Circles of Support is a fantastic programme which links young people with disabilities and special needs with peer and some older volunteers - supported by a project co-ordinator who also works to support their families and liaise with relevant professionals. Over the course of the year each young person will receive 250 hours of volunteer support to help them access activities and opportunities that others take for granted.
We know that young people with learning disabilities suffer from hugely disproportionate levels of exclusion and discrimination. They struggle to access public transport and to get around; more than 1 in 4 say they have no friends at all. For the remaining 3 in 4 “friendship” is often a function of a service they receive and falls away when that service is threatened or removed. Only 10% will find any paid work at all – and very often it will be extremely low paid and part-time. They have greater health and mental health problems and lack the support and friendship that makes all the difference to our everyday lives in almost all aspects. This situation is intolerable and ReachOut Plus wants to make a significant contribution to tackling and changing those realities.
If you know someone who could benefit from this programme we would be delighted to hear from you. We especially want to form partnerships with special schools and other organisations working with these young people.
Our Director, Ron Overton, launched and ran successful Circles based projects in Essex and we are keen to offer this support in our area. The new project will start in August/September 2010 and will work with 25 young people across Hertfordshire. The aim is to then launch another such project in Bedfordshire in 2011. Each young person will be supported to build their own "Circle of Support" from existing contacts (where they exist) and from additional volunteers recruited by ReachOut Plus. Each Circle is typically 4-6 volunteers, with more than half being peer volunteers from the same communities – including from local schools and colleges.
Young people with learning disabilities want to do all the things that other young people of their age want to do – but simple things like a shopping trip or a visit to the cinema or the bowling alley are impossible without support because they lack the money, communication and transport skills to get them there. They also lack confidence and can easily be exploited or even abused.
ReachOut Plus will employ a Co-ordinator whose job is to support the volunteers to support the young person at the centre of the circle. The Circle meets every six weeks or so with the Co-ordinator to identify things the young person with learning disabilities want to do or to achieve and the volunteers then give their time, experience and skills to help them achieve that. Volunteers will give at least four hours per month to help their friend to have a much fuller and enjoyable life – and to gain enormous confidence and self esteem through the experience.
Volunteers also gain an enormous amount in terms of their own personal development and learn about team-work, organisation and how to appreciate and meet the needs of others. It supports their CV and can help them gain future employment. Most of all they have the satisfaction of befriending and supporting someone in a way which literally changes their life.
If you would like to fund this project or to volunteer for it please get in touch. If you know someone who you think would benefit from having their own circle, please also let us know. We will be delighted to hear from you.
