Enable Ireland Sandyford Adult Services
Who can avail of this service?
Sandyford Adult Services caters for over twenty service users, from various parts of Dublin. The services operates a Quality Mailing Service (QMS) enterprise on site most service users have been involved in this enterprise for a number of years. Find out more about QMS.
How to access this service
Referrals to the service can be made through the individual, the individual’s parents or guardians, the HSE, their school, social worker, vocational guidance officer and other such persons. Contact the centre directly for more details.
Programmes/Activities
Sandyford services provide a combination of structured occupational activities in the area of mailing and packaging along with a range of other activities.
Service users have the opportunity to access training in the areas of literacy and computers and to take part in leisure activities, including weekly gym and swimming sessions and social outings. Activities and programmes undertaken are based on consultation with individual service users with reference to their needs and aspirations.
Person Centred Planning
The Person Centred Planning (PCP) process is at the core of the service offered. This process assists participants to identify their strengths, needs, abilities and preferences resulting in the formulation of individual person centred plans based upon realistic goals.
The PCP process develops a holistic personal profile with the service user setting objectives based on personal aspirations and using a capacity searching approach. Each service user is appointed a Key Worker to assist them with this process.
PCP also allows service users to focus on their training needs and Enable Ireland makes every effort to facilitate people to pursue their identified goals.
Community Development Programme
The Community Development Programme, which is guided by the person-centred planning process, provides opportunities for service users to explore and develop options in their communities. The programme links service users directly with an expressed area of interest in their community, assisting them to access and participate in the many leisure and cultural facilities available in the local area.
The programme makes and develops contacts with organisations that cater for the social, educational, recreational and sporting needs of the community and supports such organisations in developing a policy of greater equality and inclusion. The programme also links into initiatives that advocate for the social inclusion of people with disabilities into the community, such as the Local Partnership Company.
Supported Employment Programme
A key aim of the Supported Employment Programme is to introduce the service user to the world of work. The programme facilitates opportunities for service users to avail of work experience or employment in careers that they have expressed an interest in. The programme offers support, advice and training to interested parties and where possible the support of a personal assistant and access to transport.
Enable Ireland Dublin Adult Services is a member of the Dublin South Supported Employment Initiative which covers the catchment area of the Sandyford service. This project (supported by FAS and funded under the National Development Plan) was set up to provide quality supported employment opportunities to service users with a wide range of disabilities.
The consortium members work together to implement a model of good practice. The model is designed to meet specific employment needs and provide the necessary supports to assist individuals to be successfully integrated into the open labour market. Membership of the Supported Employment Initiative allows Enable Ireland to provide job coaches, specialised job training, individually tailored placement and supervision and employer support.
Physiotherapy/Exercise Programme
A weekly physiotherapy session and exercise programme is in place to enable service users to achieve their physical potential.
Mainstream Adult and Further Education
As part of the philosophy of involving service users in community based training and other activities, Enable Ireland places and supports people on courses run by other agencies. These have included informal computer training on site as well as literacy courses at Dundrum Vocational Education College. There are processes in place to facilitate service users to attend training courses that they have identified and wish to pursue.
Assistive Technology Service
The Enable Ireland Assistive Technology Service works in partnership with service users so that their assistive technology needs can be best identified and met in the manner that realises each individual's personal goals.
SEAT Programme
The SEAT (Supported Employment and Assistive Technology) project aims to provide technology, advice, equipment and training for people with disabilities who want jobs that match their talents and skills. In 2002, the East Coast Area Health Board allocated a grant to Dublin Adult Services to provide Assistive Technology support, thereby increasing service user access to employment and training through the use of Assistive Technology.
