Latest news with #SteppingStones
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Stepping Stones program seeking wig donations
ASHLAND, Ky. — The Cosmetology Program at Ashland Community and Technical College is seeking wig donations in support of their Stepping Stones program. The Stepping Stones program exists to provide local cancer patients who have suffered hair loss through chemotherapy with wigs free of charge. The program was launched in 2002 by former cosmetology program coordinator Patti Banfield, resulting in hundreds of wigs being provided over the years to those in need. 'There is an incredible need in our community for support services like this, and we're honored to be part of the solution,' said Kim Minnehan, ACTC advancement administrator. 'Through the Stepping Stones program, donated wigs are cleaned and styled by our talented cosmetology students and then offered free of charge to cancer patients. It's about more than just appearance—it's about dignity, hope, and helping people feel like themselves again during a difficult time.' "Cancer is such a heartbreaking disease,' said Mourine Smith, ACTC cosmetology program coordinator. 'It is our honor to be able to provide wigs to those who have been diagnosed. Cancer has the power to take so much away from the patient. Those who donate wigs to our program make a difference in the lives of those who are affected." Wigs can be dropped off at the ACTC Foundation Office, located on the College Drive Campus in Ashland.
Telegraph
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
In post-Thatcher Britain, Whitehall is a monument to decline
Why is Britain run so badly? Why is the UK economy, and many of its public services, on a seemingly inevitable downward course? Why do our leaders seem so unable to address the great geopolitical challenges to life and liberty, control immigration, or even just get a grip on the Civil Service machine? Where are the novel methods, people and skills that can reframe problems and build solutions coming from? Fifty years ago, I was involved in the first great attempt – and, sadly, the last – to address such questions. The Stepping Stones project, triggered by Keith Joseph and Alfred Sherman at the Centre for Policy Studies, sought to analyse the UK economy as an ecosystem. It produced for Margaret Thatcher a series of joined-up, strategic interventions to resolve Britain's union problems and restore the government's authority, and our nation's economic performance. Thatcher believed, like Louis Pasteur, that chance favours the prepared mind. It was not an accident that made her the UK's longest-serving prime minister. It was her well-prepared mind and its strategic courage. In particular, Stepping Stones worked because it helped to train senior ministers and colleagues to act in unison; two years before they were elected – and afterwards, to gain not just office but 'office with power'. Its prime movers, including me and my co-author John Hoskyns, carried their strategic approach into 10 Downing Street with Thatcher. Today, however, it is not just the unions that are the problem, but our entire system of government. Inside Whitehall, rigid boundaries, silos, baronies, hatreds and dishonesty prevent timely preparation and progress. Individual and group inadequacies and rivalries limit freedoms to explore, study, accept and discover better ways. New prototypes are stifled before they can be born; while self-serving, problem-avoidant behaviours replace altruism and public service. The resulting incoherence ensures that the deadly complacency of conventional governance groupthink dominates politics, and political parties. Even when Whitehall appoints internal 'red teams', to challenge its thinking, it is just groupthink at play: because red teams are selected from the existing people and culture, they will return to their box after their game is over. The result is that policy formulators, task forces, project teams, nations or governing systems fail to achieve what their people need most to survive in our brutal global era. I have named it 'The Traumatics', as impermanence and vulnerabilities are innate risks that threaten human lives world-wide. Imperfect bureaucrats and generalist amateurs imagine they are coping well. They avoid admitting their incompetence and unfitness for ruling. But citizens are not fooled, they know bad governance when they see it. Crucial strategic oversight is deliberately suffocated by wilful omissions in training, duty, intelligence and research. In an ideal world, the regime change we need within government would be pioneered by a truly objective and radically reformed Civil Service; acting as a trail-blazing learning organisation, in the national interest. Alas, a historic, inbred, meritocratic presumption of administrative excellence has resulted in a culture of untutored arrogance, limiting Whitehall's scope to become a knowledge-building and transforming institution. Polished complacency has been set in a concrete shell and preserved – as a national monument to decline. This is not just a new complaint. In many ways, our greatest failure in the Thatcher era was to re-sculpt, or demolish, this great Victorian obelisk. John produced a famous 'wiring diagram', setting out the forces acting on the economy. Evaluating legacy governing ecosystems wasn't highlighted. So, in 1977, I did not envisage the need for an 'unwiring diagram' to diagnose and classify government's emergent existential flaws; geo-populism lit that fuse more recently. So what should be done? Many have called for a Stepping Stones for our brutish era. If its new 'circuit diagram' establishes the eco-systemic causes of today's threats, then suitable policies can be prepared before crises happen. A disjointed, piecemeal approach, is unlikely to identify and align the interlocking systems and innovations that could best enhance performance, stability and growth. Indeed, while good ideas can always improve current performance a smidgeon, tactics alone can never address or fix the defects in our existing governance, with its habitual positions, runaway egos, self-centred operating cultures and ongoing battles for power. Innovative working paradigms of system-wide strategic leadership, devised to improve citizens' lives and future security, are absent. Well-designed reforms, must upgrade or replace unsafe governing systems: but how? Nasa's founding leader – the first among three equals – was James Webb, whose huge, eponymous, infrared telescope now orbits our planet. I learnt much from him in 1982, when he lectured on our first Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme. I designed and launched it for and with Douglas Hague. He was Margaret Thatcher's original economic adviser in opposition and consulted with the No 10 Policy Unit once she won office. Under Webb, Nasa trail-blazed an open, original approach built around new blood, great minds, mixtures of various disciplines, competing teams and rocket science. The result was Nasa's environment of radical inventiveness which prepared them to address complex problems and find original solutions. Such tasks are best done well before seismic disruptions – like Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and Trump's 'cards' – destroy the old world order. Webb showed that high-level patronage and support are essential to provide the freedom and space to study, develop and alter legacy governing systems; and then plan for far-reaching change. Escaping existing conventions, rituals and cultures creates the chance for independent, outlier minds to provide the governance improvements we and the world lack. Professional humility, collaboration and objectivity are all critical capabilities. Without these elements, any new team may turn out to be incapable of becoming the thinkers, talents, advisers, catalysts and leaders we need. And of course, any governing ecosystem must work before political parties can succeed. But it is not just the Civil Service that needs reform. It would be wise, before the next election, for all candidates to have been taken through training syllabuses; custom-designed to reflect the complexities and challenges that they will face. Without such a 'regime change', it is hard to believe that any new leader or election manifesto will earn the chance of putting their party and nation back on track, with the expertise to govern well. Yet voters must believe this next generation of leaders can succeed; or else their despair will only get worse.
Dominion Post
01-06-2025
- General
- Dominion Post
Adam Nicholas Shine
Adam Nicholas Shine, 35, of Morgantown, passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Morgantown, surrounded by his father and mother who dearly loved was known for his kind heart, joyful spirit, and bright smile. He had a close and loving relationship with his parents, Lewie and Jolynn, and shared a deep bond with his longtime girlfriend, Molly Hannah. He was also a dedicated lifetime member of Suncrest United Methodist was preceded in death by his grandparents: Elwood and Ruth Hershey, and George and Mildred survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins who he enjoyed spending time enjoyed life's simple pleasures, especially his time working at the Beehive Cafe of PACE Enterprises. He loved and was loved by his coworkers. He enjoyed the outdoors, camping trips, bocce ball, and attending car shows. He was a proud competitor in the Special Olympics, bowling and cornhole, and was actively involved with SteppingStones events, always eager to lift others up with his positive outlook and big will be remembered for the joy he brought to everyone around him.A Celebration of Adam's Life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, at Suncrest United Methodist celebration of his life, donations may be made to PACE Enterprises, and SteppingStones, Condolences:
Leader Live
14-05-2025
- General
- Leader Live
Support for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse
Lesley Griffiths, MS for Wrexham, applauded the work of Wrexham-based Stepping Stones North Wales. The charity provides free counselling and support services to adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse across the six counties of North Wales. During a meeting at the charity's offices on King Street in Wrexham, members of the Stepping Stones North Wales team outlined the charity's work and the positive impact of its services for so many survivors. The team also highlighted that, although demand is continuing to increase across the whole region, securing the funds to meet increasing demand is becoming ever more challenging. Read more: "People who come to us are looking to be heard and believed" Ms Griffiths heard first hand from service users about the impact the charity has had on the lives of both themselves and their families of the charity's recent success in securing a prestigious GSK Impact Award and full accreditation of its services from The Survivors Trust. She commended the work of the whole Stepping Stones North Wales team during First Minister's Questions in the Senedd, and took the opportunity to highlight the importance of multi-year support from Welsh Government for charities in Wales. Ms Griffiths asked the First Minister Eluned Morgan: "Could I begin by paying tribute to the counsellors, volunteers and the whole team of Stepping Stones North Wales, which is an organisation based in my constituency of Wrexham? Read more: Riding centre appeal: 'Every pound buys us time but the clock is ticking' "It supports and provides free counselling and support services to adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse right across all the six counties of North Wales, and last year was the charity's fortieth year. It was a particularly challenging year in terms of finance and also a significant increase in the demand for their services." She added: "Sustainable funding is challenging, and when I met with the team members of Stepping Stones recently, they highlighted to me, whilst they greatly value the support from Welsh Government, the ability to strategically plan for the longer term is really essential. Read more: North Wales Freemasons' generous donation to mountain rescue charity "So, First Minister, whilst I appreciate the Welsh Government budget is allocated on an annual basis, do you agree with me that multi-year funding settlements would assist organisations, such as Stepping Stones, to enable better long-term planning and provide support to many more individuals? Diolch." The First Minister replied: "I recognise the importance of service providers like Stepping Stones. I'd like to congratulate the organisation—they won this year's GSK impact award. And we were very pleased to be able to give them an additional £102,000 this year to help reduce their waiting lists. "They are making a difference to thousands of people in north Wales, and it was great that you went to visit them. Read more: Vintage bridal boutique opens in Wrexham in aid of animal shelter in crisis The First Minister added: "Of course, in an ideal world, we'd like to see multi-annual funding. There are rules within our budgetary system that allows some of that to happen, but, obviously, up until very recently we've only had an annual funding settlement. "But the multi-year funding is a key consideration of the Welsh Government because we recognise the importance of delivery on a sustainable basis, and to make sure that people can keep their jobs and keep the skills that are so critical in an area like this." Stepping Stones North Wales CEO, Phil Eastment, said: "The whole Stepping Stones North Wales team is hugely grateful to Lesley Griffiths for meeting with us to discuss the challenges we face in meeting increasing demand for our services and to hear first-hand about the team's recent successes in securing a GSK Impact Award and accreditation from The Survivors Trust. Read more: Appeal to support church in 'heart of community' launched by local football club "It was a huge honour, as always, to highlight the inspirational commitment and dedication of our counsellors, our support team, and our volunteers who provide such crucial support across North Wales. "We are particularly grateful to Lesley for highlighting the work of our charity during First Minister's Questions and for raising the crucial issue of potential multi-year funding support." • To learn more about Stepping Stones North Wales or to donate to the charity visit
