Positive Futures

02/05/2026

📢 Information Session for Carers: Self-Directed Support & Direct Payments

✨Carers may be interested in this upcoming online information session on Self-Directed Support and Direct Payments, delivered by the Carer Hub and Carers Lead within Adult Learning Disability, alongside the Centre for Independent Living NI - CILNI Northern Health and Social Care Trust

🗓️ Wednesday 13 May
🕰️ 10.30am
💻 Microsoft Teams

✨ The session will provide a clear overview of Self-Directed Support and Direct Payments, including how they can offer greater choice, control and independence when managing care and support.

👉 more info here: https://orlo.uk/r3E0

29/04/2026

📢 Join our growing team in Belfast!

We’re expanding our Ormiston Supported Living Service in Belfast and are recruiting Specialist Support Workers to support people with very complex needs to live the life they want, shaped by their own choices✨.

You will gain valuable experience in person-centred and trauma-informed practice, working alongside our Positive Behavioural Support team (PBS) to empower the people we support to participate in their community and live a fulfilled life🌱. This might look like using visual schedules, timers, social stories, and desensitisation to support somebody build confidence, independence and meaningful community connections.

If you have previous experience in working with people with a learning disability or autism with an interest in psychology, we’d love to hear from you!

Apply here 👉 https://ow.ly/eA9g50YQBks

28/04/2026

✨ A landmark moment for inclusion and equality in Northern Ireland ✨

Today, the Sign Language Bill 2025 is due to be passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly, a significant step forward in the official recognition of British Sign Language (BSL) and Irish Sign Language (ISL), and in improving access to information and services for Deaf people in Northern Ireland.

We know that meaningful inclusion is about more than legislation alone, but this Bill provides a strong foundation for positive change.

Our Service Manager at Foyle Supported living Service, Emmet, shares his thoughts on what this moment means for the people we support:

“As someone who has supported some of our most vulnerable members of the Deaf community for over 30 years across the Northwest having this legislation passed will ensure that their rights are upheld and their language respected.

This will ensure that public services are accessible, in addition to this having access to Free classes in ISL and BSL for Deaf people and their families ensuring that this beautiful language is alive in communities and the homes of Deaf children.

Campaigning for equality and disability rights will continue across Northern Ireland let’s celebrate this achievement and continue to make our communities accessible for all.”

26/04/2026

A fantastic week across our services North and South with Sinead, a person we support from our NAHVI service in Donabate who made the Meath Chronicle and Irish Independent attending the launch of Ablefest -an Inclusive Music and Arts festival at the Fairyhouse Racecourse in Co. Kerry. She was treated to performances from Jake Carter and Mundy both of whom are part of this year’s line-up in July.

And in our Ormiston Supported living Service, Service Manager Sophie is immensely proud of the work her team have done with Timmy supporting his prep to go under anaesthetic for his dental procedure. Staff supported him with fasting, getting him up and ready and out early. Here is he waiting, very contently, in his car ahead of the treatment at the School of Dentistry.

And finally, how great that Ian from our Willows Supported Living Service could enjoy the stunning Portstewart strand with their fantastic accessible beach maintained by the National Trust - Portstewart Strand.

24/04/2026

Really great session delivered by Helen Sanderson with the Positive Futures team on person‑centred thinking, planning and practices.

This was a brilliant opportunity to reflect on working collaboratively, consolidating our strengths and values, and keeping people at the centre of everything we do.

Thanks Helen for such a thoughtful, practical session, lots of insights we’ll be carrying forward into our day‑to‑day practice.

23/04/2026

With only 10 days to go until we caught up with our Finance Director Ian Todd on how training is going 🏃‍♂️

⏳Time is running out and we need all the support we can get to hit our target of £3000 that will be put towards an exciting new programme of training and empowerment workshops for the people we support!

If you can, please click the link in our bio or stories to donate 💙.

22/04/2026

Happy Earth Day🌍

Today, we’re celebrating the impact of the "Caring for Our World" programme, co-designed with Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful to support people with a learning disability to take action against climate change.

Together, we’ve achieved:
🌱 45 staff trained in Carbon Literacy, with a further 45 already booked
🎓 17 people certified
🤝 14 sector organisations and 3 special schools engaged in training
🌍 3 additional organisations now delivering the programme in their own settings

This programme is all about making climate education accessible and empowering people with a learning disability to take real, everyday action using accessible resources such as bingo, encouraging them to get outside and engage with nature.

