Program Overview

GO Forward Learners Club is a social, educational and life skills program, designed for people with learning disabilities, autism, long term conditions and mental health challenges.

We believe that  adults with additional support needs deserve the opportunity to live the best life possible. So every day we create opportunities for people to take part in things they enjoy doing, and help them make choices about when and where they do them.

Day Opportunities, or Day Services, are a vital element of achieving the goals of the Care Act and the Transforming Care Agenda, particularly for people with additional support needs. To ‘empower individuals’ and deliver the ‘right support, in the right way’, we need to make sure that all our services help people to lead the lives they want.

Our approach is based on a philosophy that all people have contributions to make to their community, a formula that helps lead to great outcomes for the people we support.  We also take different approaches to developing our services throughout Aberdeenshire, depending on what works best in the local area.  In some areas we manage bases in the heart of the community, in others, we develop ‘community hubs’ focused on specific activities and responding to local need.

Go Forward learners Club is an interesting alternative to day services, or sporadic 1:1 support. The program uses various mediums to enhance and support individuals’ development across all life skills areas and dips into early stages of the world of work and enterprise.

Our staff team are fully trained and enthusiastic in their delivery of the program. The program is led by a member of our team who has years of lived experience and a solid belief system in promoting a level of independence tailored to the individual.

Some of the topics covered:

Recognising and managing money; reading; writing; confidence building; exercise; safety on line; relationships; boundaries, knowing yourself; basic cooking; craft; hobbies; enterprise activity; basic preparation for work; work / volunteer experience; social skills; planning; organising; budgeting; connecting with others; travel training…. 

Case study

Mr X joined the group two years ago and was very reserved and struggled with a lack of confidence and found it challenging to stay within the group setting. Mr X often disengaged from the activities the group were undertaking. June 2024 saw Mr X stand up and not only read a story aloud but gave different voices to the characters. The sense of achievement displayed by Mr X and the support from the whole group was humbling. This achievement is down to the methods used by the Group lead, the trust built with Mr X and the outstanding courage of Mr X.

The group is a safe space to explore and enhance talents and skills as well as make connections, learn new skills, develop a confident sense of self and move forward with a sense of purpose.

Frequently asked questions

Do you provide personal care?

No we do not provide personal care.

Are the staff trained?

Yes staff are trained and most come from the Health and social care sector. They receive support and supervision and ongoing personal development training.

Can I try the Club before signing a service level agreement?

Yes you can come along to a maximum of 4 tasters lasting 1 hour.

What is a service level agreement?

This is a contract with us to secure your place within the Club and is payable 52 weeks of the year.

How much does it cost?

Day rate £45 per day, £25 per half day. Which we know is an extremely competitive rate to current traditional services.

Do you only operate in Inveruie?

We deliver across Grampian, we can set up a service anywhere there is a need as long as we have a minimum of 8 people attending on any given day.

Can I just leave when I want to?

If you choose to leave us there is a four week notice period if you have a service level agreement I place

Do I get reviews?

Yes every year we will hold a review with you and your family/ carers/ care manager. 

Does the club run all year?

The club closes for two weeks over the Christmas period.

Cost:

£45 per day

How do people pay?

1.      Self-funded and invoiced monthly

2.      Option 2 Self Directed Support invoiced monthly

3.      Social Work Department invoiced monthly