/sandbox

The Orpheus Centre is an independent specialist college in Godstone, Surrey. They focus on developing independence skills through performing and visual arts. Orpheus believes that every young disabled person should have the same opportunities as their non-disabled peers and offer a personalised study programme focusing on building independence, communication and social interaction skills through the arts, supported housing and a personal care service. Their students are between the ages of 18 and 25 and have learning and/or physical disabilities. They stay at Orpheus for up to three years. Everything at Orpheus is focused on maximising lasting independence for the students.

History

In the late 1980s, musician and song-writer Sir Richard Stilgoe and neurologist Dr Michael Swallow started piloting music weeks for disabled people.

These were so effective that Sir Richard decided to found a place where disabled people and students could work together for longer than a week – to change their own and other people’s lives by creating new music and performing in public. The Orpheus Centre opened in 1998 at Sir Richard Stilgoe’s former family home in Godstone, Surrey. Orpheus started with five disabled students who lived on site, learning to cook, manage budgets, do laundry and go shopping. They also wrote songs, devised dances and challenged people’s preconceived ideas about disabled people whenever and wherever they performed. Almost twenty years later and Orpheus has 28 full time students living in independent flats, as well as around 20 day students. The students are all motivated by the performing arts and have performed in venues all over the country the Royal Opera House, Royal Albert Hall, Glastonbury Festival, Notting Hill Carnival, the Paralympic Opening Ceremony, and the Royal Festival Hall and appeared in hit TV show Call The Midwife.

Learning

Orpheus offers an exciting and innovative curriculum that promotes independence, personal development, employment skills and creative expression. Students are actively encouraged to devise and develop heir own ideas to achieve their targets, giving them the skills and capacity to take control of their lives. Orpheus offers a range of qualifications working with awarding bodies such as Ascentis, Trinity College, LAMDA, OCR, Gateway and the London College of Music, as well as outreach programmes. They identify the skills that each student needs to focus on in order for them to progress, build confidence and self-esteem and to make their own decisions in their personal and academic lives.

Orpheus works closely with each of our students to enable them to make the transition successfully from full time education into adult life. They are supported to plan their futures, including where they will live, work and socialise.

Housing

Students often arrive without any experience of living independently. Orpheus offers a supported housing project where students learn to manage the tenancies of their own fully accessible independent flats. Students are encouraged to put into practice what they learn in sessions during the learning day at Orpheus. Students are supported from moving into Orpheus all the way through into their next accommodation when they leave Orpheus. There are three separate supported housing projects – Manor House, Squire Barn and Centre Court - with 28 flats in total. The properties are designed to be as accessible as possible. The majority are on the ground floor and contain hoists, wet rooms and automatic doors. They have a Tenants Association in place where tenants learn to take pride in their homes and community.

Domiciliary Care and Support Services

The Domiciliary team at Orpheus offers a 24-hour service. As well as personal care, the team support each service user with social activities and everyday tasks such as budgeting, menu planning and shopping. Each service user has a personal support plan which they are assisted to develop. This details their aspirations and plans, and helps staff tailor support and care for them individually. Orpheus supports service users with learning and/or physical impairments as well as sensory impairments. All service users are assigned a key worker. This 1-1 link ensures consistent support in all aspects of preparing for independent living. All staff are trained to a high standard; their work is overseen by a Registered Manager and regulated by the Care Quality Commission. To see the most recent CQC inspection report, please visit the CQC website and search for the Orpheus Centre.

Charity

Orpheus is a registered charity. Although funds are received from statutory sources, They need to raise over £700,000 each year to continue their life-changing work with young disabled adults.

Volunteers

Orpheus relies on a large team of volunteers who undertake regular support roles at the centre. The commitment, enthusiasm and dedication of each of the volunteers has a fantastic impact, and has contributed to transforming the lives of hundreds of young disabled adults over the past twenty years. In 2016 Orpheus volunteers were awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service - the highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK.