Film Crew Comes to Busby Library
It was lights, camera and action at Busby Library on Monday Feb 14th, as camera crew, husband and wife team, Christine and Allan Crumlish shot a new DVD about an innovative approach that is transforming the lives of people with learning disabilities in East Renfrewshire.
The Local Area Coordination (LAC) Team work with individuals and their families to help them to become more confident, achieve their dreams, and build independent lives. They also work to support communities to be more welcoming and inclusive.
The team in East Renfrewshire is managed by ENABLE Scotland and is regarded as an example of best practice. Also, according to team member, Dougie Purves, “The library service in East Renfrewshire is an excellent example of a Council service that is consistently welcoming and inclusive which is why Busby library is a really appropriate place for Sandra and I to be filmed”.
Sandra Hooper, who lives locally, talks about her life and how she uses her LAC. She said: “I live in my own flat for the last six years and it means so much to me to have my own place, my freedom and independence. Dougie helps me to lead my independent life; he helps me find groups and things to do in the community. I set up a badminton group and I am chairperson of a transport group. The Busby library is the place where we find a lot of the information. For example, that’s where we found out about the Residents and Tenant groups, which helped get house repairs and learn how to work with the council. Dougie and I meet up about once a month, but if I need to meet more often than that or if I have any problems, then I know he’s just at the end of the telephone line.”
Local Area Coordination is currently in 26 of Scotland’s local authorities, and the DVD will make sure more people know about it. It is being made for the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability, which has led the way in developing Local Area Coordination across Scotland and now hosts the National LAC Development Team.