Back
About us

Contact MacIntyre

Whatever your query, we’ll help you to find the right person to speak to you and answer your questions as quickly as possible.

Get in touch with us
About us Our Values Governance Publications Inspection reports Awards Memberships and accreditations
Find Support

Are you looking for residential support for an adult?

We currently have a number of vacancies where we can offer 24/7 support.

View residential vacancies

Contact MacIntyre

Have a query about support in your area?

Get in touch with us
Find Support Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire Cheshire Derbyshire Essex Hampshire Herefordshire Hertfordshire Greater Manchester Leicestershire London Oxfordshire Shropshire Wales Wiltshire Worcestershire
For Adults

Are you looking for residential support for an adult?

We currently have a number of vacancies where we can offer 24/7 support.

View residential vacancies

Contact MacIntyre

Get in touch to discuss your support needs.

Get in touch with us
For Adults Day Opportunities Employment Great Communities Registered Care Shared Lives Supported Living Residential Vacancies
For Children

Are you looking for a special school?

MacIntyre School provides education and care for children and young people aged between 10 and 19.

Find out more
For Children Academies Further Education MacIntyre School Residential Support Supported Living Transition
Our Approach

About MacIntyre

Discover more about the organisation and the people behind the work we do

Discover more about the organisation

Resources

Free leaflets, documents and videos to help with the care of your loved ones

Discover more about the organisation
Our Approach Autism Communication Death and Dying Dementia Families Great Interactions Health Health and Safety Intensive Interaction Learning Disability Person Centred Approaches Positive Behaviour Support Resources Safeguarding Transforming Care Voice of the people we support
Get Involved

Make a difference to the lives of the people we support

Donate
Get Involved Campaigns Corporate Support MacIntyre Lottery Wills and Legacies FAQ Fundraising Terms and Conditions
News & Blogs
Events
Careers

Contact us

Have you got questions about working at MacIntyre?

Get in touch with us

Current vacancies

If you have the right attitude, good customer service skills, share our values and are willing to learn, you’re likely to be a great fit.

View current opportunities
Careers Current Vacancies Work for us 10 best things about MacIntyre Diversity and Inclusion Employee Benefits How to apply How to write an effective CV Recruitment FAQs Safer Recruitment Students and Graduates Volunteer Working in Wales
Donate Search

Learning Together

20 August 2018
Blog post

Since joining MacIntyre three months ago, with no experience of the care industry, I knew I had a lot to learn. During my first few weeks, I was asked if I would like to attend the next Keep Going…….Don’t Stop meeting. It became clear that the Keep Going…….Don’t Stop group (or KGDS) are an essential part of our Department of Health funded Dementia Project, working to ensure that everything produced by MacIntyre is accessible to everyone we support.

As I wanted to continue learning everything I could about MacIntyre and the people we support, I jumped at the chance. But this wouldn’t be a traditional KGDS meeting, this time they would be meeting The MacIntyre Checkers. Despite collaborating on many easy-read projects together this was the first time they would be officially introduced.

In preparation for their arrival, the KGDS group had made a banner spelling out ‘Welcome Checkers’ to make everyone as comfortable as possible. Upon hearing the sound of squeaking tyres and the whirr of the minibus engine die down, there were murmurs of apprehension and excitement as their guests arrived.

Unsure what to expect, I watched as the groups filed in. The man who happened to sit next to me was Andrew, known in the group as the Doctor Who expert. Armed with the latest issue of the TV guide and his trusty cap, he quietly sat beside me.

As the room filled with conversation, Andrew remained seated, still clutching at his TV Guide. Feeling nervous, I gave him a smile and a quick wave, introducing myself. Noticing that the magazine cover had a picture of the current Doctor Who, I chose to use this to try and set him at ease.

From here, I quickly realised that Andrew’s primary form of communication was Makaton. Before starting at MacIntyre I was ashamed to admit I hadn’t heard of Makaton, but wanting to get to know Andrew, I persisted; using his adoration for Doctor Who as a starting point.

It became clear that Andrew didn’t need to verbalise his love for Doctor Who, his expressions alone were enough. Using the TV Guide, we began to turn each page, pointing at pictures of Daleks and Doctors. As I began to point at each picture, his face began to light up.

“Which Doctor is your favourite?” I found myself asking.

Without hesitation and a huge smile on his face, Andrew pointed to a photograph and announced that “Tom”, the fifth Doctor, Tom Baker, was the best by far.

“Scarf.” he said, using Makaton to convey Tom Baker’s iconic look.

As we continued through the TV guide, Andrew slowly began to grow in confidence, indicating that the Daleks were evil and giggling at my failed attempts to name characters. He even made the sound of a bell and said ‘cat’ whilst signing; sharing that he owned a pet cat. Bringing his arms out, he imitated cuddling his cat, beaming from ear to ear.

When it was time for him to present his project on Doctor Who to the rest of the group, he suddenly looked a little unsure. I smiled at him for reassurance and threw him a ‘thumbs up’. Smiling back, he carried his lucky cap to the front and took a deep breath. Needless to say, his presentation was brilliant.

Whilst it’s safe to say I learned a lot that day about Doctor Who, mostly I learned about the variety of ways people we support can communicate. Andrew didn’t need to convey his love for Doctor Who verbally; he did so perfectly using expressions, sound, and Makaton.

Heidi Warnes

Communications Officer, MacIntyre Central

More about Great Interactions

Chesterfield Community Roast June 2022

MacIntyre’s Head of Best Practice, Merle Davis reflects on the third Community Roast Dinner in Chesterfield.

A young man supported by MacIntyre Shared Lives in Bedfordshire with his Shared Lives carers in the background

Celebrating 10 years of MacIntyre Shared Lives in Warrington.

For Shared Lives Week, Kathryn Yates' Blog celebrates 10 years of MacIntyre Shared Lives in Warrington.

MacIntyre making a splash in unchartered waters!

A Community Connections report by Sarah Nicholson

What are Great Interactions?

Great Interactions is the name MacIntyre gives its award winning way of working.
Find out more about 10 Facilitation Skills
Important Links
Data Protection and Privacy Policy Slavery & Human Trafficking Policy Statement Working Safely in Offices
Connect with us
Marjorie Newton Wright Awards MacInStars Employee of the Month Contact Us Our Newsletter Shops
Follow us
Registered Charity No. 250840

602 South Seventh Street
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire
MK9 2JA
© 2022 MacIntyre. All rights reserved
Site by Grandad.digital