FEATURE
Support – The Robin Centre in Middlesbrough has boosted Shaun Connelly ’ s self-esteem .
Enriching lives
PICTURES : TOM BANKS WORDS : PETER BARRON
The Robin Centre – part of the Newlands Group – is changing the lives of people with learning difficulties on Teesside . Now there are plans to build on its success .
Life skills – The Robin Centre supports 23 adults including Shaun Connelly , who now feels more confident dealing with money .
Not so long ago , money was a source of fear and frustration for Shaun Connelly . Unable to distinguish between different coins and notes , going to the shop on his own was an ordeal .
Today , Shaun ’ s story is very different . He now happily goes to the supermarket to buy his own lunch , confident he knows how to pay for it . It ’ s an everyday part of life that most of us take for granted , but it ’ s made a world of difference to Shaun ’ s selfesteem .
And it ’ s all down to the individual support that the 37-year-old has enjoyed since he started attending the Robin Centre , a special place in Middlesbrough , where people with learning difficulties learn basic life skills such as reading , writing , money management , cooking , nutrition , road safety , making friends – and anything that helps achieve greater independence .
Part of the Newlands Group of companies , and based in the TAD Centre , in Ormesby Road , the Robin Centre ’ s motto is “ Be independent , successful and creative ”. And Shaun is a prime example of the benefits of the centre focusing support on bespoke goals for each service user .
One of his three personal goals was to understand money , so that was included in his development plan , with a shop even being set up at the centre to help build his confidence .
His big smile shows how much happier he is thanks to the support of inspirational staff , led by day services manager Vicky Hubery and senior enabler Tracy Brown .
“ I ’ ve made friends here and I think Vicky and Tracy are amazing people ,” says Shaun .
“ If it wasn ’ t for them , and the Robin Centre , my life would be a lot , lot worse .”
The centre is named in memory of Robin Crowther , a man fondly remembered by journalists from all over the world who converged on Darlington College as students to learn their craft .
Robin specialised in newspaper law , with his lectures invariably becoming most animated when the focus was on press freedom , the right to a fair trial , and “ the public interest ”.
His passion for human rights evolved after he emigrated to South Africa in 1968 and put his skills as a journalist to good use , writing for a newspaper protesting against apartheid .
164 | Tees Business