Resource 6.3

Who will be best to support you will depend on what you want them to do.You can employ people who have the interests, skills and experience that will help you reach your goals.

Share your interests

The right person may share your

interests. For example, maybe you

like painting and want to meet other

people who like painting? Choosing

someone to support you who is also

interested in painting is a good idea.

They may know other people with the

same interest. They may know about places to go like art

shows. It is also likely that you will have things to talk about

straight away.

Skills and experience

The best person to support you may know how to do the things

you want to do. They may have experience you can learn from.

Like, if you want to grow plants then choosing someone who

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Fact sheet 2Who should I look for to provide support?

Resource 6.3

has made a nice garden could help. They will know about plants

and gardens.You may find the right people with the right skills in your local area. They may work at ordinary services. They could be students.You could employ different people to do different things.

Choosing people to support goalsIf you are choosing people to support you based on what you want to do, you will need to know what you want to do.You can make a list of what you want to do and the support you need like this one.

Goal Support I need Who could helpMeet more people Someone to help

me talk to new people

Someone confident who knows places to go near me

Learn to swim Help with my kicking and breathing

A good swimmer –maybe a life saver or swimming coach

Get better at painting

Someone to show me how to use colours

A painter – maybe an art teacher

Move out of home Learn to cook and shop for food

Someone good at cooking and shopping – someone who has moved out of home

Get better with money

Go to bank, keep notes of what I spend money on, pay bills

Someone who has looked after money for a home or business

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Resource 6.3

Some other things you could need help with are:

personal care – like having a shower

your heath – like going to the doctor

going to places on buses and trains

getting a job

learning new things

therapy type supports like physiotherapy

planning what you want to do.

You will probably have a long list. You do not have to make

your list on one day. You can add things.

When you have your list you can think about whether the same

person could help with more than one thing.

For example, the person who helps you meet more people may

be able to help you go to places on the train.

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Meet more people

Catch the train

Resource 6.3

What should the person be like?

As well as thinking about skills and interests, it is useful to think

about what you want the person who supports you to be like.

Here are some ideas.

Happy

On time

Listens to me

Does not tell people my private

information

Is happy to change what we do

Knows what to say to people

Brings what she says she will

Wears the right clothes for what we

do

Wants to learn new things

Wants to get to know me

Does not do things for me that I can do

Is not bossy

Does things without needing to be told

Helps me to keep trying things I find hard

Is good at talking to new people

You can make your own list.4