Empowering voices at the Learning Disability England conference
We believe in empowering individuals to find their voice and engage meaningfully with their communities. When Sophie joined us with her support worker, Phoebe, she was eager to explore opportunities for self-advocacy. We recognised her passion and discussed attending the Learning Disability England Conference in Leeds, which turned out to be a pivotal moment for Sophie’s self-advocacy.
On February 7th, Sophie travelled to the conference with Phoebe and Clara, our dedicated Inclusion Coordinator. Thanks to a first-class upgrade, she had the perfect environment to prepare her thoughts and focus on her message, essential for someone navigating memory challenges. At the conference, Sophie selected workshops centred on inclusion in organisations and the “My Vote, My Voice” campaign, which addresses the barriers people with learning disabilities face in voting. Her active participation and passionate sharing captivated fellow attendees, leading to meaningful conversations during breaks.
This transformative experience not only broadened Sophie’s understanding of social care issues but also ignited a determination to make a difference. She’s now inspired to participate in elections, fully aware of the power of her voice. This was just the beginning of Sophie’s journey toward self-advocacy, and we’re excited to support her as she seeks more opportunities to shine.
At Options, we’re passionate and dedicated to supporting people to self advocate, helping them navigate their paths and amplify their voices.
At Options, we support a diverse community of people to be able to access the resources they need to live their best lives. Samo is a valued and inspiring member of our dynamic community and has been a key part of many projects and initiatives during his time with us. We caught up with Samo to hear all about his experience with us and the different activities that he gets involved with.
When did you hear about Options?
I heard about Options in 1993, so about 30 years ago.
What support has Options given you?
They helped me get out and about in the community and go to different places like Museums and Options parties. We also went on a trip to Bendrigg Trust where we did activities like canoeing, mountain climbing and abseiling.
Options helped me with other things at home, like cleaning my house. My support with Options started with a social worker, who really helped with my confidence because my trust had been broken before with other agencies, but they helped me to come out of my shell.
They gave me support when I was transitioning, which was a big part of my life. Options have trans staff, so they were really accepting. I was able to go to the local Pride celebrations and they introduced me to an LGBTQ+ support group in Wakefield. During my transition, they also supported the people around me, by helping my friends and community to understand trans perspectives. With Options, I create colourful, activist art to help raise awareness of trans rights, autism and seizure awareness. This is something I enjoy and it helps to take my mind off things. My work was shown at Tate Liverpool.
You’re now quite involved with Options; what kind of things do you do?
I’m a lead for Voices R Us. I spoke to Gill who was the previous leader. She has a brother with Down Syndrome and she started the group to help people with disabilities to have a voice. I’ve been part of the group for 19 years and our voices and feelings are listened to. Options always make the changes we need to give us better support. I saw how important the meetings are and I wanted to get involved. Anita from the Wirral Voices R Us comes over during the meetings to support me in case of any seizures. I’ve done lots of other things here like my art projects and I’ve also done a first aid training course with The Brain Charity.
What does the support mean to you?
If I didn’t have the support, I’d be shut out from the world because of my social anxiety. Being in large crowds can make me feel claustrophobic and I can have seizures. I don’t let my disabilities define me or my life, I still do art exhibitions at Tate Liverpool, lead the Voices R Us group and talk to my community. Options make me feel safe, happy and confident.
If you had to describe Options to someone else, how would you describe them?
The best agency I’ve been with, supportive, I’d never want to change.
Do you want to see how Options can support you or a loved one?
Speak to our team about how we might be able to help. Call us on 0151 236 0855 or drop us an email at welcome@optionsempowers.org.uk.
Each of our volunteers brings their unique skills and experience to our diverse team, and we’re grateful for all of the work that they do. We caught up with Gemma to hear all about the work she does as a volunteer for Options and what it means to her.
How did you first hear about Options for Supported Living?
I first heard about Options when I searched online for volunteer opportunities that involved working with vulnerable people. I’d seen the work that Options do to support people with learning disabilities and acquired brain injuries which is something I didn’t have experience in, but definitely felt drawn towards.
