Since 2017, our Great Communities Project has been working alongside Community Catalysts to discover the skills, gifts, and knowledge that people with learning disabilities in Warrington have.
Now, the project has expanded to Worcestershire, lead by Jade Parker, to help people with a learning disability and/or autism in the area who may need support applying their skills.
We sat down with Jade Parker, Great Communities Co-ordinator for Worcestershire, to discuss all things 'Great Communities'.
Could you introduce yourself?
Hello, my name is Jade Parker. I am the new Great Communities Co-ordinator for Worcestershire. I am networking within the community to develop relationships between different businesses and groups within our area, to identify individuals who might be 'slipping through the net' of support.
What is your role?
"It's my job to help identify individuals and to support them to build their own networks, to help them give back using their strengths, and to give them a purpose in life. 'Not to be helped, but to help'.
Why do you think Worcestershire would benefit from Great Communities?
"Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire's health services were working with around 1,600 adults with learning disabilities in 2019. Although there are over 10,000 people within Worcestershire with a diagnosis of a learning disability and/or autism, that are many people not receiving support.
With support and services within the community receiving cuts, there are lots of people that are being left with no networks, which is where I come in. I can be someone who can signpost these individuals to help them to continue living a purposeful life."
What are you hoping to achieve with Great Communities in 2020?
"I am hoping to build up a community within our area, so people will have different networks that they can fall back on."
Jade Parker
Support Worker & Great Communities Coordinator MacIntyre
You can also discover updates on Worcestershire Great Communities via Twitter.
If you would like to find out more about Worcestershire Great Communities, please get in touch: [javascript protected email address]