Journey’s are unique to an individual, what it involves, where it leads and how it’s started is a fascinating entanglement of emotion, perseverance and yearning. Whether the requirements of the journey to start are met within hours, days or weeks it makes no difference. All that matters is that it is started and the person has stepped forward onto its path. Here are a few stories of some People We Serve who managed to begin their fantastic journey’s towards independence.
Jamie’s Story-
My story begins in Lincoln, where I have been living for 19 years supported by ubu. There was a time where I would only ever leave the house in a taxi, no busses, no bikes and certainly no walking! If I didn’t have the funds to get to where I needed to be by taxi then I simply just wouldn’t go and I made this crystal clear to my enabling team.
I was used to being ferried around by staff cars in the old place I lived and that’s the way I wanted it to stay. My enabling team spoke with me and advised me that choosing to constantly travel this way was not good for my health but I ignored it! They tried several times to help me see the benefits of journeying through different ways of transportation but it just infuriated me and I ended up abandoning the trips all together.
Further down the line I began feeling this odd tightness in my chest, weakness in my legs and breathlessness and this was only after walking up one flight of stairs, something was wrong! I spoke with my enabling team and like they had explained before this was all down to my lifestyle, I just couldn’t see it.
Slowly but surely I began to walk with enablers to my local Sainsbury’s, then a bit further and eventually around town, I never realised how much I was missing by just choosing to travel by car, there were so many beautiful things to take in! I now regularly walk about the community by myself and rather than choosing a pricey taxi if my legs are weary I prefer the bus!
Michelle’s Story-
I have lived in my own home for the past four years supported by ubu and during this time I have overcome some important challenges. I used to hate going out in the community or participating in outdoor group activities, I even struggled with moving past the end of my garden path. I had absolutely no confidence whatsoever and I just didn’t know how to gain it.
My enabling support team knew this and I couldn’t be more thankful on how they approached the situation I was in and helped me to become the person I am today. At first they began encouraging me to try small things such as new foods and to some this may seem insignificant but to me it was the first steps towards my new founded self-confidence.
As my trust with the enabling team grew so did the new things I tried, although it did take some encouragement and multiple tries, before I knew it I was out shopping in the local town centre, something I never thought I would have the courage to do. A few months later I was accessing my local community on a regular basis and I even booked a Butlins Holiday! I ate out in different restaurants, explored the holiday site and tried my hand at mini golf, something I had never played in my entire life!
I am proud of who I am, and I am growing into the woman I have always wanted to be, independence is my destiny and it’s a journey I am thrilled to be on!
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