Global Business Awards 2020

The power of community can be one of the most powerful on Earth. As such, communities everywhere are a source of one of the most powerful forms of wealth imaginable; people. When people come together in support of something or someone, there are few things that can stop the power of the people. One Ayrshire-based woman, Marianne Greenway, has dedicated her life to the people around her, and now, she is taking a bold new step in a bid to bring more people together for a truly outstanding cause. Most Innovative CommunityWealth Builder 2020 - Scotland Aug20036 If there is one thing you ought to know about Marianne Greenway, it is that she is passionate about people. Communities of people can be wonderful places that are full of support and encouragement during even the hardest of times. Having spent thirty years of her life in service to the children and young people of Scotland and Ayrshire, Marianne is a person whose heart transcends the call of duty. Her enthusiasm and passion for community and people-centric wealth is second to none. Who better then, to lead a brand new venture that seeks to bring that community wealth into the lives of those amongst us who need it most? Marianne has already dedicated so much of her life to the advancement and development of Ayrshire Children’s Services CIC, a specialist childcare Social Enterprise, and now she is embarking upon an innovative new venture called KO-NEKT. At the heart of Marianne’s passion for community is a willingness to take people for who they are. There is always a reason behind someone’s actions, and Marianne believes so vehemently in being the person who listens to what people truly need, before setting out to innovatively support that need. Everything that Marianne does comes from a place of love for her community and the people around her, and that filters into her staff whom she trains so diligently. This latest venture, KO-NEKT is the epitome of her life’s work to support people, and it could not come at a better time. Traditionally, services for children with disabilities and autism aren’t readily available. The identification of need and assessment processes is a long road, with government and statutory services at breaking point, due to the overwhelming amount of families seeking support. Families can be left on waiting lists, and with so many more hurdles and hoops to tackle, the lives of children and parents are left on hold for months or even years, with crisis situations becoming evident. The number of children who are growing up needing additional support services and care is increasing. That is where KO-NEKT comes into the picture. KO-NEKT ‘Skills’ Centres are places designed to be a haven of refuge and safety for children living with autism and additional support needs. They can be whatever the child or the parent wants them to be. It could be a place for a child to learn new skills, be they social or practical, or it could be somewhere for a parent to have a moment to themselves whilst their child is safely exploring in a safe and nurturing environment. Crucially, Marianne’s heart is right at the centre of it; bringing people together and empowering them to feel normal, whatever that might look like for them. KO-NEKT’s launch in 2017 sought to initiate a new future for families whose children have additional support needs or autism. Primarily designed to offer support to the families of Ayrshire where Marianne is based, KO-NEKT aims to be a recognisable establishment for all children who are anxious about change, isolated from their peers, or simply find it difficult to fit into “traditional activities” within their communities. It is a catalyst for change that offers day and evening support which can be accessed as and when required, flexibly over seven days a week. The design of KO-NEKT allows for many bolt-on services to be added, such as Transitional Support, Active Play Therapy, Life Skills and Health and Wellbeing development, as well as Specialist Tailored Activities to enable a wide range of children who all have different autistic spectrum disorders. The centre also provides advice for struggling parents. Marianne’s vision for KO-NEKT is creating an all-inclusive service which works alongside each child to deliver support that is tailored to them, creating opportunities for them to have their views heard, their rights respected, their abilities developed, and so much more. Children with additional support needs and autism should be enabled and supported to gain the highest degree of independence achievable and become confident in themselves. Autistic children and young people should not be defined by their autism; they should be championed as thinkers, developers, makers, and doers. This is why KO-NEKT is different, it is a skills centre to champion individuality and confidence through self-discovery. Autistic children

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