How we work We work with disabled people and people with lived experience of mental health difficulties of all ages. Whilst all of the individuals we work with experience multiple disadvantages and discrimination, some of our projects specifically target the following groups with the following labels: People with the label of profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) People with the label of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) People who find themselves stripped of the most basic human rights (for example, hospital inpatients) Whether we work with disabled people, people with lived experience of mental health difficulties or professionals, we don’t have one standard approach or set of tools. We look at the issue and work out which tools and approaches best suit the situation. The model is NEVER more important than the outcomes We generally use the following approaches but in a flexible way to suit each differing issue and/or group of people: Community development Person centred planning Community connecting Exploring individual commissioning options Rights based advocacy Quality of Life reviews Recording stories to show the art of the possible Practice development Strategic coproduction Social Model of Disability Recovery Model Our approach rests firmly on the social model of disability where we believe that a person is disabled by society and the way it is organised. Much of society is built on the medical model, which believes that the person is disabled by their condition and is a problem to be fixed. We don’t believe people’s lives should be limited or defined by labels and diagnoses. We are dedicated to reframing how society views mental health and disability. We are committed to the recovery model. Just as we all have physical health, so we have mental health. This model does not focus on symptoms and conditions but champions: building resilience of people supporting self-development and self-esteem a strength-based approach a personalised approach and aims for each individual to gain more control over their life social recovery, where relationships and community connections are strengthened a journey, not a destination building a meaningful life, as defined by the person themselves