Foothills Gateway Social Groups

May 01, 2017

At Foothills Gateway, the halls and conference rooms are always busy with the hustle and bustle of people coming and going. Do you sometimes wonder what goes on around here besides what you do? The Men and Women Social Groups are one little-known activity.

As case managers work with individuals, part of what they assist with is relationship building. This involved helping people learn about relationships and access social opportunities where they have a chance to build them. As part of this goal, the case management division hosts social groups – one for men and one for women.

Men’s Social Group

The Foothills Gateway Men’s Group meets weekly at St. Joseph’s Church downtown, but occasionally they meet at Foothills or Everyday Joe’s. The purpose of the group is to get together and do activities that further integrate group members into the community. Helping them get to know other people and be part of what’s going on around them is key.

The group develops a schedule for about six months at a time with a list of activities. One of the activities on their calendar is called “Getting Along” where they watch videos and discuss topics about relationships, boundaries, and personal safety. Other activities include “Adopt-a-Street,” where they pick up trash and “International Units,” where they learn about other countries. It’s a good mix between learning and fun – and sometimes even both at the same time!

Women’s Social Group

The Women’s Group is offered to women in both the Supported Living Services Program and in the Comprehensive Program. The goal of this group is for women to be together in a safe and non-judgmental setting, where they can socialize, share, laugh and enjoy each other’s friendship. The group currently has eight members, most of whom have been members of the group for over 10 years. Some of the women in the group are supported by providers and others come on their own.

The group offers opportunities to learn about social skills, person centered thinking, safety in the home and community, and cooking. There is also the opportunity to share in activities they each enjoy like doing crafts or learning more about the Broncos. One highlight is the holiday parties they have each year. Everyone enjoys getting together to celebrate and of course, eat!

Every Thanksgiving the group makes cards for a local nursing facility to cheer them up and let them know people care about them. This and other service activities allow group members to contribute to and interact with people in the community around them. It’s really a fun group of women!

Each of these social groups is facilitated by the case managers at Foothills Gateway, and they’ll tell you that it’s one of the things they look forward to each week. As part of the groups, they are part of helping people learn and experience new things with their peers and with the community.