RICAPP HANDBOOK      

          RICAPP (RECOVERY Independent Community Advocacy Personalisation Project) Supports survivors on their journey to well-being.

RICAPP project reaches out into the community. It provides social inclusion and support with trained RECOVERY Support Workers for those in need. RECOVERY Workers are trained by Survivors for Survivors.  

       

Last updated 23 August 2013

RICAPP’s 12 Quality Standards

RICAPP’s PURPOSE

RICAPP’s aim is to empower people to have capacity to choose the best outcomes for their Mental Health recovery RICAPP’s objectives are to visit survivors on and off the ward to enable their views and needs to be listened to and acted upon. RICAPP is limited to self-referral so allowing survivors to be responsible for their own choice of action. RICAPP’s scope includes Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. RICAPP Advocates support survivors in hospital and in the community with active listening, centering prayer and knowledge of complementary and alternative remedies so encouraging survivors to choose their own targets and goals.

RICAPP’s Ethos for Independence

RICAPP will stay independent from Leicestershire Partnership Trust. However we will endeavor to have a Service Level Agreement with them so that the service provided is in line with our ethos. RECOVERY needs open wards, each member of staff to allow every patient to have capacity to choose the best treatment for them as in a General Medical Ward. RICAPP recognises that to be free from discrimination survivors need freedom from compulsion, RICAPP respects that Advocates and Survivors have a purpose in life but we strive to ensure that we work as a team, in honour preferring one another, where there is as little conflict as possible between eachother and LPT staff.

RICAPP puts Survivors 1st

RICAPP believes survivors should be empowered by advocates to have a voice. Advocates encourage Leicestershire Partnership Trust to enable survivors to have capacity (ie to know what is best for them). Advocates should be non-judgemental, respectful of peoples’ aspirations to achieve and attain their own desired outcomes.

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RICAPP Empowers Survivors

RICAPP is an advocacy scheme encouraging self-advocacy. We believe that survivors need to have an understanding of their own route to recovery before they can empower others. This empowerment gives survivors’ choices about how and who will treat (NHS services/CAR Complementary and Alternative Remedies) or help them in their process of recovery. RICAPP empowers survivors to become involved and influence the advocacy scheme by being part of its management committee.

RICAPP’s Diversity Policy

RICAPP has an equal opportunities policy, a safeguarding adults’ policy and a conflict of interest’s policy that is pro-active in upholding diversity, equality and social inclusion. RICAPP empowers survivors to work when and how often they choose. RICAPP bears in mind that the volunteers are free to drop in, attend meetings, sessions and training according to their requirements. RICAPP advocates’ time is agreed in advance and a fair working timetable is drawn up.

RICAPP’s Availability

RICAPP supports policies and procedures for free access for support of survivors throughout the whole community. RICAPP’s independent advocacy is always free of charge to survivors but we do welcome voluntary donations if appropriate. RICAPP is supportive of all mental and physical disabilities and believes this consideration, that disabilities are not always evident, should be taken into account diplomatically in the working and/or social environment. RICAPP is considerate, by doing verbal and written risk assessments, to avoid problems and prevent harm or discrimination.

Last updated 23 August 2013

RICAPP’s Transparency

RICAPP recognises the need for an effective monitoring system and evaluation of its work. RICAPP’s advocates and survivors have the opportunity to fill in evaluation sheets about visits, social events and the work of the charity. RICAPP will allocate a named advocate to each survivor and a means of contacting him or her.

RICAPP’S Training

RICAPP will ensure advocates are prepared, trained and supported in their role. The advocate will be provided with opportunities to develop their skills and experience.

RICAPP encourages survivors to train to become Mental Health advocates as soon as they feel empowered to do so.

RICAPP’s Confidentiality

RICAPP has a written policy on confidentiality. This will include an understanding that the survivors’ personal problems will not be discussed outside the project or without prior permission or without the survivor being present. If there is imminent grave danger to you or someone else we may need to disclose this issue with a third party but will aim to discuss this with you first.

RICAPP believes that Centering Therapy is the best supervision for RICAPP advocates and survivors. However we will ensure that all RICAPP advocates have a colleague with whom they can have weekly informal supervision for support and guidance.

