27 February 2013

PAMIS benefits from £377,000 Lottery grant

PAMIS, the University of Dundee-based charity that works with people with profound and multiple learning difficulties and their families has received a Big Lottery Fund Scotland grant of £377,827.

Thanks to the award, PAMIS will be able to fund an advice service for parents whose teenagers have complex needs, providing much-needed support to families across the country who care for young people aged 15 to 18 years old.

PAMIS has identified that the transition between leaving the education system and entering the world of adult services is a particularly stressful and confusing time for the young people and their families and carers.

Workshops and one-to-one sessions will be on offer and a post school care plan will be created for each of the young people. The project will ensure that families and carers are made aware of the benefits they are entitled to and will provide training to help them negotiate with health services workers and social services.

PAMIS Director Loretto Lambe said, "We were absolutely delighted to learn we had been awarded this grant to support people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and their families through the very difficult time of transition from child to adult services.

"We can offer individualised, person-centred support to family carers and we will be able to work with young people and their families to help them through this change. The awarding of this grant is extremely timely as this is a time of great change in services available to adults with disabilities and also changes to the benefits system."

Janice Clark, whose daughter Gillian (20) has complex needs, said, "I contacted PAMIS when Gillian was about 16 and nearly ready to leave school as I didn't know what was out there for her to move on to and what our options were.

"It was all pretty confusing but our support worker proved to be more than a support worker to our family. Throughout the process she was there for Gillian and I and helped me make sense of it all.

"She came to all of the meetings with the school and social services and guided me through each one of them. Sometimes it got quite stressful and emotional but she was always there knowing what to do and say. The help I got from PAMIS was invaluable and a lifeline for our family."

The award came as the Big Lottery Fund Scotland announced its latest package of funding worth over £3.3 million to six projects across Scotland.

Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair Maureen McGinn said, "Today's awards will fund six very different projects across Scotland. These projects will help people of all ages who are in vulnerable situations have a better chance of moving on in their lives to be happier and healthier. The Big Lottery Fund is delighted to fund this inspirational set of projects which, together, will help hundreds of people across the country have a better future."

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