Our Mission | About with Friends

/ Who We Are / Our Mission

Creating opportunities and support for people with learning disabilities to live the life they choose.

Our Vision

To continue to be the organisation of choice for our members and always be led and supported by a team that passionately believes in them.
To support members in having every opportunity to develop all skills and confidence possible so they can live the life of choice.
To fully involve our membership every step of the way and to stay flexible and responsive to members needs and wishes – so that we remain truly member led.
To have informed Trustees making informed decisions. A skilled and enthusiastic team all singing (or at least warbling) from the same hymn sheet.
To ensure the right training for all members, staff and volunteers.
To work to ensure financial sustainability throughout all service and continue planned sharing of resources for best value.
Good financial planning for the future.
To meet all areas of Charity Governance, Health and Safety and to remain aware of Government policy and priorities.
Steady growth of well-trained enthusiastic volunteers, supported by Volunteer Coordinators.
To continually listen, adapt and develop to provide supported living accommodation, community outreach and bespoke services that fit our member’s needs.
Work as advocates for our members as needed and teach self-advocacy skills.

Our Aims

Support members in making real friendships.
Provide real work opportunities for our members.
Provide members with real choice to the skills they develop.
Support people to live independently in their own homes.
Provide a range of fun planned activities which allow families/carers respite.
Listen to feedback from members and families and respond.
Integrate individuals with complex needs into the About with Friends family.
Value our staff, Trustees and volunteers.

About with Friends and you particularly, have done some great work with excellent outcomes for D. I was particularly pleased to hear that you are working on integration with the Youth Group as I felt he would miss out on peer interaction if he didn’t come to college.

I haven’t seen D for ages and he looks like a new man . The stress has gone from his face – he looks great Well done !!!!

Just wanted to say a big thank you to you and everyone else that supported H on the recent trip – she had an amazing time. I enjoyed look at the Twitter feed to see what you had been up to.

Thank you for taking K to Milton Keynes on holiday, it made her extremely happy. Selfishly, it gave my wife a much sought after period of respite after 16 years of constant care.

This is the best transition I have had for a student in the whole five years I have taught 6^th formers!

I just cannot thank you enough for taking K my daughter so that she could have fun with her friends on holiday in Milton Keynes, […] it made her extremely happy.

Selfishly for me it gave my wife a much sought after period of respite exhausted after 16 years of constant care. Complete respite is dependent upon the knowledge that your child is in safe professional caring hands. The ‘about with friends’ staff impress me because they display such enthusiastic vocational attitudes towards their care.

Over the last five years I have had a fortnightly, 2 hour designated gardening slot. I highly value your service and ethos.

After 30 years of trying to get P engaged in activities, he is now, under your care, beginning to grow like a great Oak tree.

Just a short note to thank you all for your help with our daughter. she has spent many years at school with little improvement in her behaviour and speech, yet in just a few weeks she has been with you guys the improvements in both areas are plain to see.

I am not sure what the different methods used are but please continue as you are, as life at the moment for us as a family is greatly improved because of your input.

We are very aware of her complex needs and how she can change like the wind but we will continue to enjoy the fruits of your labours.

Many thanks again for J’s lovely break in Derbyshire with About with Friends. He really enjoyed himself, had loads of fun and told us all about the cable cars, stepping stones, cinema, meals out, etc.! We would be very grateful if you could pass on our sincere thanks to all the staff who organised the holiday and supported our youngsters to enable them to have such a wonderful time. We are also very grateful as we, ourselves, were able to enjoy a short break in Paris, which was wonderful and recharged our batteries!