As part of St. Michael’s House 70th Anniversary celebrations, the first Share the Learning event was held in the Hilton hotel in Dublin, to celebrate the achievements and experiences of adults who use our services.
During the half day event, adults across residential, day, individualised and training services shared stories on independent living, digital skills, Lámh initiatives, advocacy in action and community participation through sports and leisure. They also celebrated personal milestones and achievements including first-time experiences such as travelling by plane.
Donnchadh Whelan, Director of Safety, Quality and Risk, said the event was an important way to see St. Michael’s House initiatives in one room. “We get to see the work that’s done within the organisation, where people are becoming more and more independent, that might not necessarily always be brought to the forefront in one space. There’s a huge level of communication and interpersonal relationships between people we support and our staff, and it shows the richness of the work we do,” he said.
The event also included stands where participants could access information on person-centred planning, the St. Michael’s House Workability project, the SMH Green Team recycling initiatives, assisted decision-making and the SMH Consent Project, and goal achievements in individual centres, showcasing the organisation’s commitment to rights-based practice, participation, development and wider social impact.
Sabrina Barret, Service User Engagement and Advocacy Advisor, said:
“Today has been an opportunity to see how we support people to take part. It has been about stories of celebration and personal development. Events like this afford people the opportunity to see all the great work that’s happening for adults in our services.”
A sincere thank you to Nicole Leavy, Sabrina Barrett, Sarah Hewitt (Activity Hub, Sport & Leisure Services Manager) and Lorna Hughes (Person Centred Planning Coordinator), for organising this unique event, and to all the adults and staff who kindly presented and shared their experiences, stories of success and goal achievement during this insightful morning.
For all the photos of the event, please click here.