Kingsriver Community Holdings CLG.

opis organizacji

Kingsriver is a Life-Sharing Community which provides residential & day-care in the form of training, therapy and meaningful work for adults with different abilities. Kingsriver Community's main residence is a detached house in the Irish rural environment of County Kilkenny. It is a mixed gender Community accommodating up to 4 residents & up to 4 trainees and volunteers in the main residential house. The adjacent Coach House is a step-up to independent living facility & accommodates up to 2 residents & up to 2 trainees/volunteers. The Kings river, from which the community takes its name, flows alongside the property which has 30 acres of land. There is a large garden area with an orchard, vegetable garden & polytunnels, which are equipped with raised beds for people with mobility difficulties. Transport to the city & leisure activities is provided with Kingsriver's bus. We have a Training Workshop where people of all abilities can follow a range of courses & activities such as Woodworking & Wood Carving, Arts & Crafts, Gardening, Health Related Exercises, literacy, computers & recreational, cultural & social activities. Our intention, as a Life-Sharing Community is to create a home rather than an institution. We aim to provide a living and working environment that is conducive to a feeling of well-being, physical & emotional security, stability & belonging. We in Kingsriver Community believe that people with disabilities have the right to dignity & respect, to grow, develop & pursue their aspirations, the same as other citizens – even though they may need extra support to do so. We consider that a quality life is one where people participate in their community, gain the respect of others, enjoy meaningful relationships, use skills, exercise choices and have opportunities to express themselves. Kingsriver advocates for inclusion & the breaking down of barriers & stereotypes around people with special needs. We are committed to providing quality person centered opportunities for people of various abilities & support them to realize their full potential as contributing members of society.
We aim to do this by:
• Providing a safe & comfortable living environment, a warm and welcoming atmosphere in a life-sharing model;
• Providing a high standard of care & promoting the health, safety & well-being of all members of our Community;
• Providing an environment where ALL our members are valued equally;
• Providing a range of activities, programs & experiences that enable each person to develop & reach their full potential;
• Supporting each person to be active in the local & wider community.
In addition, our organisation's long-term Strategic Plan has 5 high level Objectives:
1. To maintain & sustain the unique ethos that exists in Kingsriver (life-sharing; ALL part of the same Team!);
2. To give people in Kingsriver more opportunities to be in, and part of, the wider community; & give people in the wider community more opportunities to be part of Kingsriver (E.g. local community members run all inclusive classes/courses in Kingsriver);
3. To consolidate existing services & to expand & develop new ones;
4. To provide a positive, supportive & rewarding workplace (Both for staff, trainees & volunteers);
5. To strengthen our executive & corporate governance.
We work with international and national volunteers and trainees who form an integral part of Kingsriver; they enhance the work we do with people with special needs & open their horizon so they can go beyond their disability & learn about different perspectives, languages & cultures; an opportunity that few people with special needs get. For trainees and volunteers this is an unique chance to get to know a person with different abilities & learn about their struggles, therefore helping to build a more inclusive society. The experience helps trainees, volunteers & our people to understand that the word "inclusion" applies to many different kinds of people; consecutively they all learn to empathize & put their own lives into prospective. This process supports solidarity, which in turn promotes inclusion & equality. Our trainees learn the same values as the volunteers but with more emphasis on professionalism, work ethic and professional responsibility. Volunteers and trainees have the opportunity to learn what it really means to live in an inclusive way. Kinsgriver hosts volunteers from all over the world often prioritizing the ones with fewer opportunities as we understand ESC is a unique & valuable experience for ALL young people. Volunteers live & work in the project joining every aspect of the residents' life, including all our daily programmes. They support our target group with activities in the locality such as sport, meetings, trainings, etc. We encourage trainees to do the same as we believe it the only way of really experiencing the workings of a life-sharing community.

Volunteering project