“Positive Futures is a values-led organisation. Every day, we support disabled people to live their lives as active members of the local community, exercising the same rights, choices and opportunities as we all do.
Our unwavering commitment to inclusivity and people’s right to live an ordinary life, our approach is to not single out those we support, therefore our staff do not wear uniforms or highly visible identifiers – so as not to draw attention to the people requiring our support when they are ‘out and about’. For too long, people with a learning disability, acquired brain injury and autistic people have been “invisible”, separated from community life and denied opportunities to participate fully in their communities. Our approach seeks to change that. We support people to live ‘ordinary lives’ in the same way we all do, build relationships, access local services and be recognised first and foremost as citizens, neighbours, customers and friends, rather than being defined by the support they receive.
Following recent comments circulating on social media relating to members of our staff and the person they were supporting, we want to reaffirm our commitment to working against those who perpetuate hate, to create communities where everyone is welcomed, respected and treated with dignity. We condemn racism, discrimination and hate in all their forms. Such attitudes have no place in our organisation or in our society. The people we support come from diverse backgrounds, as do our staff teams and we could not deliver the service we do without support from international workers. This diversity strengthens our organisation and reflects the communities in which we live and work. We are proud of the contribution made by every single one of our colleagues and remain committed to creating an environment where everyone feels safe, respected and valued.
We also want to highlight the importance of privacy. The people we support, like all members of our community, have the right to go about their daily lives without having photographs or videos taken and shared on social media without their knowledge or consent. Our staff also have the right to privacy and to carry out their work without being subjected to unwanted attention, intimidation, racism or online commentary.
That being said, we welcome communities that are vigilant; safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility. However, safeguarding concerns must be considered proportionately and appropriately. If members of the public have genuine concerns about a situation, we would encourage respectful conversations and appropriate reporting through the correct channels, rather than making assumptions or sharing images online. Everyone has the right to go about their daily lives free from prejudice, discrimination, unwanted attention or intrusion into their private lives. Positive Futures will continue to stand alongside the people we support, our colleagues and our communities in promoting respect, inclusion and equality.”