The Chris Ruth Centre - Who are we?

 

The Chris Ruth Centre operated by the Chris Ruth Centre Trust is a day service for over 21 year olds with "very high needs" disabilities.

 

The Chris Ruth Centre Trust is a charitable trust established to help these young people integrate into society once they leave school. 

 

It is only in recent years that children with both physical and intellectual disabilities have had the option of accessing mainstream education.  However, on reaching the age of twenty one, these people are no longer funded for education.

 

When schooling ends their disabilities preclude them from finding traditional employment and continuing their integration into society. See a short video (8MB - 5 minutes) of our people in action.

 

Although some supported employment initiatives exist in Christchurch, they are not suitable for people with higher needs.  Upland Unit, the special education unit at Hillmorton High School identified this need for their maturing students. 

 

Thus the Centre was established in 1997 to provide a programme for young disabled people who had completed their education at Hillmorton. 

 

In January 2005 the Chris Ruth Centre Trust took over the contracts and therefore Hillmorton High School is no longer involved. In late 2005, our Centre was re-named The Chris Ruth Centre - operated by the Trust.

 

Chris Ruth was one of the first people to attend the centre.  He passed away in October 2004.

 

Chris Ruth Leacroft Centre
In 2008 we opened our second centre in the Marist-Western Suburbs Rugby League Club building in Bishopdale Park. This enables us to access additional community and workplace participation opportunities. It also reduces the travelling time for people attending the Centre.

 

We have been able to increase the number of people we can enrol. Since 2005 we have expanded our enrolments to include people with very high needs disabilities from schools other than Hillmorton High School's Upland Unit. In 2008 we have 42 people enrolled.

 

Our focus is on ensuring that numbers in either centre do not reach a level where there is undue stress on the people in our service or our staff.

 

Support and training is comprehensive, individually planned and community-oriented.
Our programmes have two major focuses.

 

• Workplace Participation - Voluntary employment positions are arranged with local businesses.  Placements are usually for one hour per week and at no cost to the employer.  Each person is accompanied by a support person who assists them and looks after their needs.  Most people have two work placements, related to their interests and abilities.
• Individual Personal Development - Each person has their own programme designed to meet their needs, incorporating life skills, communication, functional education, community orientation, physical therapy and recreational pursuits.  Activities include horse riding, swimming, cooking, computer activities, crafts, woodwork, shopping, lunch out, attending festivals or outings.  Physical needs to be met include eating, toileting, physiotherapy, appropriate down time, medication and medical assistance.

The overall philosophy and practice is to ensure people have interesting, full and meaningful lives. 

 

The aim of the Chris Ruth Centre is to be part of the working culture within our community. The Community benefits by having our people experiencing a quality of life that would not otherwise be available to them. 

 

It is also very valuable for the wider community to have our people alongside them in mainstream life.

 

Our Mission  Workplace Participation  Gallery  Contact  Chris Ruth Centre  Webmail