Dawn's Story
Dawn pays a Personal Assistant to accompany her on a photography course at college.
Dawn wanted to start a part time college course in photography. She managed her life most of the time, but sometimes when she got down she found it difficult to get out of bed and to get herself organised for college.
Dawn used her budget to pay for a Personal Assistant who would give her a call to check that she was OK. If she isn’t feeling well, her Personal Assistant can call around to the house to help her to get up and to give her a boost.
When Dawn is well she usually meets her Assistant outside the college and they do the course together. This gives Dawn the moral support that she needs to cope with a busy college environment.
Dawn felt that it was important to have someone who understood mental health so that she could recognise signs that she was becoming more ill. She also values the flexibility of the type of support that her Assistant can give her.
Tagged: Managing Responsibilities | Community & Relationships | Everyday Life | Feeling Safe & Confident | Work & Skills
John's Story
John did not want to receive a personal budget or receive direct payments, so he found out about the other options.
Debbie's Story
Debbie got together with other local service users to use their direct payments to employ a creative writing teacher.
Ron's Story
Ron used his care budget to choose someone to exercise with him and help him to lose weight.