This page includes:##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ~ stories of people who began with whatever##pidorpidor## resources they could use.
##pidorpidor## ~ a list of ideas and links that might help you get##pidorpidor## started.
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##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## Stories
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## Story 1 - Planning for Mena
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## Margaret tells about the early planning that went##pidorpidor## into Mena moving into her own home. From the time Mena##pidorpidor## was quite young, her family, with the help of a##pidorpidor## support 'circle' has thought about how they could##pidorpidor## achieve work, relationships and a home for Mena. At##pidorpidor## 28, Mena has now lived in a home of her own, with##pidorpidor## support, for 9 years.
##pidorpidor## > Read##pidorpidor## more
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## Story 2 - David's home
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## David, now 43, acquired a brain injury 20 years##pidorpidor## ago. After attending a workshop and thinking about the##pidorpidor## material it presented about social roles, Brenda had a##pidorpidor## bright idea. "We'll build him a house", she decided.##pidorpidor## With very little funding, no knowledge about building##pidorpidor## and not much of an idea how they were going to achieve##pidorpidor## this outcome, they set out nevertheless. They received##pidorpidor## assistance in realising the dream from the Community##pidorpidor## Living Project and David now lives in his own mud##pidorpidor## brick house.
##pidorpidor## > Read##pidorpidor## more
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor##
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## Ideas
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## This is a collection of all kinds of ideas that##pidorpidor## might suit some people and not others. It is not a##pidorpidor## checklist of things to do.
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - Support Circles - A group of family,##pidorpidor## friends and allies could help you think about the##pidorpidor## life your family member wants. Some families have##pidorpidor## found they get great ideas, commitment and moral##pidorpidor## support from a circle of friends.
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##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - The Community Resource Unit's CRUcial times##pidorpidor## Newsletter had an issue##pidorpidor## on this in March 2007.
##pidorpidor## (Also##pidorpidor## see Planning Tools)
##pidorpidor##
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - Think about what kind of home the person would##pidorpidor## want; what kind of roles and connections the person##pidorpidor## would ideally enjoy in the community. Build a##pidorpidor## vision of the life they would want so you are clear##pidorpidor## about what you're working towards.
##pidorpidor##
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - Help people understand supported living.##pidorpidor## Family and friends may never have heard about##pidorpidor## people being supported like this. Some ideas for##pidorpidor## getting your support network on the same track##pidorpidor## might include - sharing this website with them,##pidorpidor## talking to them about why you think this is the##pidorpidor## best option for your family member or getting them##pidorpidor## to come to seminars in which theses ideas are##pidorpidor## discussed. This site will be updated with details##pidorpidor## of coming events, but you can also contact advocacy##pidorpidor## organisations that run seminars. Some##pidorpidor## are listed here.
##pidorpidor##
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - Think creatively about your community.##pidorpidor## Think in a detailed way about your family##pidorpidor## member's interests and skills. Who do you and##pidorpidor## others in your support network know in the##pidorpidor## community? What groups and activities, work or##pidorpidor## volunteering possibilities does the community##pidorpidor## offer? (Think about anything and everything from##pidorpidor## the local conservation volunteers to the musical##pidorpidor## society, from the local the church to the soccer##pidorpidor## club.)
##pidorpidor## What are some potential starting points are to##pidorpidor## forge community connections for the person you're##pidorpidor## thinking about?
##pidorpidor## You may find yourself starting very modestly with a##pidorpidor## few activities and connections may grow with time##pidorpidor## and effort.
##pidorpidor##
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - Can you get help with domestic support or##pidorpidor## personal care through services like
##pidorpidor## ~ Home##pidorpidor## Care Service of NSW
##pidorpidor## ~ Attendant##pidorpidor## Care Program
##pidorpidor##
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - Are you eligible for any help through new##pidorpidor## Commonwealth In-Home Support announced 28##pidorpidor## June 2007?
##pidorpidor##
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - Look##pidorpidor## at Dept of Housing website.
