Team Day 2024
Date published
01 May 2024
Team Day is an annual opportunity for all the different teams across Blue Sky to come together in person to share best practices and connect.
As many of our foster carers know, connecting through events opens opportunities for sharing and support. And so it is with Team Day. It can be shared practice, a greater knowledge of what colleagues are doing within their roles, or simply hearing the personal stories of what life is like outside the workplace, which increases our empathy and understanding of one another. Greater understanding allows us to work better together.
Connection is important. It is at the very heart of Blue Sky, and working on lines of support - so wonderfully demonstrated by our Connect Team during the event - is crucial in helping people flourish. This is true of the young people, the foster carers we support, and indeed, of one another.
And so we discussed connection; Craig Pinkney, CEO from Solve, gave a fantastic presentation that challenged our understanding of youth culture [grime music artists anyone?!], Karen Ludkin eloquently placed us in the shoes of a child's journey who had experienced trauma. Each team gave a presentation on a different topic. Some were more formal, and some were silly with hats - but all were informative, allowing us to understand more about one another and how we can progress together, strengthening Blue Sky.
Category
News
Topics
- Events
Date published
01 May 2024
The Ice Breaker Exercise
First, we were placed randomly into teams, and given an ice breaker task. Which team could build the highest tower of cups, without touching them?
Connect Team
The Connect Team shared more about the different strands of support they give to foster carers. This was visually demonstrated through a [reverse] giant ker-plunk game - which our colleague Nick Crabbe had skillfully made in his garage!
Romsey Team Presentation
The Romsey team gave a presentation on 'creating a positive applicant and carer experience from initial enquiry through to first placement'.
They did this in the style of the 90's dating show 'Blind Date', with our collegaue Marcus Reeves hosting as 'Cilla Blue' rather than Cilla Black. Whilst entertaining, it was also incredibly informative.
Then also switched into a 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" TV show format. The graphics were fantantic and it was a good way for us to guess as an audience the correct responses to particular situations.
Sussex & Surrey and Kent Presentation
The Sussex & Surrey and Kent teams came together to present 'Building carer resilience and connection with Blue Sky'.
This was demonstrated through the use of hats, showing the different hats/roles we wear.
Dorset / Dorset TLC Presentation
The Dorset Team gave a presentation on 'Supporting through placement endings', and did so in the style of the TV show Big Brother.
They had a lot of fun on stage, but their format also gave the opportunity to view all the different ways placements can end and ways to support them. Only, they also included lots of wigs.
Team Day 24 Presentation: Craig Pinkney, CEO of SOLVE
Craig Pinkney, CEO of SOLVE had us on the edge of our seats as he stalked the room, picking on audience members to answer his questions!
His talk was undoubtedly illuminating, as he discussed the importance of engaging more fully with young people, youth culture and one another.
Further highlights
Hampshire, West Country and Devon & Cornwall all gave wonderful presentations, that were more formal in style, but no less engaging [Though there were less photo opportunities!].
Hampshire and West Country gave a presentation on 'Creating and embracing diversity in the carer cohort' whilst Devon & Cornwall discussed team culture and ways in which we can create a positive environment for young people, carers and colleagues, asking us to raise our pictures of Cornish pasties if we were in agreement with their statements!
Karen Ludkin spoke movingly of trauma, Molly Lloyd shared the voices of our young peopole, and our CEO Peter Mitchell gave a closing address. An excellent day was had by all!
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