CMSS - Skills Development Centre For People with Disabilities
Areas of activity
The Clients' Committee
The clients committee started in 1976 with four guys - Gordon Bennet - and five or six years later we became bigger and had more people on the committee. It was a work centre then until it changed into a Skills Development Centre.
Every four years we have a vote to decide who is going to be elected - like the General Election - conservative, labour or whatever and then we go from there talking about anything - problems that people might be having, any changes at the centre, like the colour scheme and choosing carpets and curtains and how we want the garden beds to be, meeting potential new staff and make them welcome and have been on the interview panel, having to try and get the right people for the job.
It is a good job meeting people and seeing and hearing their views. We compromise on things that happen and I really enjoy it. Sometimes it is hard when you have a discussion about why you like or don't like certain people. It can be fun interviewing people and getting a good idea about them.
There are now ten people on the committee and we meet once a month up until November and then in December it is too busy with social things to meet in this month.
The chairman of the clients committee attends the monthly executive meetings of the charity.
We spend about 2 hours per meeting.
At the moment the committee have decided that they want to be called clients however this is a continuing agenda item at our meetings and is going to be discussed at a future meeting because we realise that it is perhaps an old and patronising word and we will discuss it within our group.
We have had an existing charter for a long time but we have already started to update and modernise it to take into account new ideas, people and challenges and also the cultural changes that were needed. We think that our group's cultural needs are very important.
Life Long Learning
Everyone that attends the Skills Development Centre has the opportunity to further his or her skills. Within the community projects we broadly base the timetabled activities on Education, Independent Living and Social Skills , healthy living, hobbies and friendships. The Skills Development Centre offers both vocational programs and integrated mainstream qualifications both in the community and in-house.
Each year clients decide what they are interested in doing. They express this individually to the Curriculum Manager, whose job it is to match their expressed wants to a suitable course or program. These requests can range from Flamenco dancing to obtaining an NVQ. Every client has an individual timetable filled with courses and activities they want to do.
The Skills Development Centre positively encourages its clients to participate in the community as much as possible. Being located close to local amenities and central London, the opportunities are great. Partnership work with local colleges, art centres, theatres and local businesses makes for a great variety of choice.
The centre itself is fully accessible and has great resources. Individual aids and tools are made available to ensure that equipment can be used and enjoyed by all.
CMSS Latest News
NEWS****** ******FLASH
*CMSS*
*Diamond*
*Jubilee*
*60 Years*
*29th September*
*2012*
This year at CMSS is a very special, exciting and a fun packed year for us as we will be celebrating our Diamond Jubilee.
Throughout the year, we will be having lots of different events to celebrate this special year.
Events for the year:
1st June: Evening disco and buffet
29th June: 'The In Between Years' performance by Clients of CMSS at the Compass Theatre
2nd July: 'The In Between Years' performance by Clients of CMSS at the Compass Theatre
6th July: A day trip to the sea side
10th August: Picnic in the grounds
12th September: Carers outing to Buckingham Palace
29th September: **GALA DAY**
24th November: Christmas Bazaar; 'Launch of 'The In Between Years' History Book'
14th December: Christmas Lunch
*Gala Day*
29th September 2012
2pm-6pm
Please come and join us to celebrate this special day of the year. The day will be packed full of fun; Barbeque, Bar, Coconut Shy, Raffles, Bottle tombola, refreshments, beat the goalie and plenty more...
If you are able to volunteer, support, double fund or donate any items for the forthcoming events, please email Naheed Judge on naheedjudge@hotmail.com or Leana Hughes on lealea300@hotmail.co.uk.
*Holidays*
Butlins Bognor regis: 30th March - 2nd April and then again 13th-16th April
Center Parcs Elveden: 18th- 21st May
Alton towers: 28th May- 1st June
Gladwins Farm: 15th-22nd June
Potters resort: 13th-17th August and then again 24th-28th August
Centre Parcs: 7th-10th September
*Socials*
Filming of ' Family fortunes' : 6th feb
Valentines disco- 14th feb
x factor concert: 3rd March
quiz night -9th march
Jubilee disco event- 1st june
Performance at compass theatre: 29th june and 2nd July
whole centre day trip: 6th july
Picnic afternoon~: 10th August
carers trip to buckingham palace: 12th sept
gala day: 29th sept
bingo night: 19th oct
xmas bazaar: 24th nov
christmas lunch: 14th dec
*Can YOU Help?*
Have you been attending CMSS for 50 years? Has your family been involved with CMSS for many years? We are currently in the process of publishing a book about the history of CMSS and we need any old newspaper cuttings, photographs, letters, or anyting related to the history of CMSS. Please could you forward these to Betty Morris and we will photocopy them with your permission, and give the originals back to you.