assistants has offered: [In residential care] you had to go to bed at a certain time, meals were at a certain time umm basically it was quite regimented really it was quite institutionalised and it made me feel quite bitter really to be quite honest not being able to live my life how I’m living it now, going out and doing things which is, you know, when I first moved in here I was living life like an 18 year old student, doing all the things that ...[...]... you know here’s me at 40 night clubbing and doing all the things that young people should be doing you know. Ali reflected on the difference direct payments have made to his life. The opportunities offered through living in his own home with support that enables him to do the things he enjoys stand in sharp contrast to the regimentation of traditional services. Ali tells of his desire to live the youth that his traditional residential care home denied him and this is similarly illustrated in how he recruits his personal assistants. Abbey has worked for Ali for over 2 years and describes how she became Ali's personal assistant: Katie: Why did you become a personal assistant? Abbey: Ali asked me if I’d become a personal assistant. Katie: How did you know him? Abbey: Through [speaking up]. I think we’d all been out together to a, it must have been (a restaurant) because we all ended up in (a club) ...[...]... and Ali said well I’m losing one of my staff if you are interested in some extra hours come and be one of my personal assistants so that’s how I ended up being a personal assistant. Katie: So had you done support work before? Abbey: Yep well I worked as a learning and skills advisor at (a charity) for adults with learning difficulties. Ali is clear in what he is looking for in a personal assistant and has often employed people who he has met through his self-advocacy work. This approach to recruiting was a common way for employers to find and recruit personal assistants. Ali identified his care manager, Adele as his supporter. Adele has been described as a very supportive care manager who has been able to re-define her role to enable Ali to make his own decisions (and
assistants has offered: [In residential care] you had to go to bed at a certain time, meals were at a certain time umm basically it was quite regimented really it was quite institutionalised and it made me feel quite bitter really to be quite honest not being able to live my life how I’m living it now, going out and doing things which is, you know, when I first moved in here I was living life like an 18 year old student, doing all the things that ...[...]... you know here’s me at 40 night clubbing and doing all the things that young people should be doing you know. Ali reflected on the difference direct payments have made to his life. The opportunities offered through living in his own home with support that enables him to do the things he enjoys stand in sharp contrast to the regimentation of traditional services. Ali tells of his desire to live the youth that his traditional residential care home denied him and this is similarly illustrated in how he recruits his personal assistants. Abbey has worked for Ali for over 2 years and describes how she became Ali's personal assistant: Katie: Why did you become a personal assistant? Abbey: Ali asked me if I’d become a personal assistant. Katie: How did you know him? Abbey: Through [speaking up]. I think we’d all been out together to a, it must have been (a restaurant) because we all ended up in (a club) ...[...]... and Ali said well I’m losing one of my staff if you are interested in some extra hours come and be one of my personal assistants so that’s how I ended up being a personal assistant. Katie: So had you done support work before? Abbey: Yep well I worked as a learning and skills advisor at (a charity) for adults with learning difficulties. Ali is clear in what he is looking for in a personal assistant and has often employed people who he has met through his self-advocacy work. This approach to recruiting was a common way for employers to find and recruit personal assistants. Ali identified his care manager, Adele as his supporter. Adele has been described as a very supportive care manager who has been able to re-define her role to enable Ali to make his own decisions (and
White_Rose_final_changing_relations.docx