Life Skills
Day to day activities can be some of the most challenging and frustrating tasks. Working on maintaining everyday skills can often lead to a significant improvement in a person’s quality of life.
Literacy/Numeracy
The Stewart Centre @ EIT runs literacy and numeracy programmes for clients. Clients work individually within group programmes to reach their own goals or on individually planned programmes. Clients are supported in using a wide variety of resources available including computers, work sheets and correspondence courses.
Communication
According to the demand, we offer an EIT Communication Course, using EIT Hawke’s Bay tutors. This course is for people with brain injuries and in the past has been beneficial in preparing people for further independence and work. We advertise these courses externally so that people who don’t attend the Stewart Centre @ EIT are also able to enrol and attend.
Social Skills
This group normally comprises of up to seven participants. They meet once a week on Wednesday afternoons. This group is facilitated by Annie and it is designed to provide clients with social skills training where skills are learnt or re-learnt. Individuals within this group decide on the content of each session with their facilitator. Personal experiences are a big part of these sessions. Participants problem solve and assist each other in finding positive solutions for any problems or difficulties.
Computer Skills
Clients are supported in regaining their computers skills in an understanding environment. Learning is facilitated by the Stewart Centre @ EIT according to individual needs and purposes. We have a wide range of resources available to people and this extends to being able to enrol in EIT computing programmes or flexible learning information technology courses. For many, improving or gaining computer skills is preparation which leads on to developing vocational skills.
There are opportunities to practise numerous recreational programmes on the computers which provide clients experience with cognitive skills such as visual scanning, concentration, forward planning, manipulation, matching, memory, hand-eye co-ordination, multi-tasking, trackball and mouse use.
Meal Preparation
All clients are able to take part in the preparation of lunches. This programme specifically relates to people who have meal planning and preparation as part of their Stewart Centre @ EIT programme. Even though meals prepared at the Stewart Centre @ EIT are for larger numbers, clients are also supported in planning and preparing meals for individuals and small numbers.
Clients have opportunities to work one to one with Kim to complete individual learning and training around such things as kitchen hygiene, food management and preparation, cleaning and tidying up. This may also involve shopping and working within a set budget.