We want to know!

We know that if we don't ask we often won't be told. We also know that if we don't know there is a problem we can not address it. This is a short survey and shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to complete please know that we greatly value any feedback and we respond directly to 100% of any response which suggests a short fall in any of our services. We will publish our results here in the new year. Thanks in advance for your help. Click here to take survey

Meeting Mav!

Maverick to give him his full name is the most magnificent 17 hand horse with a German blood line and a real pedigree in show jumping. Nearly 18 months ago Mav had an encounter with another horse and received a very nasty kick to the fetlock which, seemed not able to heal. Indeed his owner Angela, also on the Dance Movement Masters course was very worried he wasn't going to make it. Step in Julie! "We need a horse for equine therapy" she says.

Well recently we went to meet Mav who has made a remarkable recovery thanks, in the main, to the dedication of his owner and a little bit of support from Common Thread. He is truly a magnificent big man. Angela was able to give him a quick ride while we were there, which he seemed to love and we all pampered him with carrots and a good brush to help remove his winter coat. Anyway the news is good and any of the kids indeed the staff as well who might want to visit with him will I'm sure be most welcome. Don't forget the carrots! More photos of meeting Mav

Healing Moves

"But I'm not a dancer" Julie Joseph is quick to point out when we discuss the possibility of her adopting a dance pose for the photographer. In fact she admits she was horrified during her interview for a place on Scotland's first Masters degree course in Dance Movement Psychotherapy when she was actually asked to move`: "What was I thinking? Of course they would ask me to dance. Why on earth was I surprised?"

"We have always use creative therapies within Common Thread: art, drama and music, and we've seen how successful they are. "As a company, we believe in staff taking responsibility for their own personal development so it was right that I modelled what I believe and went into learning myself."

A significant part of the course was two placements: the first with the NHS in Ayrshire and Arran working with people in rehabilitation for addictions, the second with teenage girls at Maxwelltown High School in Dumfries. Julie described her work with the NHS as "a phenomenal experience": "I found the clients amazing. to be going through withdrawal from patterns so long established in their lives; they were so brave. And within the NHS I never saw a piece of work that was anything other than outstanding."

The second placement in education was a 12 week placement working with a group of 'potentially vulnerable' girls at the school, on self esteem and confidence issues. "Julie has taught us to talk to her and each other and express emotions" says one of the girls. "we've all changed in a way. It's been a confidence boost, an emotional boost. I feel happier. It was a place to just be free." (Paraphrased from Dumfries and Galloway Life issue 43 June 2011)

Silver Success

Common Thread has for sometime been committed to a learning environment. An environment where we enable our staff feel safe to do their learning in an open and respectful manner as importantly our aim is to ensure we have excellent people providing excellent child care. The children staying with Common Thread are offer their ideas "the idea to start a library came from one of the young people and he has been given the go ahead" we believe everyone at Common Thread has valuable ideas that we can build on.

We were delighted to present The Common Thread Group with their Silver accreditation for Investors in People, which reflects the dedication and passion of the whole organisation.  There is a deep appreciation within the Common Thread team that the quality of service which they provide to young people is fundamentally linked to the way in which they manage and develop their people.

Some of the team members comments were recorded by the IIP investigator, when talking about the senior management team "We are genuinely welcomed at head office...I am motivated by the fact that my opinions and views are listened to and valued"

"...they are a shining light to other organisations who want to understand how to grow their businesses or organisations successfully.  Creating a culture of openness and respect, where learning is a day to day activity, and managers are inspirational role models requires real commitment , but produces real results.  Common Thread understand that this is just common sense, but it’s not yet common practice."

Peter Russian,Chief Executive, Investors in People (Scotland)

Common Thread Bursary Award

David Whitton MSP announced the Common Thread Bursary Award for students at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, in April. The bursary is funded by Common Thread, a Scottish company specialising in the caring and educating of young people in crisis. The Common Thread Bursary Award will be open to postgraduate and undergraduate students studying courses in the School of Health and Social Sciences. The award is also open to students from all courses who have experienced the care system (all applications and student details will be treated in the strictest confidence) or for those who can demonstrate a commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable young people. David Whitton MSP said: “I am delighted to have announced the award at the Parliamentary reception I hosted today, especially as I opened their most recent home in Kirkintilloch last September. “Common Thread provides excellent facilities,..........