Autism support Supported living service helps Steven to grow his confidence!
Steven is an autistic person we support at our supported living service in Hartlepool. He is a remarkable individual, who has a kind and sociable nature. But his journey hasn’t always been easy!
Steven faced many hurdles that held him back from fully embracing life outside his comfort zone. He lacked confidence, which hindered his engagement in hobbies and community activities.
To encourage Steven to live a more fulfilled life, our dedicated support team created a person-centred plan to help him achieve his goals. They motivated him to become more independent and to help boost his self-confidence.
Developing confidence through our supported living service
When Steven arrived at our service, he lacked confidence in going out into the community. This limited what he could do, and meant he spent a lot of time inside the home. His low levels of confidence hindered his ability to do everyday tasks, such as cleaning his room or going to the supermarket.
Steven used to have a passion for shopping, but as his confidence plummeted, he stopped enjoying this activity.
His support team recognised his love for shopping and why it was important to support him in overcoming this barrier. So, they developed a plan with Steven that would support him in getting back out into the community! This involved slowly introducing him to short trips to nearby stores accompanied by a Support Worker, before building up to bigger trips as his confidence grew.
They understood that trust was needed for Steven to feel comfortable and build meaningful relationships with his support team. With patience and dedication, our support team spent time in getting to know Steven’s preferences and interests. By doing so, they created an environment where Steven felt safe and empowered to engage in shopping experiences once again.
Going out into the community
Steven’s support team began by accompanying him to a nearby local shop, ensuring he was comfortable – which helped boost his confidence!
As he became more at ease, they gradually advanced to visiting a slightly larger store nearby. Finally, they took a significant step forward by accompanying him to a supermarket for his weekly shopping trips.
This gradual progression was carefully designed to help Steven build his confidence and independence, providing him with the necessary support along the way!
John Jewson, Support Worker, commented: “I took Steven out to the supermarket to do his weekly shop, which I found quite daunting myself, but Steven didn’t. He was a natural!
“He got the food off the shelves, placed it in the trolley and he ticked everything off the shopping list. When it came to the till, Steven was the one who put the food on the conveyor. That’s how good Steven was, he was excellent.”
Supporting Stephen’s needs
Steven’s medication is administered by his support team. In the morning, they assist with his personal care, ensuring he brushes his teeth, washes and dries himself properly, and applies creams and medicated powder as needed.
While Steven is mostly capable of taking care of himself, the support team oversees him to ensure all his needs are met – so he’s ready for the day!
The support team’s role is to observe and step back, allowing Steven to take control.
Living life to the fullest
Our support team have been working with Steven to improve his daily life skills. In addition to supporting him with personal care and building his confidence in the outside world, our team have also equipped Steven with cooking skills and taught him how to manage household chores.
Steven commented: “I like to help prepare food, anything with food, I’m there!”
The goal is for Steven to lead a more independent life. So far, he has made significant progress towards this! He is now able to take care of his personal needs such as shopping, cooking and dressing himself.
The aim is for Steven is to adopt a routine similar to that of an average person, and he is well on his way to achieving this.
Although his support team continues to oversee his activities, Steven enjoys developing his independence and is successfully managing various aspects of his life.
Future goals!
Steven was once a passionate football fan, regularly attending Harlequin United matches. However, he no longer attends these games.
Steven’s support team have set a goal to encourage him to begin attending matches again, reigniting his passion for football.
They understand it will be a gradual process and will support him in pursuing any interests that he may have. If they believe engaging in certain activities will be beneficial for Steven, they will encourage and support him in any way possible to do these things.
Find out more about our support living services
To learn more about our supported living services and how we can support you, a loved one or a client, complete our quick and easy form, and a member of our team will be in touch.
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