Supporting young people with disabilities
Story by Farhan Ahmad.
After almost six years in the Fir Vale community, the Jeevan project has just moved to the Pakistan Advice Centre building. Jeevan aims to provide young people with disabilities the means to build their confidence through group work.
One of the project’s main aims is to show that disabled women are not hidden. Social Services says there are a ‘high number of Pakistani families with disabilities’ but young Pakistani women are not accessing support. So far the project has focused on supporting these young women but, with a new Youth Opportunities Fund grant, they can now cater for young men too.
Supported by a Sheffield Futures youth worker, the group organises a forum on the last Saturday of every month, in partnership with young people's empowerment project Chilypep.
Members of this group have had training from Sheffield Futures and work closely with special schools. They found an alarming number of Asian young men and women who are isolated from community provision and services outside school. Shehla Hussain, 23, a support worker, said:
“I am currently doing outreach and contacting families to talk about the project. Doing home visits has been part of the Jeevan project since the start – helping support young women to live independently.”
Sonam Nawaz, 19, completed training in July:
“I try to do outreach work with schools, publicising and recruiting potential volunteers.”
Azeem Najib, 18, employed since November, said:
“I want to develop youth work for young men and I have good communication skills.”
Come and volunteer. Just put aside two hours at most per week to help support the project. If you are 16+, then contact us at the Pakistan Advice Centre, Page Hall Rd, Tel. 261 9130