Growing towards independence: Laura and Misti share their stories
Misti and Laura met at our SIL supported living service in Exeter, and became close friends.
Misti recently moved from our SIL supported living service in Exeter to her own place.
Laura still currently lives at the SIL service – but is inspired by Misti’s story and is working towards her own independence.
Our SIL service in Exeter supports adults living with mental health needs. Each individual at the service has their own apartment, with support when needed, and privacy when desired.
“Recovery is possible,” says Laura, who’s enjoying life at our service, and looking to the future. “You have good days and bad days, but as you go along, the bad days become less, and you get to enjoy the good days so much more, without the feeling of being worse.”
“I do fear that if I’d never come here [to the supported living service], then I’d be stuck within services for a lot of years to come.
“I now live independently and I love it,” says Misti. “I think SIL has been a brilliant stepping stone for me, I’ve claimed my independence, and it shows, because I’ve moved on.”
Seeing Misti's success gives Laura hope and confidence for her own future of full independence.
“[Misti’s story] gives me hope I can do the same in the future.”
Watch the full video below:
About SIL:
SIL has been providing specialist support and recovery services since 2009. We believe there are still too many people in hospitals or other institutionalised settings who, with the right support and structure, could thrive in community settings.
Currently, SIL operates 24 supported living services across England.
SIL is part of Lifeways Group.
Lifeways is the UK’s largest team of support professionals providing support for adults in the community.
We support adults with diverse and complex needs, including learning disabilities, autism, physical disabilities, acquired brain injuries, and mental health conditions.
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