To celebrate National Learning Disabilities Week 2012 we took
some time to speak with Joanna Strama, a new member of the ‘Realise’ team working
in the Pewsey area.

Realise is the brand name for our learning disability and autism
services and we support many people to live full and positive lives in a
variety of settings.

Joanne, please can you tell us when you joined the company and a
little about your role?
I joined the company in April of this year and currently work as
a Team Leader, managing a small team that provides support and care to an
individual with Learning Disabilities in a supported housing scheme in Pewsey.

In what field did you work previously?
Before joining the Realise team I worked as a Senior Therapeutic
Project Worker and Shift Leader in a Therapeutic Community for young
girls.

What made you want to join Somerset Care?
I joined the Realise team to seek new opportunities and challenges
by working in a Learning Disabilities environment. This has helped me develop
new skills and I wish to progress to a management career within the Learning
Disability field.

What does the term ‘support’ mean to you?
Support to me means enablement for individuals, achieving fulfilment
and maximising every day opportunities.

What difference do you think you have made so far and what are
you plans for the future?
I have already made some organisational changes and
improvements, including the support plans for service users and implementing
new procedures. I love enabling the team to provide more opportunities,
and have already made suggestions for planning a holiday and arranging more outings. Getting them more involved in their local community is also a strong interest of mine.

Thank you Joanna for taking the time to give us an insight into your position within the Realise team.