My Personal Perspective

1
My Personal Perspective

• From Education to Employment
• By Ross H. Smith
• Independent Facilitator

2
My Educational Journey

• Experience of my specialist educational
  prevision.
• Saxon Wood School Basingstoke from 1985 1996
• The fight to access preferred educational
  provider
• Treloar School Alton 1996- 1999

3
Further Education

• The trials and tribulations of the transition of
  funding for access to further education
• Having fair access to specialist auxiliary
  services
• Breaking away from my Parental home and parents
  letting go

4
Making the right choices

• Braking free
• Living with the consequences
• Having your decisions actions and outcomes
  challenged (by family and professionals)
• The power to make informed choices and decisions.

5
Independence or Dependency ?

• From Collage to Independent living
• Living Options stepping stone to Independent
  living
• Coping with Change --- foreign staff and the use
  of language .
• Dependency but wanting ones Independence?

6
Moving on the next step!

• Looking at relevant housing options
• Supported housing
• Total independence ?
• The choice is yours?
• Six months or a year independence trial?
• Where do I go from here next step?
• Identifying the need to live my life

7
Identifying Suitable Housing Stock

• Where do I want to live?
• What was available?
• Fighting the fight!
• Politics or policy?
• Involvement of professionals

8
Professionals Involvement

• Advocacy
• Local MP
• District Councillor
• Adult Services
• Care Manager Involvement?
• OT Input
• Disability Housing Officer
• Private Sector Housing Manager
• Independent Living Project Manager
• Architect and other related persons

9
The Viewing of the Available Options

• Short listing took place
• Deciding what to refuse or accept!
• Dealing with pressure from Housing Association
• Meeting unrealistic deadlines
• Making Informed decisions

10
The Decision

• All options on the table!
• Selecting appropriate locations and property
• Making the final choice!
• Where I live today

11
Selection of Personal Care Support

• Selecting the right package
• Looking at the options
• Private employ, self employ, agency employ
• Pitfalls of each option!
• Final decision
• Recruitment process
• Direct payment and ILF user

12
Employment Opportunities

• Getting relevant advice
• Fielding Enquiries
• Benefits
• Energy levels- work life balance!
• Job hunting
• Job Coach!
• Liaison between all relevant agencies
• Selecting the right job

13
Experience Gained

• Voluntary work to gain experience to lead to paid
  employment
• Qualification in Youth Work practise
• Disability Awareness UK
• BBC One On the Fiddle programme
• Connecxions JAR ( Joint Area Review)
• Participation Support Worker

14
Where I am Today!

• Treloar Trust (Independent Facilitator)
• Just Different (Workshop Presenter)
• Various speaking engagements

15
Conclusion and Summery

• As professional practitioners we should be aware
  of our ever evolving environment in which we
  work.
• To value all individuals that we work with but
  also to recognise and be ready to adapt and meet
  the complex needs and challenges that are
  presented to us.

16
Words of Wisdom

• If you fail to see the person but only the
  disability, who is blind?
• If your heart and mind do not reach out to your
  neighbour who is handicapped ?
• If you fail to hear your brothers cry for
  justice who is deaf ? by Tony Whong a
  paraplegic journalist.

17
Questions Time!? ? ?