ChangeMakers: Pioneers in Futures Planning
Whether it is called Personal Futures Planning, Person-Centered Planning or Futures Planning, the advent of this planning process represented a dramatic shift in the way people with disabilities viewed themselves and were viewed by those around them.
Personal Futures Planning promotes positive futures for people with disabilities by focusing attention on the individual with disabilities - not the services and systems needed to support them. Their groundbreaking work recognizes that every person has the right to make decisions regarding their own futures and to be involved and in control of that process. A central element is a personal "Circle of Support," consisting of family members, friends, teachers, employers and caregivers who know and care about the individual. The group works with the individual and each other to crystallize a vision for the future, including ideal housing situations, employment interests, community participation, etc. The result is a plan for the individual's future that reflects his or her hopes, dreams, interests and abilities, as well as the resources and support needed to make those dreams a reality.
The "Circle of Support" experiences of Beth Mount, Connie Lyle O'Brien, John O'Brien and Judith Snow were documented in the book, From Behind the Piano. All contributed significantly to this innovative approach.
- Based on information found on http://thechp.syr.edu, http://www.capacityworks.com/about.html and http://www.inclusion.com/bkfrombehindthepiano.html.