Social Firm Day Services

The Department of Health and Social Care currently runs 5 Resource Centres on the Isle of Man for people with learning disabilities. Of these centres there are 2 which provide day services focused on employment, these are called Social Firms. Both centres are based in Douglas, one on Glencrutchery Road and one on the Ballamona Farm Site near the Hospital.

I want to go to a Social Firm

If you would like to attend a Social Firm, first speak to your family or carer, then contact the Adult Services Access Team Telephone: +44 1624 686179.

If you become a day Service User you may be asked to read and sign a document as an agreement between you and the Social Firm. If you need help with this, you can ask for help from someone you know and trust.

Our Social Firms

Eastcliffe Resource Industrial Centre ('ERIC')

ERIC is situated on the Ballamona Farm Site, Ballaoates Road, The Strang, Douglas, IM4 4TE.

ERIC offers work related activities in a safe environment. There are a few activities to choose from:

• can crushing
• chopping sticks
• craft
• paper shredding
• woodwork projects

The cost of going to ERIC

There is no charge for going to ERIC but lunch costs £5. You can bring your own packed lunch instead if you wish. There is a choice of meals on offer at ERIC. Our meals are cooked at the hospital canteen and we walk round there every lunch time. There is a menu and you can see the food to choose what you want to eat.

If you go on community activities you will need to bring some money to pay for these. It is also helpful to bring some money to pay for a drink when we go out.

If you take part in the work activities you will be paid £2 per day. You will not get paid for other activities.

Greenfield Garden Centre

Greenfield Garden Centre is located on Glencrutchery Road, Douglas, IM2 6BG. Greenfield Garden Centre is behind Radcliffe Villas. 

At Greenfield Garden Centre we grow plants, fruit and vegetables which we can sell to our customers. We also create lovely gardens where we can sit and have a break when we are not working.

We also do other activities at Greenfield Garden Centre, these activities include:

• communication
• reading
• signalong

We also do community activities, these are:

• out on the bus
• rambling
• swimming
• walk and talk

The cost of going to Greenfield Garden Centre

There is no cost for using Greenfield Garden Centre, the only cost is for lunch which is £3 per day. If you take part in community activities you will need to pay for these.

You will be paid £1 per day that you work at the Garden Centre. You will not get paid for taking part in the community activities.

For 12 weeks of the year you will be paid more than £1 for working because there is a busy time when we have lots more plants to look after and sell.

Care at the Social Firms

Medication and personal care

If you take medication, we can remind you to take it yourself or help you to take it. We will look after it for you. Your medication must be labelled with your name, the name of the medication, what time you have to take it, and whether you have to take it with food or not.

The staff at our Social Firms and Resource Centres are trained to support people with all personal care needs. Our bathrooms have special equipment in case you need to use it.

Communication

If you struggle to communicate your needs we have staff trained in signalong and other types of communication to help. We have a Boardmaker that you can use to make pictures to let us know what you need. 

My Person Centred Plan (PCP)

Everyone that uses Adult Learning Disabilities Services has a Person Centred Plan. This lets us know about your needs and helps us to help you.

Confidentiality

We will not tell anyone else anything you have told us unless you tell us something which makes us think that you are unsafe. If this happens we will have to tell the Social Worker so that they can help.