I got in touch with the team and after completing some shadowing shifts and training, I was eventually matched with people in the Options community that I would be supporting. I started by supporting people on an outreach basis. This meant that they only needed a little support throughout the week as they already had a certain level of independence. After this, I progressed so I was doing both outreach and some supported living on a paid basis. With supported living, I was working in teams to support people who needed 24-hour a day care.
How do you volunteer your time at Options?
The majority of my time spent volunteering at Options involved supporting people with disabilities to participate as active members of the local community. It began with getting to know the people we’re supporting and building up a trusting relationship. It also involved supporting clients in their day-to-day life, such as accompanying them food shopping, paying their bills, attending health appointments. My role also meant supporting people in our community to do the things they enjoy, such as seeing friends, visiting local parks or engaging in activities like bowling or board games.
Volunteers have a big part to play in helping to transform the lives of people in the Options community. Our role even includes providing emotional assistance for the people we support, helping them to process big life events or helping them to access professional contributions when required. As volunteers, we’re responsible for making sure that our work falls in line with the correct safeguarding and legislation.
What’s your favourite thing about being a volunteer?
My favourite thing about being a volunteer was that I was constantly learning and improving my knowledge. It gave me a sense of purpose and I felt that my efforts made a positive difference, not only in the lives of people I support, but also in my own life. I had the opportunity to meet some amazing people along the way and gain some valuable experience working alongside the team.
It allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone and develop new skills. Some days don’t feel like work, and we create some great memories. Other days can be a little more emotionally challenging, but you learn to become more tactful in the ways that you respond to challenges. As someone with a disability myself, it allowed me to explore my limits and capabilities in a way I never really anticipated.
What were you doing before becoming a volunteer?
Before becoming a volunteer at Options, I’d been doing some volunteer work with ex-offenders released from prison, for the Merseyside Offender Mentor Project, and I’d also worked in a hospitality position for a corporate law firm. I graduated from Liverpool John Moores University in 2012 with a degree in Criminal Justice. I wasn’t necessarily a ‘student with a plan’, so after finishing my degree, I wanted to explore the different types of voluntary work available, and it led me to start volunteering at Options in 2015.
How did you spend your time before you began volunteering at Options?
Prior to starting at Options, I used to spend my time researching the different types of learning disabilities and also had a lot of great hobbies such as fitness classes and learning to play guitar. I’d also been attending a stress control course with Talk Liverpool. I didn’t know much about my condition as someone with Bipolar, so I intended to educate myself and others, to develop better coping mechanisms and become more mindful and aware of my triggers. This was important in my role as a volunteer for Options, as I had experience in supporting people with disabilities to maintain and nurture their own mental health and well-being.
What does being a volunteer at Options mean to you? How has it improved your life?
Becoming a volunteer gave my life more meaning and brought more joy into my life. It also helped me to become a more compassionate and grateful person with a better understanding of others and what matters most to people. Volunteering has helped me to appreciate the smaller things in life and accept people for who they are. It also helped me to become more open about my condition which used to feel like a difficult topic to talk about, but now I’m much more open about it.
Would you recommend becoming a volunteer at Options?
I would recommend being a volunteer at Options because it not only gives you the opportunity to gain experience and develop new skills but also provides you with the chance to learn a lot about yourself. Support work isn’t for everyone and requires patience on the more challenging days, but it is so rewarding and worth the experience. My advice for anyone considering it would be to always treat others how you’d like to be treated.
What do you think someone else would get out of it?
I think it all depends on the attitude of the person and the work they are willing to put into it. If you take on the role with an open mind and have a genuine interest in helping and understanding others, the whole experience can transform your life. Evolved people can change the world, or more simply, make it a better place for you and the people we support. You can make a real difference, I think that’s a huge deal!
