Ryan's story

Ryan lives at Hope House, an Advance scheme opened in Oxford in 2017. The purpose built development sits within a mixed development of general needs home owners.

The scheme consists of 10 flats accommodating 15 people in total, six self-contained 1 bed flats, three 2 bed flats and one 3 bed flat. In addition there are communal facilities and a small staff sleepover/office. Hope House is designed to accommodate a wide range of needs for people with learning disabilities and consequently it is flexible and spacious throughout. The flats cater for people with more complex needs as they are built to lifetime homes standards, they incorporate under floor heating , the pipework is concealed and additional sound insulation is provided – all these measures increase the potential of who can choose to live there.

Although he has learning disabilities Ryan needs very little support. He regularly helps his grandmother, visiting her on a regular basis and taking her dog for walks. Prior to moving in to Hope House, Ryan lived in shared housing at another Advance property. He made the move to his own flat when he felt ready to develop his independent living skills supported by his Regional Housing Officer.

Ryan said: " I’ve got a lot more independence like managing my own bills and maintaining my flat and following my tenancy agreement. I’ve made loads of new friends with my neighbours, some I knew before and some I didn’t. It’s been great having my own flat and getting involved in the activities like birthdays, BBQs and parties."

Now working part-time in a local shop Ryan’s confidence has grown and, having received support to understand and maintain a tenancy, he feels ready to move to a fully independent home with his girlfriend.

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