At Home from Home Care, being a part of the local community is massively important to the individuals we support so they can live an ‘ordinary life’.
For many people, popping to the shop for a bottle of milk is something that you don’t even think about but, for people with learning disabilities and autism, this can be a real achievement.
That’s why individuals are continually encouraged and supported to pursue their interests, engage in activities, go to events and – importantly – be a part of the wider community they live in, on their own terms.
Of course, we also help them do things that go far beyond ‘ordinary’ too, like rock climbing, go karting, kayaking…. You name it!
An ‘outward-facing’ approach
As far as possible, the individuals themselves are in the driving seat – we just help them along the way, acknowledging their individual needs and giving them the confidence and support they need to do it.
Whether this is a result of working with them to develop their personal skills, getting them used to different environments, or helping them with more complex tasks, our focus is always on giving everyone the opportunity to flourish.
Although we are always hosting loads of varied activities and events at our Activity Hub that are tailored to the preferences of the individuals, our main focus is always on getting out and about in their local community.
Whether they’re buying things from the shops, using public transport, going swimming, attending a music festival, getting a haircut, riding a horse, going trampolining, visiting a wildlife park or going to a shopping centre, we go above and beyond to enable each individual to do what they want!
Ordinary can be extraordinary
The individuals really enjoy living life as part of their local community and it’s really rewarding to support them to achieve this. Although this seems like an ‘ordinary’ part of life, it can actually be ‘extraordinary’ for the individuals themselves.
We might start small as they build confidence and work towards milestones, but they’ll soon be doing things that they only dreamed about.
Supporting aspirations
We are person centred in everything we do and we promote opportunities for choice and control. That’s why, when an individual has an aspiration to achieve something, we’ll move heaven and earth to make it happen.
For example, one individual really wanted to experience go karting, and we helped them have a great time at Gridline Racing Indoor Karting in Lincoln with some of our colleagues. Now, they’ve become a regular racer and we’re helping them enjoy more exciting hobbies and try even more new things.
Community fundraising events
Building relationships with our local community and being socially included is something we all look for – it gives us a sense of belonging and makes us feel appreciated and respected.
Taking part in fundraising events for local and national charities is a great way to do this and we hosted our very own fundraising events for Red Nose Day 2024, at Bardney Village Hall and Ruskington Winchealsea Centre.
Individuals helped to serve cake and drinks, as well as sell tombola and raffle tickets, to raise money for Comic Relief. The events were a great success and we raised £412.76.
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