Western Pathways is a specialist, high quality supported living service that offers professional, tailored support and accommodation for young people aged 16 to 18, who each have their own range of unique, complex support needs and challenging behaviours.
Western Pathways recognises the struggles this particular age group experience when entering the transition from childhood into adulthood. Without a clear understanding of the change in levels of support services, financial implications and increased personal responsibility, many young people with additional needs face huge obstacles adapting to independent living in adulthood. With this in mind, we aim to equip young people with the life skills necessary to integrate successfully and independently into their community.
Western Pathways holds a core belief that when supported correctly, all young people have the potential to achieve their goals and live fulfilling, happy lives. We aim to facilitate personal development and growth through processes such as reflective learning, rehabilitation and by helping young people develop greater self-esteem and confidence.
Western Pathways staff are experienced and trained to support adolescents with a wide range of challenging needs, including:
- Mental health issues
- Complex behaviour and attachment difficulties
- Autism and moderate learning disabilities
- Loss and separation
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- Self-harming behaviours
- Criminal behaviour
- Low level sexualised behaviour
Our Objectives
- To provide a community-based house which offers as full and active life as is possible. Creating an atmosphere that embraces and promotes diversity, individual ability and preference.
- To employ staff to be a designated ‘key workers’ who are trained, professional, knowledgeable and have the skill sets necessary to manage challenging situations and promote growth. All staff will also receive ongoing training and supervision.
- To offer individuals the opportunity to be self-expressive within their home whilst living in a supportive and safe environment.
- To encourage young people to develop their personal and social skills both inside and outside their home environment, alongside promoting educational/employment/training goals and developing independent living skills such as cooking, budgeting and household tasks.
- To encourage the full participation of young people in the running of their home by sharing responsibilities and decision making through negotiation and compromise.
- To recognise the needs of each young person and offer them opportunities to learn from new experiences and a broad range of recreational activities, whilst enabling them to achieve to the best of their ability.
- To involve young people in every aspect of their support planning through participation and regular reviews, helping enable them to realistically assess decisions and determine options.
- To encourage and assist young people to have meaningful contact with family and friends whilst also promoting social inclusion and networking in their wider community.
- To build positive working relationships with young people and their families, alongside a network of external services which can contribute to the effective provision of support for each individual young person.
- To specialise in promoting independence in an environment conducive to young people developing physically, psychologically, intellectually and socially.
- To provide maximum opportunity for each young person to mature as an individual, to build a sense of identity and belonging and develop greater personal responsibility.
- To maintain an environment free from bullying and discrimination in accordance with our Equal Opportunities Policy.
- We will deliver the above aims and objectives in a non-judgmental, non-punitive way engendering an ethos of care and mutual respect, aiming to encourage young people to become well balanced, positive and productive members of our society.