In the wake of the Paralympics, a community hub has launched in Rugby to give people with disabilities the opportunity to enjoy and achieve in all areas of their lives.
Launch of Community Hub in Rugby
The aim of the community hub, which launched this week, is to give people with learning disabilities more choice and control over how they spend their time and the activities they take part in.
Warwickshire County Council recently awarded the community hub contract to Individual Support Solutions (ISS), who support people with learning disabilities to lead more independent, fulfilled lives.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care at Warwickshire County Council, said: “The Paralympics have dramatically changed public perception about disability and opportunity. We need to build upon this in our communities so people with disabilities are able to develop and achieve in all areas of life. This includes supporting people to learn, work and pursue a wide range of interests and activities.”
The role of the Community Hub is to provide information, advice and guidance to people with learning disabilities about the opportunities and support on offer. ISS will also be providing people with essential skills ranging from computer training, to healthy eating, to using public transport.
People will be supported to access community facilities such as college, employment and local leisure centres and ISS are also working with Henley College and Hereward College to offer certificated courses.
The launch of the community hub also celebrated the start of a new company called Individual Support Solutions (ISS), which has been set up by two women who have each spent more than 20 years working with people with learning disabilities across Warwickshire.
Sarah O’Shaughnessy and Alison Malcolm set up the company in response to changes in social care which mean that people with learning and/or physical disabilities can access more individual services. Once a person’s needs have been assessed, the county council gives people who are eligible their own allocated budget so that they can spend the money to meet their own needs. This gives people greater choice and control on how they spend their time and how and by whom they are supported.
Sarah O’Shaughnessy said: “Alison and I are both passionate about working with people with learning disabilities. Being awarded the Community Hub Contract is brilliant because it means we maintain strong links with the County Council and they continue to benefit from all the experience and training we have gained from them over the years.”
For more information visit http://www.individualsupportsolutions.org