Better Lives Partnership
Telephone:
01556503888
Contact email:
info@betterlivespartnership.org.uk
Website:
www.betterlivespartnership.org.uk
Address:
Head Office: Castle Douglas Community Centre, Cotton Street, Castle Douglas, DG7 1AJ
Who the service is aimed at:
Better Lives Partnership works with young people with autism and/or related disabilities as well as their families, carers and the practitioners who support them.
Support provided:
Better Lives Partnership aims to develop and deliver a range of opportunities for children and young people with autism and related disabilities.
Our flagship project is the Bridge to Employment (B2E) Programme. We have 3 sites across Dumfries & Galloway; Castle Douglas (Stewartry), Dumfries (Nithsdale and Annandale) and Stranraer (Wigtownshire).
The B2E Programme has 5 inter-linked strands which are delivered in a person-centered way giving young people the best opportunity to transition to work, further education or training. Our Programme is not career-focussed or time limited. The young people attend for the elements of the courses which best suit their own needs.
We offer accredited training (ASDAN or Skills Accreditation Programme) in:
- . Employability
- . Independent Living Skills
- . Enterprise
- . Work experience placement
- . Environment/Creative and/or Independent choice course learning.
Age range:
16-18;18-25;
Area covered:
All Dumfries and Galloway
Can an individual access the service directly, or do they need to be referred to it by another service – like a school, social worker, health practitioner for example?
Young people can self-refer directly to the service, or other services can contact the service on their behalf.
How to make a referral:
Young people can self-refer by requesting an application pack and application form either by contacting our Head office @ info@betterlivespartnership.org.uk/ Tel: 01556 503888 or by completing a referral form on our website (www.betterlivespartnership.org.uk) .
After completing and returning a referral form you will be invited to come along and meet the Team at your chosen location.
A formal referral can be made from a school, an organisation or a service. Please use the referral form which can be requested from our Head Office or found on our website.
After completing and returning a referral form the young person will be invited to come along and meet the Team at their chosen location.
NOTE: You do not require an Autism diagnosis to be referred to our B2E Programme
Top tips for making a ‘good’ referral (if applicable):
(see below)
What needs to be in place before a referral is accepted (for example a Child’s Plan)?
Nothing needs to be in place beforehand, however, good communication between schools, social work services and/or the referring organisation enables us to assess the individual’s needs and tailor the programme to best suit the young person. It is important from a funding point of view to ensure that communication is open so that plans can be put in place to ensure a smooth transition to our Programme.
Is there a charge/fee for this service?
Yes, the service-user needs to pay, but the service can be funded through Self-Directed Support (SDS) /grants.
If there is a charge/fee, is there funding available for this?
We do not insist that funding is in place before a young person starts, however, it is essential, for self-directed support funding, that Social Work are involved in the transition as early as possible to avoid delays in getting the young person started on our Programme.
