About Getgoing
Who we are, how we started and where we're going.
THE PROGRAMME
Getgoing GX2.
GETGOING GX2 - A trading name of Getgoing Limited. Provides training prior to employment and self employment. For example: survival skills, hillwalking, numeracy, map reading, maths and english. We are also able to work with training partners to provide certificates. You don't need to qualify or pass exams as the training is for your own self advancement. You can stay in this programme indefinitely.
STIGMA RTS - A self propelled website all about Reversing The Stigma. Take the journey to learn, educate and change your life through assertiveness.
WALK YOUR DOG - A division of Getgoing Limited. Helps in self-discipline, time keeping, focus on tasks, health, and it's fun. Dogs are very aware of fairness.
GENIUS TEAMCARE LIMITED - Is our franchising company that creates franchised businesses. We work with franchisees to build their businesses. No matter their circustances, we are very flexible.
AS FOR THE GRAPHIC - This is not a triangle, it's a polygon with indefinite sides. If you would like to partner your business with our programme please contact us and we can make another point.
Our Philosophy.
Everyone has as equal rights as they have responsibility. Our mission is to give you the resources and skills to develop them without affecting the rights and responsibilities of other people.
About Dogs.
In 1998 I bought a Collie x GSD called Tanya, from Mrs Murrays Cat and Dog Home. To say she was hard to look after would be an understatement. She had a habit of escaping if we forgot to close the front door. One escape attempt resulted in a neighbour's dog having it's ear bitten. She wouldn't walk on the lead without pulling even with all the various collar types we tried. It wasn't until she was at the end of her life after we had her 5 years I found a choke chain worked. One thing happened when we were walking on the beach. A lady who had two labradors was on the beach, and she was known for not controlling her dogs and allowing them to terrorize other dogs. We were playing with Tanya when the two dogs ran up to us, immediately she had both dogs pinned down. The lady was shocked her dogs came off worst.
My next dog, Bonnie was a Collie and the most mild tempered dog I have ever known. She could do anything I asked her to do. One experience I had: I trained her to climb onto the grass verge every time a car passed. One day she climbed onto the verge, so I copied her. A car flew past. I am sure it would have hit me if Bonnie wasn't there. I didn't hear because it was windy.
I now have Simba, a Lurcher x GSD. He is even harder to cope with than Tanya. A real test of patience. For a week or so after I bought him from Mrs Murrays Cat and Dog Home, I had put his bed next to mine. When I put my head down he stood there staring at me, when I woke up he was staring at me. A very unsettling experience. Now he is my best friend, and I know I am his.
Dogs are dogs. Still the most amazing thing is, if we think a dog is difficult, we are wrong. We just need to communicate better.
The Inheritance of Dogs.
"There is one thing I want to say about dogs and dog ownership - We are not really training dogs. Dogs do what dogs do, we are just learning the easiest way to ask them to do it when we want. And with each dog we own they are teaching us about ourselves."
History - Getgoing GX2?
Getgoing started in 2003 as a small website called Stigma and has developed through the following transitions:
- 2002 - Stigma website created
- 2003 to today - GetGoing.org.uk domain registered
- 2008 to 2017 - Incorporated as Stigma Trust Limited
- 2017 to 2019 - Renamed Stigma Inspire Limited
- 2018 to 2021 - Stigma Getgoing CIC
- 2020 to today - Getgoing Limited
- 2021 - Launch of Getgoing Stigma RTS
- 2021 - Walk Your Dog included on K9 Teamcare WYD
- 2021 - Manic Stigma Forecast Project started
- 2021 - ReversingTheStigma.org domain registered
- >>>> and now moving on.
Our website started as a static site with four pages with content on Manic Depression (Bipolar Disorder) and progressed as a Mambo Server CMS site as the content increased and visitors multiplied. Andrew Brown joined and we covered epilepsy and non-epilepsy. Andrea Pereira contributed her information from a USA perspective and gave us the rights to her website Reversing The Stigma. In 2004 we created GetGoing.org.uk as a holiday programme for the disabled. The programme proved too difficult to set up, but we may try again... Getgoing GX2 ... or Genius Getgoing ... or Getgoing version 2 is here. In January 2021 we redesigned Stigma using new and existing content to make a new experience in attaining assertiveness. We call it Stigma RTS - Reversing The Stigma. In May 2021 we embarked on a new project called ManicStigma.com Forecast. It will be an exploration of how mania can be controlled by positive goals. John Crook will use his own experiences gained through community projects to steer the project and stay clear of manic thoughts and feelings.
John Crook, Director. My story.
I was diagnosed with Bipolar Affective Disorder (or as I call it BAD but not MAD) in 1996 when I was 32 years old. At that precise moment I felt my life was over. (As it turns out my life I had was over... but the life I have now is so much better. I really enjoy my life.) I asked the psychiatrist who diagnosed it, "Does this mean I have to take tablets for the rest of my life?" Because of Bipolar I DO take tablets to control my mood. They work - but medication isn't a fix all. As part of the treatment, Bipolar care includes mood management and avoiding stress. Stress I make for myself is OK, but from others it's BAD.
The positive sides of Bipolar are: I have a letter from my doctor that says I'm sane enough to drive. How many drivers on our roads can say that? Also I have experienced what madness is and can choose for myself whether to be mad or sane, and I can decide when and if I will be sane.
Oscar Levant said, "There is a fine line between sanity and insanity - I have erased that line." He is totally right.
I have built into my care therapeutic remedies one of which is owning various companies, so it makes sure I act responsibly, maintain good time keeping and take better care of money. One company I have is Genius Teamcare Limited, started in 2015, which self-manages franchised businesses. We have about 4 franchises, but looking for more to create a "pension for me."
Another project started in 2007 was Walk Your Dog Express, it is a do-it-yourself traning course to help people learn how to train dogs and get people and dogs to work together to achieve self confidence and assertiveness. I use my own dogs as examples for the training process. Since 2002 I have been using the internet as a tool to develop skills in everyday living. My objective of this company, Getgoing Limited is to join and facilitate the businesses of Genius Teamcare, Walk Your Dog, Getgoing Stigma RTS and this website to enable and empower individuals into feeling good about themselves, and not BAD.
From starting Stigma in 2002 I hope to continue using the experience gained because of having Bipolar Disorder to help others develop their own coping strategies, and by working together to help even more. Getgoing Stigma RTS is our user led self-management training website designed to help you learn assertiveness. You can build a new self-fullfilling life without stress or stigma using our purpose built programme.
Please like, join and follow my facebook pages: @GeniusTeamcare, @ReversingTheStigma and WalkYourDogExpress Group.
But more important, help yourself and help others to develop assertiveness by joining with this programme.
Ok, I've shared.
John Crook.