Sharing Places participants are aged 18 years and over who have a primary intellectual disability that is likely to be permanent, results in substantially reduced capacity in the areas of functional life skills, mobility, communication, interpersonal and social skills, learning, work and leisure.

Sharing Places provides for participation in community, social and civic activities; development of daily living and life skills including work readiness transition skills training; development and implementation of communication strategies and use of augmentative communication aids and, development and implementation of behaviour support programs leading to positive outcomes for all participants. Participants are supported by professionals who are committed to supporting participants to enhance personal growth, through a diversity of programs and quality of lifestyles within community environments.

Sharing Places participants have high intensive support needs and the organisation is staffed accordingly on an individualised ratio.  Our programs are customised with each participant having an individualised set of goals which are skill development based under a set of learning domains “ while some people go out in small groups to activities in the community that they wish to attend, the staffing ratio is such that each participant is getting the individualised support they require to meet their goals.  Sharing Places has support teams at different sites across Canberra which are pastoral care in their set up “ the particular team is responsible for the daily welfare of the participant, the development of individuals goals and Individual Plan development and day to day contact with families and other agencies that support the participants.  The participants move across the service working with different staff in their daily programs.

Participants are supported by permanent and trained professional staff. All staff undergo rigorous competency training, annual work performance appraisals and are provided with ongoing professional development opportunities to ensure outcomes for participants are consistently improving.  Each participant is supported by people who have the necessary knowledge and experience to meet the participant’s support requirements.

Individual person directed programs are developed between the participant, family/carer and staff which are regularly reviewed. Ongoing and close liaison is maintained between the participant, family/carer, Sharing Places staff and other services that the participant may also access.

Programs operate Monday to Friday for 50 weeks per year.

Transport

Sharing Places has a fully maintained fleet of vehicles (many of which are wheelchair accessible) that are used to access activities in the community.

Sharing Places also offers a limited service to transport participants between their home and Sharing Places.