Living Options is a voluntary organisation for disabled people

Living Options History Living Options became operational in October 1992 when the first Co-ordinator and Administrator was appointed. It has been running for 10 years and is an umbrella for a number of groups and projects that provide user-led community based services developed by and for disabled people living in Swindon. Kennet and North Wiltshire. Participants work with others to promote choice, control and equality. Living Options provides training for life, support and opportunities to enable and empower disabled people, and is a managed unit of Scope. There have been a number of groups and projects developed over the last ten years. For example , Working For Opportunities was a project developed by Living Options that became independent in its own right in July 2000. It seeks to enable local disabled people into real employment by taking a pratical approach. The Real Home Care Trust (R.H.C.) was a project set up Living Options and is now independent. It is a non - profit making user-led personal assistance agency and support service dedicated to enabling people to live independent lives. Scamp was orginally a Living Options project and provides free computing for disabled people. Living Options Training For Life Living Options has its own Training Project which provides training opportunities for disabled people. These opportunities include life skills and work skills such as developing self-esteem, confidence, assertiveness, communication, body language, presentation skills and resolving conflict. National Vocational Courses, E learning, relationship building, taking charge of your life, stress management, health promotion. A variety of courses are offered to tailor and meet different learning needs, styles and disabilities. (see training for life, for additional information) Core Activities Living Options Core Activities provide user-led services available to physically disabled adults aged 18-65 years from the Swindon Borough. Members particpate in a variety of activities that promote choice, control, equality and independence. Social Inclusion Group One of the most recent groups that have been developed by and for disabled people has been the Social Inclusion Group. The group was set up by a core member of Living Options because she wanted to help other disabled people within the community to be more independent. This is achieved by challenging issues that have occurred such as barriers in everyday living. The group has achieved quite a lot in a short space of time. It has been able to challenge access for disabled people in Swindon. E.g the issue of drop curbs, transport, benefits issues, attitudes towards disabled people within the community and organisations. As a group they hope to talk to schools, the police and other organisations about the barriers that disabled people face and how they can be overcome by working together. Contact Living Options The Shaftesbury Centre Percy Street Rodbourne Swindon SN2 2AZ Tel: 01793 514 055 ext 4808 DIS Tel 01793 537 588 E-mail livopt@scamp.org.uk Click here for a map showing the Shaftesbury Centre