A Friend In Me

With Can Do Ethan helped to create a sensory garden for The Cedar Foundation, a charity supporting people with learning disabilities and brain injuries in Belfast.

Ethan really enjoyed creating this space and said, “I took pride in knowing that I did something worthwhile that other people would benefit from”.

Following his positive experience on Can Do, Ethan took his new found confidence and signed up to become a befriender to a resident at one of our supported living services.

Lorraine said: “With his autism, he finds social interaction a little bit awkward. Work experience gave him a sense of achievement and a purpose – helping other people. Ethan’s not used to meeting new people, however this past year I’ve noticed his confidence growing.”

Before they approached Leonard Cheshire, Lorraine was worried about finding a work placement for him, as local businesses were unable to help.

Lorraine chose the volunteering opportunity because of the adjustments Leonard Cheshire were able to make for Ethan. This included having someone shadow him, to ensure that both Ethan and the tenant he was supporting felt comfortable.

She said: “He learnt to do things for himself that we might take for granted. Even organising the day trips and looking at bus timetables. It’s all skills that will help him in the future.”

Ethan told us that when he first started his placement, he wasn’t sure what to expect. He said: “I was looking forward to it but I was a teeny bit nervous. But I got a lot of experience and everyone made me feel comfortable. I really enjoyed chatting and having some fun with the person whose buddy I was and really made a connection with her. Now I feel like I talk to new people a lot more.”

Programmes like Can Do are the first step in confidence building for young disabled people, providing them with the skills to say: actually, I can. With your support, we can continue to run these programmes.