This presentation was used during a workshop at the Doing Different Things Conference, that looked into the role of social enterprises, co-operatives and other Third Sector organisations in the delivery of social care and wellbeing services. The event was run by Welsh Government, Wales Co-operative Centre and Social Firms Wales.

1. DOING DIFFERENT
THINGS
at
Menter fachwen
since 1988
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2. The Menter Fachwen project was started in 1988 out of a need to do things differently.
We were established as an alternative to Institutions and the more traditional
Adult Training Centres. We were guided by the principles of the All Wales Strategy.
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3. In 1983 the Welsh Office launched the All Wales Strategy to develop services for
people with learning disabilities. It had three basic principles in mind:
1. People with learning disabilities have a right to a normal pattern of life
in their communities.
We do this by working in and around our beautiful Llanberis Valley. Community is a key word here.
Everyone needs a reason to get up in the morning, opportunities to socialise and make friends. We need
stimulating, interesting activities to look forward to. How do you measure a feeling of well being? but that is
what its all about.
2. People with learning disabilities should be treated as individuals.
We do this by embracing Person Centred Approaches foe everyone, staff and volunteers included.
3. People with learning disabilities will develop their maximum potential as
individuals with help from their local communities and from professional
services.
We do this by ensuring that people have opportunities for progression, whether those steps are tiny or huge,
progression must at the heart of everything we do.
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4. Restoration work was carried out by local volunteers and funded by small
grants and money raised from a MF charity shop in Bangor.
£3 = 1 bag of cement. People were passionate and believed in the project.
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5. Our first Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Two people who lived near the project came from Adult Training Centre on a
Service Level Agreement contract with the Local Authority.
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6. We have nine small enterprises on five different sites in and around
the Llanberis Valley.
1
3
2
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
Caban Y Cwm Cafe & ICT suite Cwm Y Glo
Greenworks – Craig y Wylan: Joinery & Ty Twydyr: Horticulture
EB’s Coffee Shop & Bakery Deiniolen
Padarn Cafe & Cwm Derwen: Conservation Site Fachwen
Walk and Discover Centre & Caxton House Shop, Llanberis
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7. What is a Social Enterprise?
“a social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses
are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community,
rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and
owners”
(DTI 2002)
The Menter Fachwen Social Enterprise Businesses
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8. Green Works - Joinery
• Making wooden products.
• Recycling and up-cycling wood.
• Using wood that would otherwise
go into landfill sites.
• Wooden furniture repairs.
• Contracts with local schools.
• Supplying our new shop in
Llanberis with gorgeous gift items.
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9. Ty Gwydr - Horticulture:
• Contracts with local businesses.
• Selling plants and produce at local
fairs.
• Contracts for local community
councils.
• Working with local schools.
• Gardening contracts.
• Supplying our shop in Llanberis.
• We also volunteer at a local nursing
home.
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10. Cwm Derwen: Fachwen
• Maintaining the 8 acre
conservation site.
• Clearing and maintaining the local
footpath networks for various
community councils.
• Working closely with Environmental
Wales and our next door
neighbours at Parc Padarn.
• Working in partnership with the
Llanberis lake Railway.
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11. EB’s Cafe & Bakery Deiniolen
• Producing and selling cakes,
biscuits, bara brith, pickles,
chutneys and jams.
• Coffee shop.
• Selling produce to local shops and
businesses.
• Catering for buffets.
• Room hire.
• Running a village vegetable Co-op
scheme.
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12. Padarn Cafe Fachwen
• A seasonal cafe popular with
tourists & walkers.
• Working in partnership with
Llanberis Lake Railway.
• Production of delicious food for our
hampers.
• Available for special occasions,
teddy bears picnic, Halloween,
themed evenings etc.
• Open 7 days a week in summer
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13. Caban Y Cwm Cafe: Cwm Y Glo
• Small busy community cafe.
• IT classes & free wi - fi for our
customers.
• Available for buffets.
• Meeting rooms available free if
refreshments are purchased.
• Special occasions – BBQ’s,
Christmas Dinners etc.
• Selling produce at local fairs.
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14. Just a few of our products.
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15. Caxton House Walk & Discover Centre and Shop:
High Street, Llanberis.
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16. Menter Fachwen Volunteers.
• In 2014 we had 14 Volunteers.
• Their value to our organisation
cannot be underestimated.
• Local volunteers are the eyes and
ears of the community.
• People volunteer for their own
reasons.
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17. £ Where does our income come from?
• Approximately 15% from the Social Enterprises. We are focusing our
efforts on increasing this income.
•We have a Service Level Agreement with Local Authority to work
with people who have a Learning Disability.
•We have contracts with individuals. Direct Payments, Independent
Living Fund.
• Income from grants usually to start new projects.
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18. 2014 Our relationship with Local Authority is strong:
• Social Enterprise Forum – Strategic & Improvement
Department.
• Training – We are proud to be part of Gwynedd
Workforce Development.
• Hen Orsaf – Sharing a site with Highways &
Municipal Department.
• Ty Elidir – We have recently taken over the lease for
this property. Economy & Community Development
Department.
• Service Level Agreement – Social Services Housing &
Leisure Department.
• Commissioner on ‘work experience’ Facing the
Future Together project.
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19. Community Involvement : Every opportunity to get involved
with our community.
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20. Is the job too big for us?
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21. We want to be involved in regular activities.
Its important to us that we are involved in the community not ‘special or
discreet groups’
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22. •We take advantage of any
opportunity to mingle with
local people, a good
example is fruit picking.
•We use the apples & plums
to make chutneys, jams &
pickles.
•More profit for our Social
Enterprise and the best way
to mix with our neighbours.
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23. We use public transport whenever we can.
• Opportunities to mix with
local people.
• Promotes independence.
• Making connections.
• It’s an ordinary way to travel.
• Saves on mileage.
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24. Doing things differently:
• We made a case study, we sent it
to the Service Manager at the
Social Services, they came to meet
the gentleman.
• This led to a multi agency task
group.
• A little extra funding paid for
‘understanding dementia’ training.
• We were able to change with him.
• Because of these changes five
people who have dementia have
been able to stay with us.
• Savings for the Local Authority.
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25. Menter Fachwen working in India
• Working with a Charity in Kerala
Since 2008.
• Exchange visits both ways.
• We have formed strong links with
each other.
• Taking the principle of Person
Centred Planning to India.
• Helped to form and establish the
Institute of person centred
Approaches in India (IPCAI)
• Connecting Ysgol Cwm y Glo with
local schools in Kottayam.
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26. Making new friends at Ashabhavan in India.
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27. Institute of Person Centred Approaches in India (IPCAI)
est: 2011
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28. 2014:
100’s of professionals now trained and practicing Person centred Approaches to
working with people.
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29. Thank you for listening.
Do you have any questions for me?
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