About Care Co-ops
Background on Care Co-ops
Care Co-ops is a not-for-profit organisation providing a range of activities and services to learning disabled adults and people with mental health support needs. Each service that Care Co-ops provides is aimed to be tailored to meet the needs of every individual that accesses its services and we regularly encourage feedback and comments from our service users.
The organisation was established in 1988, initially providing a residential housing service. Soon after the establishment of the Care In The Community Act in 1993, the scope of Care Co-ops' services increased and its range of daytime activities for service users were established, which led to the setting up of Care Co-ops Day Services, now known as the Life Opportunities Services. Care Co-ops also provides opportunities to help adults return to work with support given in searching for suitable employment and preparing for a return to a work environment. These opportunities are primarily offered through Care Co-ops' Toolkit For Work scheme.
Care Co-ops continues to run a Housing Support Service, but this is now operated using a dispersed model, with appointed Support Workers visiting clients in their own homes and supporting them in meeting their own individual needs. The aim of this service is to encourage service users to work towards a more independent way of living.
In recent years, Care Co-ops has looked at the benefits of establishing a separate income generating arm, which is called Care Co-ops Trading. Care Co-ops Trading's core services are catering and retail, with the organisation operating two catering outlets within hospitals based in the Brighton and Hove area. These outlets also provide an opportunity for voluntary placements to gain valuable experience and in some instances, qualifications, in catering and customer service. Care Co-ops Trading also provides food for some outside catering and hospitality events.
The past few months have seen Care Co-ops Trading take over the running of Care Co-ops' Community Farm at Stanmer Park, just north of Brighton. The Farm, which was originally set up in 1993, grows a range of organic produce and is run using organic principles, with opportunities available for service users and volunteers to participate in maintaining the development of the Farm site. It is intended for the Community Farm to play a key part in the supply chain in providing food directly to Care Co-ops' catering outlets, with this to then be served to the customer.
Care Co-ops continues to look at ways in which it will be able to diversify and develop as an organisation, both in terms of the range of services it offers, as well as the target groups it is able to serve and the geographical spread it is able to cover. The next year or two is expected to be a positive time for the organisation and news of further progress and development will be posted on this website.