RICAPP’s Solace

RICAPP is committed to the belief that prayer and active listening is a powerful tool for healing. The advocates recognize the necessity to create a safe space and give reassurance that the support will be regularly available.

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RICAPP provides the opportunity for survivors to experience Centering Therapy. This is a therapy that supports the positive links between spirituality, Mental Health and Wellbeing. It enables the survivor to learn a way to stillness in the mind, improve coping strategies and lessen anxiety or depression.

.RICAPPʼs Personalisation

Our RECOVERY Independent Community Advocacy Project supports survivors in the community helping them to develop coping strategies for housing, social, budgeting needs. We employ a Mental Health Support Leader to lead this Independent Advocacy project. This involves visiting survivors in the community who are unable to come into the studio to enable them to find the motivation to join in with RECOVERY's activities. Also the Support Leader leads a team of volunteers who helps survivors to be pro-active about their recovery by supporting them with cleaning, shopping, budgeting, cooking and socialising. We have direct budgets for the survivors to pay support workers to do these activities.

RICAPPʼs Early Intervention & Prevention

We provide preventative support to promote wellbeing. We are a user led service so many of our volunteers are survivors that have recovered from Mental Health problems. So they know what has helped them and so they can help others. Just being a friend with listening skills who visits regularly can help to improve wellbeing. Also being proactive about the living environment can help to improve attitudes. Planning a personʼs recovery and doing ʻSpirit CBTʼ a type of selfhelp Cognitive Behaviour Therapy where a diary helps to plan changes in thinking, feeling and behaviour patterns. The volunteers will use Person Centered Planning drawings to encourage a way to visualize the way forward. Supporting Survivors in the community is one of many training sessions run at RECOVERY where the volunteers and staff learn the best ways to show understanding of what survivors are experiencing. RICAPPʼs USER-LED SERVICES are run and controlled by the people using them meaning that everyone feels a sense of belonging and inclusion. There is no more ʻthem and usʼ everyone is needed and made to feel worthwhile. RICAPPʼs BROKERAGE is what RICAPP is all about. We work with the survivors to find the services and support they need among other local organization that will meet their individual needs. We want to help service users or carers to plan and arrange support services for independence. This is with Personal Budgets so that survivors feel they have more control over their lives and their recovery.

Last updated 23 August 2013

RECOVERY WORKERS

Who are the RECOVERY Workers? •

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RECOVERY workers should be compassionate, understanding and empathic. Where possible they should have either indirect or direct lived experience of mental health problems. This helps with truly understanding and relating to the survivor.

What RECOVERY Workers should do? • • •

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Uphold confidentiality. Nothing disclosed should be divulged without prior consent. Listen and understand Learn about the illness. If the survivor they are caring for has been diagnosed, learning about the illness and how it affects them can be a good first step. It will also help the carer to support and better understand what they are experiencing. Look after them. Try to maintain a positive outlook. You should encourage people to become active but maintain realistic expectations for outcomes for yourself and the person you care for. Avoid potential compromising situations. Inform on options available but do not give advice. Always report back any concerns or upsets they may be having to supervisors and link up with available alternative services and personal/familiar carers as much as possible for help. RECOVERY has a complaints procedure and feedback forms that should be used in this situation. Any money transactions must be written on the appropriate form. In challenging situations at the end of each session it could be appropriate to write up all discussions and agreements and both parties need to sign this. Encourage normal daily eating habits, exercise and sleeping patterns by talking about them and putting them into action if possible. If a Support Worker is off sick it is their responsibility to contact the clients they were visiting that day to let them know they cannot attend. As soon as they are well enough they should let the Supervisor know so that the cover for that day need not be arranged.

What RECOVERY Workers should not do? • •

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Give specific advice to survivors concerning any problems they may be having. As workers we can only offer guidance to clients to help them find their own answers. Give or accept presents without it being discussed in a weekly/monthly meeting. Money cannot be accepted under any circumstances. Donations should be made through the correct channels. No criminal activities of any kind will be tolerated. Workers should refrain from discussing issues such as medication unless the survivor themselves brings it up and wishes to discuss it. In the same respect workers should not be invasive. They should aim to improve communication between appropriate parties but should never take it upon themselves to contact people without the survivor’s consent.

