Our Chief Executive Jay Hay commented: “We would like to celebrate the great work done by Chris across Bucks and MK as he retires this week. Yesterday we had a small gathering to thank him for all the work he has done. Chris has helped so many find work and find meaning. Thank you Chris and our best wishes for the next phase.”
Here’s a video of the gathering to say thank you to Chris (complete with the Match of the Day theme tune to acknowledge Chris’s obsession with football).
Earlier this month, our colleague, Tony Flower, took a moment to sit down with Chris and find out more about his time here at Talkback.
“People move on. It’s a fact of life. But it came as a shock to learn that Chris Taylor, an integral part of the Talkback furniture, leaves us at the end of September after thirteen years of dedicated service. i decided to have a chat with Chris to find out more about his early days:
How did you start at Talkback?
“With my background in Bucks County Council, I used to work with day centres and community projects. I knew a lot of the families, people with learning disabilities and autism. My role at Talkback was to set up day opportunities in Aylesbury and Wycombe and to influence people that I had worked with over many years. I gave assurances to parents and the people we support that we were there for the long term. It helped that Talkback had a huge amount of respect and integrity from the work we done on self-advocacy, which is now Your Voice.
“It was challenging at the time, with long days, but we created what we have now – an empire. It’s very rewarding work and I take a lot of pride in what I’ve achieved, with the team I have behind me. When I joined Talkback, there were only nine members of staff. Now we have a team in excess of seventy. How things have changed. I remember our first participant paying me cash in hand for a session – he gave me three £5 notes and we had to balance this money on a document and deliver it over to Finance every week!
“At the time the Council actively encouraged people to set up services and there would be a regular flow of income. Over the years that’s changed and, as we know, there’s a huge black hole in local authority funding. The big challenge for Talkback and other providers is the guarantee of regular income through direct payments or individual budgets.
What have you enjoyed aout your time at Talkback?
“For me, individually, it’s negotiating with employers, getting them signed up to use Talkback as a recruitment agency for people with autism and learning disabilities. Individuals that can and want to work, with the right support mechanisms and reasonable adjustments in place, can go on to achieve amazing things in the workplace. Also convincing parents that we are a robust, steadfast charity that you can trust. I think that goes without saying across the whole of the work we do; from the Operations Team, to delivering in colleges, supporting people into work, PDS groups, along with the amazing Accessible Workshop, and of course the Your Voice team which are the very foundations of what Talkback represents – having a voice. I feel immensely proud to have been associated with Talkback over the years. Each and every one of you have enriched so many peoples lives.
What has been your proudest achievement?
“On a personal level there have been many achievements, but one of the greatest was the Shout out for SEND Conference, where we were asked to run a workshop. Stories from people that have actually been through the process of coming from school, moving to college, into our PDS programme, and from there into paid employment. At the time it was a big thing for Robert Lawson to transition. What he learned from Talkback was immense, right from the early days with Equip. I know many people worked with him in various programmes. He stood up at that SEND Conference with a microphone and just took over, gave the whole story in front of 100 people. People were clearly moved and had moist eyes by his journey
and experience.”
So, what are your plans for the future, Chris?
“I’m going to be a bit selfish for once in my life and put myself first. Take the whole of October off and travel around England with my partner. Relax, recharge and do the things I want to. Classic motorcycle racing, more football matches, National Trust properties, heritage sites. Resurrect my love of antiques and passion for British stamp collecting. I’m going to work supporting vulnerable people, but on a part time basis. At this moment in time, it’s right to give the reins over to younger, fresher people with newer ideas. I’m not saying I’m out to pasture yet, but I think I need a fresh challenge.”
We wish you all the best, Chris, and thank you for all you’ve done for Talkback. The place won’t be the same without you.
