The Improving Life Experiences Award recognises the commitment and expertise of a person or team who’s made a significant difference to improving life experiences of a child or young person undergoing treatment. Today we are delighted to unveil our Improving Life Experiences, Scottish Children’s Health Award Winner as Jenny McNeill. Her story is captured below by journalist and TV Presenter Catriona Shearer.
Jenny is the team leader of Falkirk Council’s Interrupted Learners Service, which supports people who are unable to attend school due to physical or mental health reasons. Jenny and her team work with young people on a one-to-one and small group basis, nurturing and preparing them to return to academic work.
Jenny’s vision was to create a bespoke support service for young people with health issues where they’d feel nurtured and supported to achieve the best version of themselves. The young people who use it refer to it affectionately as ‘The Cottage’. They say it’s like coming to a small family home where they feel safe and secure, which is testament to Jenny’s vision.
The highly skilled staff work with young people on a first name basis and get to know them and their family. The team then works with them and their original school to achieve National Qualifications and other awards so they’re successful and ready for their next steps.
“We work in partnership with agencies to make sure that each young person transitions on to a positive destination,” she says. “This could be back to school, work or further education, and is completely bespoke to what is right for that young person at the time.”
The Cottage has its own course in partnership with Forth Valley College, where a staff member supports the young people in their classes and during social times. They learn practical skills, like cookery, painting and decorating whilst also being supported to continue with further education.
It’s a huge source of pride for Jenny to visit the college and meet the young people The Cottage has helped to support. “Hearing them shout my name and come running over to tell me how they’re doing makes me so proud to work for this service,” she says. “Seeing them go on to achieve college courses and then move on to employment is the most wonderful part.”
Jenny was nominated for the Improving Life Experiences Award by a mother and daughter who she’s worked with for the last few years. “This young person came to work with us after lockdown having had a very difficult time. She’s just had her ‘graduation’ from The Cottage and is moving on to adulthood as a wonderful, inspiring and very successful young lady.”
Families approach The Cottage when their young person has been out of school for a prolonged period of time and often speak of the isolation they’ve experienced when trying to access services. The Cottage welcomes them to the ‘Cottage family’ and helps them start the healing process. Jenny says, “What we offer at The Cottage is not just support for the young person but for the whole family. We advocate for families when they feel they’re not able to.”
Like many of our winners, Jenny credits her award success to the whole team. “Winning celebrates the hard work and dedication that reflects on everyone who works for this service. I continually ask my team to support me in the vision that I have for every young person who comes through our door to feel success and part of a family and without the outstanding support of the team we would not achieve this.”
Jenny’s hope is for more young people and families to be able to access the support they need and says young people’s mental health is her passion. She looks forward to continuing to support young people to achieve their hopes and potential.
Congratulations, Jenny, on winning the Improving Life Experiences Award.
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