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RECOVERY Workers should not allow unrealistic expectations to grow in their relationships with Survivors. However any social activities are acceptable with guidance from the line manager.

In what ways can RECOVERY Workers promote Advocacy for Choice and Control? •

Capacity – people knowing what is best for them.

SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT How are RECOVERY Workers Supervised and Supported? The RECOVERY Leader has responsibility for any problems of a RECOVERY Support Worker. This person should be called if any situation arises that is more challenging than their own experience. It is the RECOVERY Leaders responsibility to put together the timetable of support for the RECOVERY Workers. The workers should discuss their availability and that of the clients with the RECOVERY Leader atleast 2 weeks in advance where possible. RECOVERY Workers need a clear framework for Management and Supervision as they do various jobs in RECOVERY and receive supervision from different people. Best practice may include: • • • • • • • •

Weekly Monday Meetings with all Stakeholders Monitoring of Progress Reports Feedback Volunteers and Survivors Regular individual performance reviews with line manager Supervision for working with a Survivor with their Care Coordinator. Opportunity to see a Counsellor monthly Training Accredited Courses.

What can we learn from the Case Studies and Progress Reports? • • • •

Provides a framework to track progress Building confidence of Survivors Self-refection Control in Life situation

What Learning and Development is possible for RECOVERY Workers? RECOVERY Support Workers come from a wide variety of backgrounds that include the expert knowledge of a Survivor or a Carer, Occupational Therapy, Psychology or Health and Social Care. They are encouraged to: • • •

Learn life, people, job skills Have supervision by Managers Be Mentored by Staff or volunteers.

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Find funding.

How can Carers help with the support? RECOVERY Support of Survivors has evidence of some positive knock on effects on carers. Support Workers should aim to encourage: • • •  

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Communication (phone numbers) Attend Meetings Forum, blog or Social Media. Family members to become Personal Assistants.

SOCIAL INCLUSION AND OUTCOMES

In what ways can RECOVERY Workers help with Social Inclusion? • • • •

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Providing human interaction through one-to-one conversations and befriending. Develop a support network with the family. Find their interests and purpose to get up and go out. Helping people to be independent. Assisting in organising outings, like quiz’s, trips to cinema and church

What other Survivor needs can the RWs help with? • •

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Helping with budgeting, transport, shopping and making sure they are provided with all their basic living needs. Providing training in volunteering and employability skills, organizational and learning skills, and developing cognitive confidence. Support with government paperwork/correspondence.

What are the outcomes the Survivor and the RWs are looking for? • • •

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We should aim for reintegration with the community and continued social networks Living in a tidy and clean environment Ability to achieve day-to-day activities with ease. Survivors should possess a sense of purpose, feelings of normality, financial security and acceptance of a good routine.

What is the job description and person specification for a RW?

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A RW should be ready to provide emotional support, maintain confidentially and be nonjudgemental and well organised. (See Appendix 1 and Appendix 2)

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DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE 1. Scope The RECOVERY Disciplinary Procedure will be used only when necessary and as a last resort. Where possible, informal and/or formal counselling or other good management practice, will be used to resolve matters prior to any disciplinary action being taken. The procedure is intended to be positive rather than punitive but takes cognisance of the fact that sanctions may have to be applied in some circumstances. An employee or volunteer can discuss any part of this policy with their supervisor or their Line Manager. They can help clarify an employee/volunteer’s rights as well as give guidance and support where it may be needed. Every individual has the right to representation at any point during the disciplinary process. 2. Suspension Suspension is not disciplinary action. The purpose of suspension is manifold and can be used when it is necessary to remove a member of RECOVERY from the workplace pending an investigation for example, to allow time for a 'cooling down period' for both parties, for their own or others protection, to prevent them influencing or being influenced by others or to prevent possible interference with evidence. Only the line Manager in charge of that individual, at that time or their superior, has the authority to suspend an individual. An employee/volunteer suspended from duty will receive written confirmation within three days of: •

The reason for the suspension

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The date and time from which the suspension will operate.

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The timescale of the ongoing investigation.

