| OUR
STORY SO FAR...
Options (in Community Living) is a Supported Living Agency based
in Palmerston North. The history of our organisation is unique in
New Zealand, as our current style of service provision grew directly
out of a Service Brokerage pilot that was started in Palmerston
North in the late 80’s. The service was modeled on a service
brokerage programme that was developed in the late 1970s in Vancouver,
Canada, by family members who felt that the best interests of their
children were not being met by institutions and traditional services.
Committed to the idea that everyone should be able to live and participate
in their community, they wanted a system that started with the interests
of their son or daughter and worked outwards. The intention of the
project was to promote the concept of individualised funding.
Today, the way we deliver services is influenced by our brokerage
background and is reflected in the way we endeavor to work together
with each person, and their family and supporters to develop and
support lifestyle options of their choice that facilitate belonging
in their communities. The original principles and values of our
organisation still hold true today, where the practice of focusing
on the individual is paramount as we assist people to make decisions,
choices and govern their own lives. We therefore undertake to organise
services and supports to fit the person’s needs and aspirations,
and assist them to become more connected to their communities.
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Artwork
by Robin |
Over the past 10 years we have been focusing on assisting people
to get a home of their own and participate in their communities
in meaningful ways. This has either been in response to people
who have been ready to leave the family home or school, or to
people who been living in the community without appropriate support.
As we work with people to establish their home-life we have become
very aware of the isolation and loneliness that can be very real
for the people we support.
There are many factors that stand in the way of making positive
changes for disabled people. One of these barriers is the low
expectations that society has held and still holds for what life
could be like for a disabled person.
Today,
many people with intellectual impairments are still confined to
‘service lives’ and being a ‘client’,
which is often the result of holding on to the belief that they
need to settle for something less than experiencing the good things
in life that we all can enjoy as citizens. With the threat of
institutions gone people now need support to get a life in the
community, which includes all the good things such as friendships,
career or contribution to community life
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WHERE
WE ARE NOW
Our aim is to work with each person and their family/whanau to design
and put in place an arrangement of individually tailored supports
that are carefully planned to support the person to have their own
home in the community and live a good life.
Our committment is to continue to develop our capacity to build
caring and equal relationships with the person, their family/whanau
and supporters. It is only through effective partnering with others
that we can together improve the quality of people's community lives
in the long term. |
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Extra
Ordinary Photographers (at the opening of their exhibition). |
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