LONELY and isolated people will be helped to expand their social horizons with the aid of a £3,000 grant from the Gannett Foundation.
The money has been awarded to the Worcestershire LifeLinks project, started three years ago under the umbrella of the Onside Independent Advocacy service, to help people with learning disabilities get more involved in the community.
Based in Pierpoint Street in Worcester city centre, the project now serves South Worcestershire, but one of its early successes was helping a woman from Bromsgrove who wanted to come to Worcester to do her shopping.
Although she is in her 40s, she had never travelled alone by public transport and needed some support until she had the confidence to make the bus journey by herself.
"With the help of a volunteer, she has now been given a new lease of life," said project leader Sandra Taylor.
"People with learning disabilities are often used to doing things in groups, or with a carer, so they haven't got the skills to do things we take for granted."
It became apparent that information about public services, from timetables to tourist guides, could seem impenetrable to people who had difficulty with reading.
As a result, one LifeLinks group has been working with Worcester Museums Service to redesign the museums guide, using plenty of pictures and clearer language.
"Part of the role of LifeLinks and the peer support group is to highlight where there are inaccessible aspects of social life," said scheme manager Kate Harvey.
"A social support network got off the ground informally as a result of volunteers and users of the service getting together.
"For example, we realised there was a gap for people wanting access to education, so they got together by going on courses and then began to go for a meal or a film."
The Gannett money would be used specifically to develop that side of the work, said Sandra.
It would help to pay for training and administration costs, the development of an information leaflet, the hire of a venue and the travelling expenses of volunteers.
"Without opportunities to make friends, people can become isolated, but this is about enabling them to be independent and involved," she said.
"If they have discovered how to join a college course or use public transport, they can help each other and build natural friendships.
"There will be a core group who will help to put people in touch with others who have mutual interests, such as going to the cinema or theatre.
"People with learning disabilities are often on the receiving end of services and this is an opportunity for them to give something to their community on their own terms."
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