Our diverse communities are transformed by our generous volunteers. We chatted to Danielle about how she became a part of the Options volunteering team, what her experience is of being one of our volunteers and some of the great work that she carries out.
How did you first hear about Options for Supported Living?
I first heard about Options because a member of my family works for them and asked if I’d like to give volunteering a try. I experience social anxiety, so I really wanted to try to push myself out of my comfort zone and eventually go back to college. Joining Options as a volunteer seemed like a great chance to help me grow my confidence. I had the opportunity to help out with some events that were going ahead and I really enjoyed it.
How do you volunteer your time at Options?
I started volunteering my time in 2019, where I’d help the team out at events. I’d travel to the events and back independently, which was already helping me to step out of my comfort zone. At the events, I would support the team by taking photos, documenting the day and talking to people to get their feedback.
When lockdown hit in 2020, everything changed and the fundraising team had to adapt the way that they did things. Options started hosting Zoom meetings so that people could still join in on the activities they couldn’t do in person. After attending these events and helping out where I could, I started to volunteer my time by leading the meetings. My role was to host and facilitate the meetings. I’d get to work with people who were running the online activities and we’d host something different every day like art classes or even a ‘sing and sign’ choir, where people who are deaf or hard of hearing could sign vocally and also sign to recorded music. This helped me to be more confident and I got to try something that I’d never done before.
After the pandemic, I carried on volunteering for Options, where I still work with the team to deliver events. I get involved with lots of different activities, such as quizzes, dance classes, exercise classes and some of their clubs.
What’s your favourite thing about being a volunteer?
My favourite thing about volunteering at Options is coming into the office and helping the team with upcoming events such as cooking classes and sports groups. I get to meet different people who are supported by Options and get involved in the diverse community.
What were you doing before becoming a volunteer?
Before I started volunteering at Options, I was volunteering in a hair salon, but I didn’t get any opportunities to progress. Taking on this role as a volunteer has allowed me to carry out work that is so rewarding and I always get to try new things.
What does being a volunteer at Options mean to you?
Working at Options as a volunteer has improved my confidence. Being able to socialise with the team at Options and the other organisations that Options works with has helped me to improve how I communicate. The team always helps to push me out of my comfort zone and achieve new things which has helped me to do things that I never thought I’d get to do. I feel valued in the team, I go along to social events and even won an award for my contributions as a volunteer at the Options 30th birthday party. Being a volunteer has been so rewarding and has also helped me to explore different career options and what I’d like to do more of in the future.
Would you recommend becoming a volunteer for Options?
I would definitely recommend joining Options as a volunteer. It gets you out in the community, making new friends and learning new skills.
How would you describe Options in 3 words?
I would describe options as friendly, supportive and hardworking.
Want to become a volunteer?
Becoming a volunteer at Options gives you many opportunities to develop your skills, support a worthy cause and meet a diverse community of people. Find out how you can join in our valuable work by getting in touch on recruitment@optionsempowers.org.uk
At Options, we believe that everyone should have new and enriching life experiences. We also recognise that one of the barriers the people we support experience, is not knowing what’s out there when it comes to trying new and enriching life experiences. For this reason, we increased the aspirational focus of everything we do and have set up an Aspirations Fund for the people we support.
Our Aspirations Fund is a pot of money set aside to enable the people we support to achieve something important to them and to help provide a range of different sessions and workshops which focus on trying new things.
Skiing is an amazing winter sport that attracts people from all walks of life. It’s a thrilling and enjoyable activity that offers a sense of adventure, excitement, and joy. However, for individuals with learning disabilities, skiing can be a daunting and challenging task.
With proper instruction and support, people with learning disabilities can enjoy skiing just like anyone else. In fact, skiing can be an excellent activity, as it offers various benefits, including improved physical health, increased self-esteem, and enhanced social skills.
One of the best ways to learn how to ski is through adaptive ski programs, which offer specialized instruction like visual cues, verbal prompts, and physical support as well as equipment designed to meet the unique needs of people with disabilities, such as specialized skis, bindings, outriggers, and sit-skis.
