What is it that you do?

A friend asked me the other day what do you do with your business? On the same day I was attempting to fill out the forms for the Red Rose Awards 2014 and indeed asked myself the same question - What is it that Valued Care Solutions or more importantly, I do?

I have always found it very difficult to put down on paper what VCS does and what value it has in supporting providers/businesses in service and indeed this still proves a small irksome issue.

However coming back to my friend who asked me what I do, I used my stock answer of “It’s difficult really to explain properly you almost need to see it in practice”. Now I could see the befuddled (love that word) look on my friends face but instead of the usual “Oh” response my friend came back with “Well paint me a picture then”

Now, that was different I thought and began to speak about what I do and how this affects the business I support. Again I could see my friend in a state of confusion, wherein they stopped me and said I don’t know what you’re talking about is there any way you can explain it without the terminology.

I had to really think now and then I had an idea, I’ll use my love of baking to explain so here is what I said –

“Think about the start of getting ready to bake a cake.

The providers and businesses I support have the ingredients to make their cake. Ingredients could be staff, policies, processes or ideas of provisions to people. What they don’t always have is ALL the ingredients, so your deluxe chocolate cake becomes a plain sponge cake. I support them to find those additional ingredients, like finding their positive assets, community assets, person centred recruitment, new policies or processes and new ways of working to support communities and its people”.

“Ah I see” they said with a smile, which made me happy so I continued –

“Sometimes the providers and businesses have all the ingredients however don’t know how to bake the cake so they end up with a very soggy bottom (Thanks Mr Hollywood for that one). So I facilitate support like person centred planning, staff health surveillance, developing continuous business improvement, customer/staff/stakeholders engagement and communication and developing the way in which the service is delivery across the communities supported”.

“Then there are occasions when the providers and businesses have all the ingredients and know how it should be baked but don’t have the confidence or the equipment/appliance to bake the cake. Here I support through positive mentoring for management and staff and also facilitate partnership working with appropriate community supports/businesses in order to achieve their outcomes of service”.

“So I guess what I am saying is that dependent on what, after listening carefully to and working with the provider or business is needed, is what cake you get at the end, see?”

After listening to me and nodding, smiling and laughing along with what I was saying my friend said “So I get it now and to use your analogy you are the Baker supporting these cakes being baked”

Now it was my turn to look befuddled (still makes me smile) but after a moment or two I said –

“No, I’m not the baker, you know what I am, I am an enabler I am the recipe book that I can leave with the provider/business (the bake) to put all the ingredient (services) together perfectly to bake the best practice quality supports possible -

I hope after reading this you get a flavour of what Valued Care Solutions does or even if I have just made you hungry for cake I have made you smile, which is what life is all about.

Would love your comments

Till next time

“With hope and belief there are no limitations”

Stephen