All made possible by Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs who have funded this initiative via the carrier bag levy.

🔗 Learn more about the programme: https://ow.ly/TwcK50YNrp1

21/04/2026

Transform a life, including yours!

If you want to truly make an impact on somebody’s life like Kathleen’s, we’re recruiting both entry-level and leadership roles across Northern Ireland, for people who want a purposeful career in the health and social care sector.

✅ NISCC Registration paid (where applicable)
✅ Ongoing CPD and development opportunities
✅ 24/7 GP & Wellbeing Support
✅ Competitive benefits package

🔎 Explore current opportunities and apply here: https://ow.ly/3BEh50YNmo6

If you’re compassionate, values‑driven and want to be part of an organisation that puts people first, we’d love to hear from you ✨

20/04/2026

Positive Futures in full bloom🌻

It’s been a busy and inspiring few weeks across our services, with lots of moments that reflect the impact of our support and the dedication of our teams.

Great to see Ethan from our Autism Outreach Service in Derry/Londonderry, achieving a significant personal milestone with a supported visit to Titanic Belfast. With careful planning and dedicated support, Ethan navigated travel, queues and a busy environment, while fully engaging with the exhibitions and interactive displays. He also took the opportunity to practise communication skills with staff during his visit, making it a hugely successful day🏛️.

Meanwhile our Lakeland Supported Living Service in Fermanagh brought colleagues together for an International Food Day, celebrating diversity, inclusion and teamwork with plenty of laughter😊.

In Belfast, Emmett, from our Crescent Supported Living Service tested his bowling skills out🎳, while Brian from our with Sperrin Supported Living Service, Co. Omagh. enjoyed a trip to The Jungle NI and a visit from the Easter Bunny🐰.

A very exciting week for Rodney and Oliver from our Cookstown Supported Living Service having great fun choosing their own cars🚗, each picking a colour that matched their personalities.

Finally, we were delighted to see Cameron settling into his new home 🏡 with support from our Ards Peninsula Supported Living Service and celebrating the milestone with a housewarming party!

These moments, big and small, show what can be achieved through supportive relationships, choice and opportunity. Thank you to all of you who continue to support us and ensuring the people we support live the life they want✨.

18/04/2026

It's nearly 2 weeks to go🏃‍♂️

We've been catching with one of our runners, Sheldon from our finance team, who has always enjoyed running and loves how accessible it is for people of all ages and abilities. Running helps him stay active, manage stress and challenge himself, which is why he’s taking on the Belfast City Marathon.

Early morning training runs aren’t always easy, but once he gets going, they’re incredibly rewarding and often leave him feeling energised.

Sheldon is proud to be running in support of Positive Futures. Every donation, no matter the size, helps create positive opportunities, from summer schemes to fun activities that support connection and confidence.

Together, we’re making a positive difference!

Help us continue to the work we do and support our team along the way:
https://ow.ly/giVi50YFzxB

📸Throwing it back to last year to remind us of what an incredible day it was!

15/04/2026

And that's a wrap!

Our 2026 Easter scheme has come to an end and we are so grateful! Thanks to a generous donation, 19 young people we support at Lakeland Family Support Service in Enniskillen enjoyed some incredible activities that wouldn't otherwise have been possible.

If you'd like to be part of this incredible team, we are recruiting for an exciting Relief Community Support Worker role in Fermanagh!

Find out more: https://seemehired.com/jobs/positive-futures/62784

14/04/2026

Words matter. Lives matter.

For 30 years, Positive Futures has believed that support should fit around people, not the other way around.

In this reflective blog, our Executive Director Paul Roberts explores why the language we use in social care isn’t just descriptive, it actively shapes people’s lives, choices and opportunities.

Person‑centred practice asks something deeper of us. It challenges us to move from “doing for” to “doing with”, to organise support around people’s lives, relationships and aspirations rather than fitting people into what systems already offer.

That belief has shaped Positive Futures since 1995. It’s also why ideas from SocialCareFuture and Gloriously Ordinary Lives resonate so strongly with us: because changing practice requires us first to change the story we tell, about care, about support, and about people.

👉 Read Paul’s full blog: https://ow.ly/bcZ950YIGkH

I sometimes feel as though I’ve spent more than thirty years trying to unpick the meanings of words most people take for granted. “Care.” “Support.” “Service user.” Words that slip off the tongue yet carry assumptions about the people they describe and those doing the describing. My jo...