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - You might apply for public housing. Discuss##pidorpidor## your interest in community housing.
##pidorpidor##
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - Go to meet your local Community Housing##pidorpidor## Association or look at community housing or##pidorpidor## cooperative housing ideas on the Community##pidorpidor## Housing NSW website
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##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - The Benevolent Society of NSW has a##pidorpidor## Homeshare##pidorpidor## Program where older people or people with a##pidorpidor## disability can be 'matched' with someone who can##pidorpidor## provide some support in exchange for free housing.##pidorpidor## Could this kind of co-residency work for you? If##pidorpidor## you have your own house to work with, could you##pidorpidor## organise something like this yourself?
##pidorpidor##
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - Can you rent a home or flat on the open##pidorpidor## market? Can you access rental assistance or##pidorpidor## subsidies to achieve this?
##pidorpidor##
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - Do you know of other families in your city##pidorpidor## who want the same kind of thing? Could you set##pidorpidor## up some get-togethers to talk about what you want?##pidorpidor## Maybe sharing your dreams about what you want with##pidorpidor## other people thinking about similar things will##pidorpidor## help you. Homes##pidorpidor## West in Qld and the Community##pidorpidor## Living Project in SA are examples of agencies##pidorpidor## that actually began from groups of parents getting##pidorpidor## together with a shared vision. You can read about##pidorpidor## Homes##pidorpidor## West's history on its website.
##pidorpidor##
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - Talk to family/friends. Is there an opportunity##pidorpidor## to use someone's 'spare' accommodation (in##pidorpidor## someone's holiday home or an opportunity to house##pidorpidor## sit while people are away) to set up a 'trial'?
##pidorpidor##
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## - Think about whether you have friends who might##pidorpidor## help form part of a volunteer dinner roster. (See##pidorpidor## Mena's##pidorpidor## story for what one family did.)
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##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## There is no 'quick fix'. Reading what others have##pidorpidor## done may give you some ideas, but the first steps you##pidorpidor## decide to take will depend on the person with a##pidorpidor## disability you are thinking about and what they##pidorpidor## want.
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##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## More Links:
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## Community Resource Unit, Queensland:##pidorpidor## www.cru.org.au
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## CRU states it aims to: Challenge ideas and##pidorpidor## practices which limit the lives of people with##pidorpidor## disabilities, and inspire and encourage individuals##pidorpidor## and organisations to pursue better lives for people##pidorpidor## with disabilities. The website provides a variety##pidorpidor## of resources which might assist families in##pidorpidor## pursuing supported living.
##pidorpidor## The CRUcial Times Newsletter 38, March 2007 was on##pidorpidor## Circles of Support: www.cru.org.au/crutimes/
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## Queensland Disability Housing Coalition##pidorpidor## (2005). A home of my own: right, rhetoric or##pidorpidor## reality? Considerations for housing and a##pidorpidor## sustainable future for people with disabilities.##pidorpidor## www.qdhc.org.au/docs/HomeOfMyOwn.pdf
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## This is a comprehensive resource that is##pidorpidor## designed for people with disabilities and their##pidorpidor## families. It describes in some detail the idea of##pidorpidor## supported living and will answer many common##pidorpidor## questions.
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## Family Advocacy: Inclusion Collection.
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## Family Advocacy houses a range of articles##pidorpidor## for personal study on supported living and other##pidorpidor## subjects related to inclusive lives for people with##pidorpidor## disabilities.
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## Research and Training Center on Community Living.##pidorpidor## Through Asking the Right Questions You Can Reach##pidorpidor## Your Destination - University of Minnesota##pidorpidor## rtc.umn.edu/questions/
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## A page of questions that might help##pidorpidor## individuals and families think about what they##pidorpidor## want.
##pidorpidor## ##pidorpidor## Weatherow D (2003). From a Four-Bed 'Placement'##pidorpidor## to a New Life. www.communityworks.info/articles/4bed.htm
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Not##pidorpidor## waiting, beginning….
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