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interview
Supporting the people on the edge

People with moderate learning disabilities often miss out, and Building Bridges is a co-training social
Liz Tilly has spent more than 30 years addressing this, enterprise involving people with a
including setting up charities. She talks to Seán Kelly learning disability, again based in
Sandwell. Tilly had previously been
involved in the Training Partnership
Project run by BILD (originally the British
iz Tilly never intended to start a services-funded provision. The guys who Institute of Learning Disabilities) where a
charity. “I never expected that are that bit more able, who aren’t eligible trainer and a person with a learning
LOptions for Life would grow as it for specialist services, consistently fall disability deliver training together.
did,” she says. through the gaps.” She knew people from Options who
Back in the late 1980s, she was A unique aspect of Options for Life was were keen to be involved. “We got some
galvanised to set up Options for Life by its self-build project. Together with Black funding and things took off quite quickly
her experiences in a special school. Country Housing, it developed 10 houses from there,” she says.
“I was a special school teacher until my based on Walter Segal’s model of self-build
mid-20s, and the lack of opportunities for construction, which uses a modular, timber
adults when they left school motivated frame system that is straightforward to “
The guys who are that
me to apply for Opportunities for build and low maintenance.
Volunteering funding,” she says. With National Lottery and regeneration bit more able, who aren’t
The local authority liked what she was funding and support to find a site from the eligible for specialist
doing and, when the initial grant funding council, the plan took off. Five of the services, consistently fall
ended, renewed and increased it. Options homes were for people with a learning
for Life, based in Sandwell, quickly grew, disability and five for neighbours who through the gaps
with Tilly as the founder-chief executive. were entitled to social housing. Also Building Bridges is still running. It ”
By the time she left in 2008, it employed included were a cafe and hairdresser and a
60 staff. new base for Options for Life. The idea was
People who came to Options for Life to build a community with support on site. provides training courses for people with
could choose from a range of services and As Tilly says, “it worked”. The houses a learning disability and staff. It also
social activities to create a bespoke were built and everyone, including Options, carries out inclusive research, involving
package of support and opportunities to moved in. All the people with learning people with a learning disability at all
have a full life. There were small day disabilities were involved at some level, stages, not just in data collection.
services, support for living at home and whether it was in building or painting, Tilly says the best courses for those with
support for parents, as well as evening using the wheelbarrow or sweeping up. a learning disability are those that can be
and weekend activities. Tilly remembers workmen coming in applied in daily life so what people learn
Tilly says: “I have always had a special to the cafe for breakfast sandwiches at remains with them. She tells me about a
concern about people who are on the 10am and local women having tea and Making Your Money Go Further course,
edge – the people who are not eligible for toast while they waited for their which is about small life hacks on how
funding. They don’t get hairdresser appointments. to make savings. Because the co-trainers
services and they Options ran art and parent support have used them, the course has a
don’t get support.” sessions both in people’s houses and in genuine impact.
She means their new communal space. Building Bridges also provides training
people with a for professional staff. The most popular
moderate Passing on know-how courses for staff are Supporting Parents
learning By 2008, Tilly had started doing a with a Learning Disability and Making
disability. PhD and decided it was time to Easy-Read Materials.
“The move on; she now works part Building Bridges has just been awarded
needs of time as a senior lecturer in an Awards for All grant of nearly £9,000 to
people social care at the University of continue its research on the barriers to
with a Wolverhampton, a post she has community inclusion for people with a
more held since 2013. learning disability (see ‘Taking the stress
severe She was also excited about out of going out’, winter, page 11).
disability are starting a smaller project, Building This funding will enable the group to
met through Bridges. “I was ready for a change and a go out and speak to more people about
social new challenge,” she says. their experiences. They will write a report
on what would help, which will focus
on solutions.
Liz Tilly: “Short-term
interventions don’t The early indications are that barriers to
work. People need inclusion are rarely to do with the group
ongoing support and or event that people are attending.
commitment” Members report getting a great welcome
20 Vol 33 No 3 | Spring 2020 Community Living Vol 33 No 3 | Spring 2020 Community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk
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