CIRCLES OF SUPPORT

Every circle is different because of the uniqueness of the dreams of the individual at the centre of the circle and the uniqueness of the contribution of each circle member.

That is the end toward which all the endeavours and energies of people associated with Interactionz work. Within the context of this goal, ‘ordinary lives’ means regular, usual and everyday. The kind of lives the rest of the general populace enjoy, with all the joy and sadness, success and failure, excitement and tedium, freedom and accountability that goes along with the human condition. To Interactionz, the word ordinary does not mean boring, mundane or lacklustre, but encompasses everything that is not segregated, weird and ‘special’. Interactionz believes ordinary is desirable, and what’s more, that it is possible, when we focus on serving one person at a time.

Interactionz believes that everyone has talents and gifts, that everyone can learn and that everyone is valuable and has something to offer. Interactionz believes that an inclusive community is desirable and attainable and that people and organisations working collaboratively, can make a difference.

Getting to know the people Interactionz assists revealed how few relationships many have that are not paid support and this has led to our most recent service venture – person-driven approaches (including circles of support). Contrary to the Paul Simon song, no one is an island, we all have people we see regularly - friends, acquaintances, family, neighbours, workmates, etc, and they form what is usually an informal and often invisible network of unpaid, supportive relationships; a ‘circle’. For many of us, the circle is so intrinsic and subtle, we don’t recognize its existence, but if you think about it, we all subconciously pull our networks closer and let them move away again, depending on what is happening for us at any given time. A strong, effective circle has a variety of people and relationships within it, all contributing to the health and richness of the life at the centre. And the result is synergistic – the result of the combined effort has more impact than the sum of the efforts of all the individuals working in isolation.

As mentioned before, the reality is that many people with disabilities either have few or no relationships with people who are not paid to be there. Though those paid people are often caring, committed individuals, they operate within the boundaries (time, role, resources, etc.) of their employer – who is almost never the person requiring support - and they tend to come and go. The person with a disability is vulnerable to the changing winds of staffing ratios and rosters, government policy and funding and certainly has little power to live a life of their own choosing. Where people have interested family/whanau, the ongoing responsibility for meeting the needs of their loved one often rests with them in what can be a struggle to get the required information, funding and support for maintaining the status quo, let alone dreaming about something more satisfying.

Interactionz has established a facilitation service for people interested in forming a circle of support for themselves or a family/whanau member. Interactionz believes circles of support are a practical, sensible method of working with people that at the least, will result in an improved quality of life, and at best, has the potential to see them thriving in lives of their choosing. While Interactionz offers assistance to get a circle of support up and running and meeting facilitation if required, the decision making process will be driven by the person at the centre of the circle, with input from their chosen circle members. Interactionz envisages that circles will evolve and change, depending on the goals of the person and what is happening for them. The potential flow on effect for their families and whanau is an added bonus that will also be invaluable.

Who is the service for?

Interactionz offers this service to anyone who desires it, no matter their age or disability ‘label’. Interactionz has starting slowly, with a small number of people to learn and become more skilled. It is now offering the service to others Our ultimate goal is that everyone who uses our service (currently about 100 people) will have the opportunity to form a circle of support if they wish, and that other people who hear about the service will also be catered to.

Beliefs about Circle Building (John O’Brien)

• In order to live as we choose and enjoy life, we need other people to support us.
• Building circles is very different from other types of individual planning in human services. A circle of support forms and operates totally in the interests of the focus person.
• We are interdependent in our support of each other and circles give us an avenue for our interdependence.
• Circles focus on the individual’s life – the touch and feel of who they want to be and how they want to live – and not on the services that individual receives from the system. A circle creates a life, not a service plan.
• Interactionz doesn’t ask people to be someone’s friend when they are invited into a circle; We ask them to be part of building a better community.
• The work of connecting people to others in a community is very hard. The less connected the person is, the harder it is. Circles are not a quick fix. Developing a circle takes energy and commitment which will become a source of energy as the circle evolves.
• Some people have only paid people in their lives. This is their circle. These paid people can build the circle from the outside in if they work at connecting and supporting the person in new relationships.
• It is best if a person in a service capacity relationship with the individual doesn’t facilitate the person’s circle. The service person has other needs to meet, including the needs of the service system. (Interactionz uses independent facilitators to fulfil this role)
• A facilitator for a circle acts as a Midwife, letting the circle give birth to ideas and plans with support as needed, but the facilitator does not judge or interfere with the work of the circle.
• Assistance is walking’ with’ an individual and having commitment, presence and responsiveness
• Having a meaningful life is a journey travelled at walking pace. The journey (the interactions of people from day to day and from moment to moment) is as important as the destination.
• Individual strengths and talents are multiplied as circle members join forces. Likewise, weaknesses become less significant because of the combined abilities of the group. The beneficiaries of this are the focus person and their families/whanau.