Living Life
‘Living Life.’ is a series of short films where people with a learning disability and/or autism talk about how they live life. Each film tells a different story.
These films have been created to help people think creatively about how they choose to live life or support people to live life – to think about what more is possible. You could use them in team meetings, with people who have a learning disability and/or with families. You can pause the films when you think a discussion would be good. Each film gives some tips and questions to prompt your discussion.
This is a partnership project created by Thera Trust, The Aldingbourne Trust, New Prospects and Paradigm.
In this film, you’ll meet Jane who loves being part of her local community...
In this film, you’ll meet Jane who loves being part of her local community in Yorkshire. Jane is involved with all sorts of things that tap into and celebrates what Jane is so good at – things like welcoming and helping people.
The film gives you a powerful tip from Jane as on how to make the most of your days.
Watch out for the questions the film asks:
- Jane does things in life which makes the most of what she is good at. What is this?
- What are good at or what do you love? How could you do more of this?
You could use this film to help people you support think about how they’d like to spend their days. You could also use this film with colleagues to talk about:
- how Jane has been supported to do things she loves (that will also develop her skills)
- what the benefits are of being so much a part of her local community.
- what the benefits are for the community
- be a ‘critical friend’ to your organisation – think through things like how the people you support could be more involved in their local community.
- What do you take away from Jane’s story?
In this film, you’ll meet Peter in Chichester who has published his illustrated storybook...
In this film, you’ll meet Peter in Chichester who has published his illustrated storybook ‘The Bluegaloo’. Like many people Peter needs support to live his life in the way he wants. His life is beautifully full in an ordinary kind of way. You’ll hear some of Peter’s values in life and who supports him.
The film gives you tips from Jane as to how to make the most of your days.
Watch out for the questions the film asks:
- Think about Peter embraces his interests and talents.
- How could you do this more in your life?
You could use this film to help people you support think about how they’d like to spend their days. You could also use this film with colleagues to talk about:
- How is Peter supported to live such a flourishing life?
- How can we make sure that people we support have people they love and important to them in their lives?
- How can we find out what people love and support them to do more of this ?
- How can we support people to discover what they’d like to do (more of)?
- Name 3 ‘ordinary life’ things that Peter is passionate about?
What makes Peter’s story so powerful?
In this film, you’ll meet Katie who is a supporter of a man called Gareth...
In this film, you’ll meet Katie who is a supporter of a man called Gareth. who helps him organise his life and arrange his support. Gareth mostly communicates through intensive interaction and sounds. Katie talks on behalf of Gareth (as he would find it difficult to be on film) about he lives his life and self-directs his support.
The film gives you tips from Gareth as to how to make the most of your days.
Watch out for the questions the film asks:
- How do you think Gareth’s supporters know what he wants to do in life if he can’t speak?
- What skills and tools do his supporters need to do this?
You could use this film to help people you support think about how they’d like to live their lives. You could also use this film with colleagues to talk about:
- The many different ways people communicate their wants and needs in life.
- What does Gareth gain from being part of his local community?
- How does Gareth have an impact on his community e.g. even through a simple bus journey?
- What does Gareth love in life? What does he not love?
- How do you capture what people love and don’t love and what’s important to them in life so that your work peers know this?
- Who else gives him support other than his PAs?
Some people may think that Gareth should just go to day services. What does Gareth’s lifestyle choices give him in terms of a natural, ordinary life that he has a right to?
In this film you’ll meet Billly who is making it ‘big’ as an actor...
In this film you’ll meet Billly who is making it ‘big’ as an actor. You’ll hear about how this happened, who’s important to Billy in his life and what else Billy loves doing.
The film also gives you tips as to how to make the most of your days.
Watch out for the questions the film asks:
- How did Billy get into the work he loves?
- How can you do more of what you love and how can you do this more in your community?
You could use this film to help people you support think about how they’d like to live their lives. You could also use this film with colleagues to talk about:
- What natural connection changed things for Billy and helped him do more of what Billy loves and is good at?
- How is Billy inspiring people across through what he does?
- Who is important to Billy in his life and how are these people part of his life?
- Do the people you support have those they want in their life? How can you help people grow this more?
- How do Billy’s days vary? Does he do what he wants in his life?
- Think about those you support, how can you help them grow what they love, particularly as part of their local community?
- What would they get from being more immersed in their local community?
In this film, you’ll meet Chris who absolutely loves helping people...
In this film, you’ll meet Chris who absolutely loves helping people (through volunteering and paid work) and he immerses himself in his local community. Chris has even won ‘Citizen of the year award’! Watch Chris’s film to find out how Chris lives life.
The film gives you tips from Chris on to how to make the most of your days.
