This is one of our occasional 'staff stories' series, highlighting the various roles available at MacIntyre.
Kate Boyer is Intensive Interaction Facilitator and Mentor, based at MacIntyre's school and children's homes in Wingrave, Buckinghamshire.
After an early career change working with elderly people, Kate realised she had an affinity for working with people who have learning difficulties and took a job in a college for young adults with autism. MacIntyre took over the college in 2005 and within a few short months, Kate was given the opportunity to undertake all sorts of valuable and meaningful training.
One of those training days was Intensive Interaction with Dave Hewett from the Intensive Interaction Institute. Kate says:
Oh my goodness! That ‘thing’ I had been doing with some of the people we supported had a name! It was a real ‘thing’! Now that moment was an awakening, it really was.
In 2011, Kate transferred to MacIntyre’s school in Wingrave as a Learning Support Assistant and took her enthusiasm and expertise with her. She discovered the immense rewards of working with children and young people as they move though education and towards adulthood, each with their own individual gifts and challenges.
Over time Kate's role has grown and she now mentors staff to attain their competency in Intensive Interaction. This means that our staff working with children and young people use this very special approach to help children develop and grow.
Kate says:
Intensive Interaction is still very much my ‘thing’ and it is the ‘thing’ of the people we support. I am so thankful for the training I had all those years ago and the training I have had since. Everyone has the potential to learn and by using Intensive Interaction, we are supporting young people with a learning disability to develop their competence and confidence as a communicator – I am immensely proud to be part of that.
Careers at MacIntyre
If you would like to know more about careers at MacIntyre, click here, or call our Recruitment team on 01908 357016.
