Towards a life, not a service

This week’s post is a video blog. It’s a recording of my presentation at the One Community Conference, convened by Aberdeen Council, (Self Directed Support Aberdeen) Scotland, to reflect on the challenges and opportunities that the Self Direct Support movement presents.

Over the next 50 minutes I try to paint a picture of what life might look like for us all if people who have been exiled from their communities were at the centre. Along with friends from Aberdeen we explore:

1. How in community life, we can use our local resources to grow places of welcome?
2. What it is that outside agencies can do to support Community-led inventiveness in growing communities of hospitality?
3. What is it that institutions can do in their own right to ensure people have a life first and foremost and that services do not substitute for a life, but are there when needed?

In short, the video blog asks the critical question: “how can we support people to make the journey from dependence on institutional programmes, to a life of interdependence in community, with agencies playing a supporting role?”

We hope you enjoy this, and we’d very much welcome your comments on this important civic issue.

All the best,

Cormac