We have in the past held one-off ‘taster sessions’ for skiing, and it’s been popular with the people we support. We were asked by people we support, in the monthly forum we call Voices R Us, if it was possible to try skiing again. So that’s exactly what we did, and the outcomes were fantastic.
From the people who had been before, becoming more able and confident, to people coming to try it for the very first time, our Aspirations Fund enabled seven people we support to go along to the Chill Factore in Manchester for 8 weeks of skiing sessions.
The sessions were led by the team from Disability Snowsports UK who specialize in adaptive Snowsports for people with disabilities. Rory and Sam (Pictured) had never tried skiing before, but they were quick to get into the swing of it, thanks to the tailored support of Disability Snowsports’ instructors.
In the longer term our aspiration is to enable more skiing lessons to happen before heading away on a skiing holiday in 2024! We will of course keep you updated about all of our skiing adventures when they happen.
We want to say a huge thank you to Disability Snowsports and the Chill Factore for the best support and coaching and we also want to say a big well done to the people we support for getting out there and giving it a go!
Recently, Clara and Christine from our Community Team travelled to Bromborough to meet up with Anita after she told them she had a new job.
We entered Down the Rabbit Hole to see a riot of colour and an eclectic mix of gifts and artwork on sale. First things first, we get our personal tour of the shop from Anita. After grabbing our seats, coffee in hand, we asked Anita if she wouldn’t mind answering a few questions about her work at Down the Rabbit Hole and if she had any advice for other people thinking about volunteering.
Anita takes a minute to pose for us while at work.
So, Anita thank you for meeting up with us to talk about your new role. Can you tell us a bit about Down the Rabbit Hole?
Down the Rabbit Hole is a gift shop. It’s quite unusual and quirky and it has lots of unique gifts and second-hand clothes, bags and shoes. It’s part of Phab Club which is a place where people can go and get involved in lots of different activities. There’s lots of Phab Clubs up and down the country, but I go to two different clubs on the Wirral.
On a Wednesday night I go to one in Pensby. Some of the activities we do there include taekwondo, Zumba, quizzes and we have a news corner where members say what they have done throughout the week. They also have another community hub in New Ferry which has a furniture shop a second-hand clothes shop and a food shop. I go here to do my drumming lessons on a Tuesday from 1:30 to 2:30pm. I have been going to Phab Club for quite a long time now and I have met lots of great people here.
It sounds like a great place to get involved with. How did you find out about the shop and when did you start volunteering here?
I was on holiday with Phab Club in Bendrigg and while I was there, I spoke to Lorna who works for Phab Club. She told me about the shop, and I told her that I had been thinking about volunteering and had some availability during the week if she wanted me to come down and help in the shop.
After I came back off the holiday, I started volunteering there the following Monday. It’s now been about 3 months since I started and I’m loving it.
Have you learnt any new skills since you started in your job?
I’ve learnt lots of new things since I started. I’ve been learning how to make lattes, and something called Bubble Tea which uses cold tea with extra flavours like strawberry and cherry.
It seems like you’ve learnt lots in such a short space of time. What are some of your other jobs?
There’s a bit of general cleaning duties like washing up and making sure the shop stays lovely and clean. I’ve also been trying to build up my skills using the electronic till. I’m still trying to get the hang of it, but I’m going to keep practicing.
I also serve the drinks and cakes that we have in the shop and there is a seating area at the back where people can sit, and I can bring over their orders.
What advice would you give to someone else who is thinking of volunteering or getting a paid job?
Go for it! It gets you out there, meeting new people and learning new skills.
Down the Rabbit Hole is a community focused non-profit shop selling unique and wonderful gifts for all occasions. Located on Bromborough Village Road in the Wirral.
“We would encourage anyone to go take a look as we came away with some great gift ideas.”
Dennis talks about his volunteering journey and his advice for anyone thinking about getting a voluntary job.
Dennis at Inspire Community Cafe.
