“He’s a great leader and colleague. He knows his stuff on policy and he puts his money where his mouth is in terms of employing people with learning disabilities…” Mark Brookes, Dimensions Campaigns Adviser and expert by experience.
Steve’s working life has been spent helping people with learning disabilities and autism lead great lives.
He trained as a learning disability nurse at Rampton hospital. Since then, every decision Steve has made has championed getting people out of such places. Steve was transforming care 30 years before the term was invented, and has maintained relationships with some of those he helped out of Rampton.
Indeed, Dimensions employs around 60 experts by experience – people we support, tenants and family experts who audit our services, interview and run induction training, and many other roles.“Steve has taken Dimensions on a journey and he believes in personalisation … Steve has taken it a step further so people with disabilities come first… people are given the chance to work,” Ann McCallum, person Dimensions supports and former co-chair of Dimensions Council.
Steve helped co-create Learning Disability England, he has chaired VODG, the voluntary organisations disability group, acted as a trustee for SkillsforCare and co-authored two books on personalisation. Steve has helped create ‘Activate,’ Dimensions’ support model based on remarkable results of peer-reviewed research conducted alongside the Tizard Centre.
Do you think you could be the next Steve? Lots of our colleagues do. Many of our regional managing directors and operations directors started their careers as support workers at Dimensions. Why not consider a career in support with us: www.dimensionscareers.co.uk
Good luck at the Awards Steve!