Self Directed Support Demonstration

Fair Deal is actively promoting Self Directed Support by running a demonstration project in conjunction with some people we support and Glasgow City Council the local authority that currently funds the service the individuals make use of.
The 5 people participating have their own budget and decide what help and support they need to live their lives and use the money to make that happen.
It means they use their money to buy in more than just hours of support. They can use the money much more creatively and flexibly. Some people make more use of assistive technology and safety equipment. Others are using their money to do a variety of activities in the community instead of using traditional day services.
The individuals involved will be helping Fair Deal as an organisation prepare its systems and processes for delivering support in a very different way and for the way it organises and deploys its staff.
It is an exciting but challenging time for the individuals trying this new way of working and for Fair Deal but we believe in partnership with each other we can all learn new ways of working to make sure people get the best support and have the best lives possible.
Given it is now June 2012 it is clear how much this has developed with people having a small core team and much more flexibility and choice and control over their life. This whole initiative has provided Fair Deal with information and learning opportunities driven by people who use the support arrangements. It has resulted in investment in staff training and information on personalisation and shaping positively the role of support staff.
There has been a full organisational review involving staff from across the organisation as well as the Board members. We have engaged the Advocacy Project to work with people who use our services to ensure they have a voice within the process.
Fair Deal as an organisation has been influenced strongly by the learning from this initiative. We are working towards being one, if not the leading learning disability organisation in Glasgow. We are being creative and  flexible with the social and leisure activities available. Our Volunteer Project is providing really valuable opportunities for people supported by Fair Deal to become involved in their community and to have a valuable contribution to make. Our exciting Help yourself Grow Experience is offering opportunities for people to get involved in something that is growing and developing as are the people involved with it.