At Options, our vision for the future is ‘a better world where people with disabilities contribute as unique and valued members of dynamic and inclusive communities’. In line with our vision, we believe that people with learning disabilities should have the same chance to contribute to their communities through voluntary or paid employment as everybody else.
Recently, our Inclusion Coordinator Clara met up with Dennis (who is supported by Options) to hear all about his volunteering journey. Clara sat down with Dennis at the Inspire Community Cafe in Wallasey – where Dennis volunteers – for a cup of tea and chat. Here’s what Clara asked Dennis:
When did you start volunteering?
I was one of the first volunteers to work at the Inspire Community Cafe, and have been here for around 4 years.
What does your role involve?
The first thing I do at the beginning of a shift is to make sure the kitchen is well-ventilated. I then make sure the cafe is clean and the washing up is done. At the end of the day, I help to wash the coffee machine to make sure it’s ready for the next day. I also help to look after a vegetable patch outside of the cafe.
During lockdown, me and my colleagues made up hundreds of meals for the local community, for people who needed them the most. This made me feel really proud, giving back to my community is very important to me.
How did you find out about the cafe and the voluntary job?
I think I heard about the cafe through one of my support staff, and then visited to see what I thought. After having a lot of different jobs in the past, I had a lot of experience and understood what would be expected of me in my voluntary role. I fitted right in and love working at the cafe!
What skills have you gained from volunteering at the cafe?
Volunteering has improved my confidence and my independence. I really enjoy chatting with regular and new customers. Some people really appreciate having a good conversation with me, because they don’t get to see a lot of people outside of the cafe. I have great relationships with the other people who work at the cafe.
What advice would you give somebody who’s thinking about getting a voluntary job?
My advice to people is to just get out there and try lots of different things until you figure out what you enjoy. Another top tip is to always go and see what a place is like before deciding if you want to volunteer there.
Dennis contributes to the cafe and his local community in many ways and is a valued member of the Inspire team. We want to say a huge thank you to Dennis for taking the time to sit down with us. We hope this story inspires others and shows how contributing to our communities can create an enormous sense of well-being – both for ourselves and for others around us!
Christine, our Community Engagement and Development Manager, wants to share how our weekly Zoom parties have helped stay connected us all as we face the coronavirus pandemic.
We all know that 2020 has pushed us outside of our comfort zones, we have missed parties, holidays and our usual routines. We have missed seeing the people we love and spending time doing the things which make us happy.
Here at Options, we support to empower and enable people to live their lives to the full and we work towards a better world for people with disabilities. So when the world locked down and online video calls took off, we felt it was important to support people to do do that too.
On Friday 15th May, Options had our first intro to using and hosting a Zoom party. People logged on for the first time and we went over what Zoom was, how it worked, and how to stay safe. There was a lot to learn, not only about the new tech but the new social etiquette and language involved in meeting online. Danielle, Options’ Health Volunteer, wrote some quiz questions for the next week and we waited patiently to see how it would pan out.
Over twenty weeks later and we are still having a blast, many people use this time to see their family, others use it as a time to catch up with their friends who that don’t get to see as much. Each week someone writes their own round for the quiz! We have come up with a format that works for us – seven questions with answers, option A and B, and different hosts for each week who read out the questions. Some of our quiz rounds have been general knowledge, sport and music. But after Alan kept getting EVERY question right we had to try some more specialised quiz rounds, Craig’s ‘transport’ round has to be one of my favourites when he asked us a question about his favourite ferry.
Each week it has been a pleasure to see everyone stepping outside of their comfort zone, growing in confidence each time they host a quiz round and leading the group. It has also been amazing to see how support workers and families have gone above and beyond to support someone to host a quiz round in a person-centred way. I hope we can continue to include technology to support people to be part of their communities, keep in touch with friends and family and be part of a tech-savvy future.
If you’d like to join, we hold a Zoom party every Friday at 1pm! There is an Easy Read document that you can find on the left that will explain how to join.
0151 236 0855