Watch out for the questions the film asks:
- What does Chris love in life? How has this influenced what he does?
- How can you do more of what you love where you live?
You could use this film to help people you support think about how they’d like to live their lives. You could also use this film with colleagues to talk about:
- What does Chris’ paid work give him in life (beyond money).
- Are there people you support who might benefit from volunteering and getting paid work?
- What does volunteering give people? (Giving/Volunteering is listed as one of the five ways to improve personal well-being by The New Econimics Foundation.
- How is Chris inspiring people?
- How can you help those you to support to ‘have a go’ (as Chris says) at doing something they love in their community.
In this film you’ll meet Adeline. Unfortunately Adeline’s film is a little bit blurry...
In this film you’ll meet Adeline. Unfortunately Adeline’s film is a little blurry due to the equipment available during the Covid 19 pandemic but we hope you’ll see beyond this to discover how Adeline is supported to live life. Learn how Adeline puts across what she wants in her life, what she loves and how Adeline connects with her local community.
The film gives you tips from Adeline on to how to make the most of your days.
Watch out for the questions the film asks:
- How do Adeline’s Support Workers know what Adeline does?
- What are the things Adeline loves in her life?
You could use this film to help people you support think about how they’d like to live their lives. You could also use this film with colleagues to talk about:
- Why do Adeline’s Support Workers look to the community as a good way for Adeline to connect with people?
- What community groups do Adeline particularly enjoy being part of?
- List all you have learnt to be important to about Adeline from just this film.
- How have Ru and Esther, Adeline’s Support Workers, discovered this?
- How can you discover these important things more in the people you support?… and of course, support them to make things happen!
In this film, you’ll meet Dale who absolutely loves helping people...
In this film, you’ll meet Chris who absolutely loves helping people (through volunteering and paid work) and he immerses himself in his local community. Chris has even won ‘Citizen of the year award’! Watch Chris’s film to find out how Chris lives life.
The film gives you tips from Chris on to how to make the most of your days.
Watch out for the questions the film asks:
- What does Chris love in life? How has this influenced what he does?
- How can you do more of what you love where you live?
You could use this film to help people you support think about how they’d like to live their lives. You could also use this film with colleagues to talk about:
- What does Chris’ paid work give him in life (beyond money).
- Are there people you support who might benefit from volunteering and getting paid work?
- What does volunteering give people? (Giving/Volunteering is listed as one of the five ways to improve personal well-being by The New Econimics Foundation.
- How is Chris inspiring people?
- How can you help those you to support to ‘have a go’ (as Chris says) at doing something they love in their community.
In this film, you’ll meet Chris who loves raps and country music...
In this film, you’ll meet Chris who loves raps and country music. He loves films with werewolves and loves to try new things. This films will give you a sense of just how passionate Chris is and how he lives his life in response to the things he loves.
The film gives you tips from Chris on to how to make the most of your days.
Watch out for the questions the film asks:
- How do Chris’ passions feed into his life?
- How does Chris get inspiration for what he wants to do in his life?
You could use this film to help people you support think about how they’d like to live their lives. You could also use this film with colleagues to talk about:
- Chris is inspired by certain things that he watches or sees. They inspire him to try certain things in life. Are there things that you could notice more or grow more with the people you support… to help them try new things or grow a passion?
- What do you think Chris gets from being part of, for example, a Taekwondo group where he lives?
- Chris loves DVDS. His passion takes him into searches for DVDs market in Newcastle and he ties in popping into a café. How are the people you support part of their local community? How could you support them in growing this more?
- How does Chris and his house-mate make the support hours work from him and his house-mate?
- Chris finds it easy to tell his Support Workers when he wants to do something differently. How could you create a safe, open and honest space for people to feedback on how you support them?
In this film, you’ll meet Michelle who is juggling a busy life of paid work, some voluntary...
In this film, you’ll meet Michelle who is juggling a busy life of paid work, some voluntary work, her fiancee, her family and her hobbies.
The film gives you tips from Michelle on to how to make the most of your days.
Watch out for the questions the film asks:
- What helped change Michelle’s life?
- What does Michelle say about trying new things?
You could use this film to help people you support think about how they’d like to live their lives. You could also use this film with colleagues to talk about:
- The importance of volunteering and paid work and how to help people build up to this. What actions could you take to make this happen more?
- What do people gain from volunteering and being in paid work?
- What natural connections came about for Michelle when she joined a local community choir?
- How can you help the people you support grow their connections more in the community where they live?
- Many people across the country are supported to go to groups within their organisations. Like Michelle says she wants to meet a mix of people. How can you make this happen more and help people maintain these relationships?
- How can you help people be more brave and try new things?
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