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Active Support

Module 1: What is Active Support?

In this session we will cover:

  • What is Active Support?
  • Anglicare’s Active Support policy
  • The 4 essentials of Active Support

This module will take around 30 minutes to complete. At the end, you will be required to complete a short, comprehensive quiz.

What is Active Support?

Simply put, Active Support is a way of providing just the right amount of support so a person can successfully take part in their lives.

Active Support:

  • Is based on ‘doing with’ rather than ‘doing for’
  • Is a person-centred system of support that enables active participation
  • Gives us tools to bridge the gap between what people can do for themselves and what support is needed so the person can do the activity
  • Builds on and celebrates the skills people already have
  • Means support is thought about and designed for the individual.

Reflection

As support workers we should look for opportunities where we can support a person to be involved in all the activities of life.

  • Question...

  • Answer...

    Active Support includes:

    • The person with disability being active in planning thier support
    • Making choices and having control over what happens and how it happens
    • Tailoring supports to meet the needs of the individual
    • Doing activities that are meaningful no matter how much of the activity a person can do.
    • Choosing friendships and relationships
    • Acknowledging skills and building on these, trying new things, taking risks.

Anglicare's Active Support policy and key legislation

Active Support is underpinned by key legislation, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities, National Standards for Disability Services and the Disability Services Act 2011.

These documents have a human rights focus, they recognise that people with disability have the right to live a quality of life consistent with other people in the community.

 

 Read Anglicare's Active Support policy

Good Active Support

When we are doing good Active Support, the person with Disability is:

  • More in control of the things that affect them
  • Taking part in a broader range of activities and interactions
  • More likely to try new things
  • Building and increasing their skills
  • More likely to build positive relationships with a broader range of people in the community.

When we are doing good Active Support, staff are:

  • ‘Doing with’, instead of ‘doing for’
  • Using and thinking of new ways to make tasks achievable for the people we support
  • Using support that matches each task and each individual
  • Building work relationships on trust and respect.

Why is Active Support important?

It is important because it has a direct impact on the lives of the people we support.
Active Support significantly improves quality of life by improving physical and mental health.

  • How is being involved in meaningful activities and relationships good for physical and mental health?

    • It keeps us fit and mentally alert.
    • Gives a sense of personal worth.
    • Provides for personal development.
    • Involves us in common interests with others.
    • Is the basis for friendship and our being together.
    • Develops our talents and shows what we can do.
    • Helps us to look after ourselves and our needs.

Person-centred Active Support

La Trobe University and Greystanes Disability Services describe person-centred Active Support as a way of working that enables everyone, no matter what their level of intellectual or physical disability, to make choices and participate in meaningful activities and social relationships.

As you watch this video make a list of the activities you see people involved in.

Group those activities into interests and hobbies, social interactions, household tasks and relationships. Some activities may fit in more than one group.

Reflection

  • Question?

The 4 essentials of Active Support

These are the four ways we think and work to make sure Active Support is happening. We will cover off each of these essential principles in separate training modules.

  • Every moment has potential

    This means we look at every moment as a moment that has the potential for a person to be engaged or doing something for themselves. Even in the ordinary and mundane things we do.

  • Little and often

    This is about recognizing that everything that happens is made up of smaller parts. For all these smaller parts we are provide little amounts of assistance often, and giving people the chance to stop, take a break and then come back to an activity.

  • Graded assistance

    This means providing just enough assistance of the right kind, to enable a person to succeed in doing all, or part of a task.

  • Maximising choice and control

    This means providing opportunities for people to have choice and control over the many parts of their lives. The more choices a person can make the more control and input they have over their own life.

Active Support Quiz #1

Continue the Active Support training modules

Back: Training Modules
Next: Every moment has potential
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