Self Directed Support
“Stepping stones to inclusion”
Gareth Hasell and Jane Grassie
Local Area Co-ordination
Aberdeen
SDS Capacity Building Project
•Scottish Consortium for Learning
Disabilities
•February 2014
•Third Scottish site
•£10000
•Chance to promote activities in
Aberdeen for people on an SDS Budget
ACTIVITY
Identify user led SDS
organisations to work in
partnership with LAC to
develop community
capacity
COMMENT
These have been
identified as:(1)Cornerstone’s
Independent Forum.
(2)Stronger Together
Group.
(3)Learning Disability
Group of Aberdeen
Meetings with the
LAC will work with the
organisations’ members to groups to determine any
explain our plans to
cost savings, but the
promote sharing of costs
actual perceived gaps in
and identify gaps in the
services will come from
provision of services.
the service users.
DUE DATE
31.07.2014
OUTPUT INDICATORS
Initial contact has been
made with all the
identified organisations
with positive responses.
31.08.2014
1 x meeting with each of
the three main user led
groups identified.
Meetings with members
of other user led groups
and individuals
Identification of the gaps
in service provision by
listening to what services
people want, advising
when these already exist
and deciding which gaps
could actually be filled.
31.10.2014
Once gaps have been
confirmed LAC will work
with the groups and
service users to select the
higher priority ones to fill
(max 10) and ascertain
costs of the new services.
Priority will be given to
sports and education
opportunities which the
existing providers are
struggling to set up.
OUTCOME INDICATORS
Attendance at the groups
by their members
hopefully leading to more
service users joining the
groups.
Feedback from the
members (service users)
regarding closer working
and identifying gaps.
2 x further meetings with
Increase in confidence of
the identified groups.
the group members to
Attendance at three of the allow them to speak at the
new SDSS organised
meetings.
meetings with new group Feedback from the group
(SEA US) .
members will be
paramount in identifying
the success of the attempt
to fill the gaps.
Who did we talk to?
User Led Groups
Inspire’s Positive People
Cornerstone’s Independent Forum
SDS Scotland’s Aberdeen SEEUS Project
Aberdeen Stronger Together Group (Learning Disability Alliance
Scotland)
Existing Providers
People with a learning disability who we have previously
worked with
Q. What did they want?
A. Everything
Q. What did we do?
A. Listened carefully and if
there were already
events/classes that fitted the
bill we advised them.
Biggest Moan?
Getting to the places.
Hence our improved Independent
travel training and Frances’s
appointment.
More groups were needed
throughout the city and this would be
taken into account.
What did we do with the money?
We couldn’t please everyone but all the
suggestions were considered and any
potential providers advised.
The money was largely to be split in three
ways:Music and art
Sport
Independent living skills
Music and Art
Create Aberdeen
New Groups
throughout the city
Art Workshops
Music/percussion
Singing
New Equipment
Sport
Sport Aberdeen
AFC Community
Trust
Ice skating tuition
Walking group
Boccia,
new age curling
and skittles
Independent Living Skills
WEA Reachout
Dynamics group for 16-25s covering everything.
Employability course- CVs, applying for jobs etc.
General budgeting skills – balancing the books
Cooking on a budget.
“My mum did all the cooking but now I can go
home and cook the tea”
“I used to be scared with knives but now I’m not”
Our chance to review before the next step
1. Were we confident that all the courses would be
run
2. Did we think that the “clients” would attend the
classes
3. Did we believe that all the courses would be
sustainable
4. Were the new classes spread all over the city
5. Would this help promote Self Directed Support In
Aberdeen
What happened next?
Monies were allocated to the groups
Some were to cover trial periods ie a 12 week
course
Most courses had a small fee to promote
sustainability and get the guys used to paying up
front
The courses were publicised by posters, fliers and
word of mouth
Review after 6 months
All the classes are still going apart from ice
skating – No takers
All appear to be sustainable and are still
attracting new people
Some providers have started new courses at
different venues
What did we get wrong?
1. Delay in getting the money initially as we
had to use Inspire’s bank account.
2. The ice skating
3. Poor initial publicity for some groups
4. Amount of work required
Benefits?
For the people of Aberdeen
More places to go, learn and enjoy.
Greater awareness of the potential benefits of
SDS.
For Aberdeen LAC
An improved understanding of what people
want.
Confirmed existing partnerships and made
new ones.
Benefits (2)
For SCLD
Detailed reports and updates showing the
scheme’s apparent success for onward
reporting to:The Scottish Government
Who will hopefully be pleased with the
outcomes of all three trial sites.
Not inclusive enough?
Stepping stones – next steps
It’s what happens next that counts
LAC will monitor and encourage people to
move on and encourage providers to help
the people do this, not keep them in the
same class for years – unless they want to
Thank you
and thanks to The Scottish Government and
SCLD for giving us the chance to take part in the
trial.
Thanks to all the groups who have helped us
and continue to do so.
Most thanks to the people with LD in Aberdeen
for their willingness to get out there and do
things to help better their own lifestyles –
one of LAC’s basic principles.