County care home helping young men with autism to flourish

A Cransley home which caters for teenagers and young men has praised the efforts of its residents in learning new skills and contributing to the community while becoming more independent.
By The Newsroom
Published 31st Jan 2018, 13:32 BST
Updated 31st Jan 2018, 13:46 BST

Alderwood LLA (Living and Learning with Autism) has eight homes across the county, including one in Cransley which was recently awarded a CQC rating of ‘Outstanding’.

Assistant manager Samson Nzanga said: “The young men at the home in Cransley find the world we occupy a very challenging and confusing place.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Alderwood LLA supports its service users by using visual communication. This affords them a better understanding of what other’s expectations are.”

Most Popular

As part of an ‘Adult Development Programme’, service users at Alderwood complete voluntary work projects in their area

This has included two young men helping clean up the grounds at Broughton Church, as well as making an angel to display in the church over Christmas,

Another client, Alex, has volunteered at the Green Patch in Kettering - while George has been volunteering at Wellingborough Rugby Club.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Co-op shop in Broughton has also offered another of the home’s residents, called Wale, work experience.

Samson added: “One of the most remarkable stories of the Cransley home is the turnaround of Matthew’s life. About 10 months ago Matthew’s experience of being placed in a secure hospital were portrayed in the Channel 4 Dispatches programme `Under Lock and Key`. Since moving to Alderwood he has flourished. He accesses the community daily and is volunteering at the Sixfields Stadium, and has met the manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink among others.”

“Matthew and his peers from the Cransley home are fantastic young men and are all proving themselves to be helpful members of their local communities. The Alderwood LLA Adult Development Programme has supported them in reaching goals and targets that would have seemed unachievable not so long ago and that is as much to do with so many more people having a better understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders and how it affects those living with them.

“We would like to thank all the companies, businesses and individuals who have welcomed our service users into their local communities and supported them and us by offering voluntary work that is manageable, meets needs, interests and ability levels and allows for their staff to support them.”