|
Peterborough Person Centred
Planning Project
Facilitator – Caroline Garner
Email:
caroline.garner@circlesnetwork.org.uk
Tel:
07920561616
Facilitator - Linzi Lee
Email:
linzi.lee@circlesnetwork.org.uk
Tel: 07906845134
The Project has been funded
since 2006 by Peterborough Learning Disability Partnership Board.
What are the
aims of the project?
This project works with young
people between the ages of 16 and 25 living in
Peterborough. We work with young disabled
people experiencing social exclusion
or at risk of being isolated.
Young people making the
transition to adulthood often experience new
difficulties and challenges. We support them
to become and remain in community life.
We facilitate circles of
support to empower young people to make decisions
and choices about their lives and futures. Peterborough Circles uses
person centred
planning and approaches to
focus on the gifts of young people and
assist them to lead fulfilling and self
determined lives. To complement work with individuals and families we
organise a series of ‘friendship’ events that bring together disabled and
non-disabled young people to make connections, develop relationships and have fun.
What is a
circle of support?
A circle of support is a group
of people, who truly care about the well-being
and future of the focus person, the circle
members commit to come together regularly to
support that
individual. A circle of support acts as a
‘think-tank’, helping to improve someone’s
situation, to dream and do. We believe
circles of support are the most important
of the
‘tools’ we make use of to
provide self-sustaining support: emotional support, practical support, problem
solving and companionship. A circle of support takes
collective responsibility
to ensure tasks are carried out
and provide opportunities to empower the
person. The ultimate aim is for the
focus person to achieve full inclusion in their
community and a
network of relationships that
advocates for, and supports them long into the
future. A facilitator from Peterborough
Circles guides this process until a
member of the circle
takes over the facilitation
role.
Louise’s Story
When we started
Louise's Circle in 2007, we started it with the aim to bring Louise home from
her boarding school in Dorset. Louise had been
there since April 2004 due to being expelled from Heltwate School.
At the first
circle meeting Louise spoke about wanting to show her animations to a larger
audience. At the time she
was creating Claymation Animations similar to Wallace and Grommit.
Due to Louise's
Circle, Louise's dad found out about the Young Person Film Awards held in
Peterborough and Louise entered a film and in the July of 2007 she won best
animation and was runner up in best overall film.
This was due to
Louise's Circle. After this
Louise's spoke to the staff at her school and with my help we agreed that Louise
could have more independence in preparation for her moving home.
During the
circle meetings it was agreed that Louise needed to be able to use the bus
independently so we worked out how to do this. With out the
Circle I wouldn't have had the nerve to try this.
In 2008 in
preparation for Louise moving home, her school made arrangements for Louise to
attend a local comprehensive school AS Art classes twice a week.
She was also
studying how to act and behave in a main stream environment. She then won
best animation and best overall film at the 2008 Film Awards and was judged by
Aardman Studios.
With the
circle's help we looked at Peterborough Regional college and New College
Stamford to see which college would be best for Louise and we decided on New
College Stamford.
Louise's dad and I went along to an open evening last October to have a look
round In January
Louise had an interview and was accepted on a Main Stream Level 1 Creative Media
course.
Louise left
Purbeck View School in August this Year at a saving of £140,000 a year as she
still had 2 years left and in September started at New College Stamford.
With out
Louise's Circle Louise would still be at Purbeck view School at considerable
cost to the local Authority and when she came home in 2011 she would have been
so institutionalised
that she would have has to either go into a residential
home or go on to a special needs college course.She is doing
well on the course and at her next circle meeting in December she will have 5
friends of her own at the circle - this is a first for Louise. The circle have
helped in lots of different ways. We have had trips to Burleigh Park to see the
Deer's, Hammerton Zoo, Horse Riding, travelling to York on the train to visit
grandma alone and many others. All of which on our own we wouldn't have had the
nerve to try.
Written by Sarah, Louise's mum.
| 
