Day Five placed the group firmly in the driving seat, reeling off the stops. Calling at….
‘Work, I want to be a DJ! … my girlfriends house, any time I want … the airport, going anywhere on holiday … shopping for my dream bathroom suite … my place, and by that, I mean my own flat … somewhere dreamy and romantic with a date!’
The freedom to ‘choose what we want to do’ and ‘how we want to live’ is a fundamental right. It shapes our identity, supports our wellbeing and gives our lives meaning. For many, that freedom can be limited by circumstance. For adults with learning disabilities, it can all too often feel defined by ‘compromise.’
After a spirited game of Stuck in the Mud, Bee asked, ‘What does freedom feel like?’
Individuals described having ‘choice’ and ‘control’ over their lives, from everyday decisions that some may take for granted, such as choosing their own ‘clothes, meals, activities and routines’ to more life-shaping decisions, like changing day service to support a ‘dream to perform on the stage.’
For the group ‘trying different things’ and ‘planning for the future’ are vital forms of freedom that bring ‘excitement’ and opportunities to ‘grow as a person.’ Not forgetting the learning curve that only comes from being ‘free to make our own mistakes.’ (Calling at … ‘Cocktail City, right NOW! And everyone’s invited!’)
For one individual, being ‘free to be me’ should be the guiding principle. A perspective shaped by an experience of ‘so-called support’ that had ‘stifled’ aspects of his character and left him feeling ‘very low.’ Speaking up marked the start of turning things around and sparked a drive for advocacy projects such as this one.
While most individuals in the group feel confident speaking up about their challenges, several voiced their frustration that it ‘doesn’t always change things.’ One individual reflected, ‘there’s so much more that I could do if I had more one-to-one hours or support in the community.’ In recent years he has found himself sharing more support hours with housemates, meaning that ‘I don’t always get to choose where I go and what I want to do.’
Others voiced ‘waiting a long time’ to achieve deeply human goals. Waiting to call at ‘work… my place… anywhere on holiday… somewhere dreamy and romantic with a date.’
In the current climate, life in social care can be challenging. Growing funding pressures are pushing councils to focus on only the most essential or statutory ‘needs’ with wider quality-of-life goals or aspirations often framed as ‘wants.’ This creates barriers to work, travel, relationships, participation and independence for many adults with learning disabilities.
Day Five closed with the group reflecting on a message for any individual who may be feeling stuck in the mud. ‘Waiting a long time for things to happen can be warning sign of freedom being compromised.’ Everybody should be free to live the life they ‘choose.’ Everybody should be ‘free to be me.’