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The right of appeal to the immediate manager of the suspending manager should the suspension last more than 7 days

3. Counselling

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Counselling is an attempt to correct a situation and prevent it from getting worse without having to use the disciplinary procedure. Where improvement is required, the employee/volunteer must be given clear guidelines as to: •

What is expected in terms of improving shortcomings in conduct or performance

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The time scales for improvement

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When this will be reviewed

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The employee/volunteer must also be told, where appropriate, that failure to improve may result in formal disciplinary action.

A record of the counselling should be given to the employee/volunteer and a copy retained in their personnel file. It is imperative that any counselling should be followed up and improvements recognised and recorded. Once the counselling objectives have been met, any record of the counselling will be removed from the employees file. If during counselling it becomes clear that the matter is more serious, then the discussion should be adjourned, and pursued under the formal disciplinary procedure.

HEALTH SAFETY AND WELLBEING At RECOVERY we provide adequate control of the Health and Safety risks that can arise from any of our activities. All conditions and equipment are maintained with a high degree of safety and we regularly check with our workers and volunteers about any concerns that they might have. We have many policies in use such as the Safeguarding of Adults, the RECOVERY work policy and a CRB Policy for instance. We make sure our staff well-being is of paramount importance by ensuring these policies are in place. We also provide confidential counselling for staff and survivors whose well-being is affected by either work or external factors. We provide information, instruction and supervision for all staff, clients, visitors, care workers and volunteers. We make sure that all workers are competent to carry out their tasks and to provide them with adequate training. RECOVERY has regular Risk Assessment checks, these are reviewed annually or when work activity changes and new methods or processes are introduced. A Risk Assessment should be done before the visit is made and this should be completed by the RECOVERY Support Worker and signed by them and the RECOVERY Leader. The overall responsibility for health and safety is that of the Board of Trustees of RECOVERY. Any risks or problems found with any equipment should be reported to a member of staff in the first instance. The full-time staff are currently Liz Maitland, Joe Maitland, Taz Last updated 23 August 2013

Shaikh and Ryan Abbott. The person responsible for ensuring these maintenance procedures are carried out is Ryan Abbott. Health and safety advice is available from Ryan or the Health and Safety Executive website. Location of fire exits, alarms, extinguishers and first aid boxes should be known by all staff and regular visitors, also how to report details in the event of an accident.    

Survivor Involvement Through the use of creative therapies and activities RECOVERY’s survivor involvement is based on person-centred approaches, which are client-led and encourage survivors to participate as fully as possible in making decisions, which affect their lives. We put survivors at the core of their care plan with the charity focusing on their needs to address their personal goals. RECOVERY workers will always listen to the survivor’s needs and wishes but also aims to encourage individuals to come in and participate in more social activities at the charity’s studio. RECOVERY also ensures the management of the charity involves survivors in order for them to participate in the general decision-making process. RECOVERY supports any individuals who wish to attend relevant meetings. Training and information sessions are held on a weekly basis for anyone to attend and find out more on how they can be pro-active in their role with us. We encourage survivors to get involved with community events and activities such as fundraising every Saturday and Mental Health focused conferences and meetings. RECOVERY also encourages survivors to deliver training sessions on their personal areas of interest and we support them in order to facilitate this. Where possible we cover expenses for community and training involvement and ensure all members are aware of the opportunities available to them. RECOVERY tracks survivor / volunteer satisfaction with evaluation / feedback forms for all aspects of the charity’s service. Feedback will be conducted after each training session and at regular intervals to gauge client / volunteer input on possible improvement.    

Last updated 23 August 2013

RECOVERY’s 5 Positive OUTCOMES

RECOVERY aims to empower Survivors to take control over their lives to improve their wellbeing and life experiences.

We believe that when these 5 outcomes are achieved they provide evidence that Creative Therapies

Improved ability to cope and find independence with the help of Dogs, Art, Creative Writing and Centering Therapy.  

Respite

Survivors being able to move on from their problems and to find peace and space in their lives.

 

Relationships CARAT RECOVERY4Work Personal Budgets (Complementary (Right to Control) Alternative Remedies and Survivors find the Therapies) ability to establish and maintain long-term relationships. Recognising that the relational way provides a sense of belonging.

     

RECOVERY’s objectives are being effective.  

Last updated 23 August 2013

Promote the Recovery Process as an alternative to the Medical model.

Greater opportunity for Survivors to get employability skills in order to find work experiences that will lead to long term employment.