Ally
partner, friend, colleague, associate, helper, collaborator, accomplice
(source: Collins Thesaurus A – Z – 2004)
To ally yourself with someone
unite with | join | associate with | connect | collaborate with | join forces with | band together with | join the battle with
(source: Collins Thesaurus A – Z – 2004)
Visualising the Future
PATH Planning
Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) is a method of facilitated planning that has been used worldwide since the 1980’s. Planning using graphics (pictures) is an incredibly powerful method for all people, especially for and on behalf of people who are not strong in written communication. PATH planning will support you to create a highly individualised vision for the future, map out how to get from where you are to the desired future, and break this into achievable and manageable steps.
Nathan’s PATH
Watch our video series which details Nathan’s PATH Plan.
Video: ‘Who is Nathan’
Video: ‘Vision’
Video: ‘Now’
Video: ‘Enrol’
Video: ‘Keeping Strong’
Video: ‘First Steps’
Detailed Future Planning | Personalised Lifestyle Design (PLD)
A Personalised Lifestyle Design is the ‘Rolls Royce’ of individualised planning methodology. It is both a process and an outcome.
It is a process because there are a number of steps required i.e. conversations with a range of stakeholders; a process of triangulation or cross referencing for validity and clarity; the development of a draft PLD document; editing and adjustment based on feedback and the sign off of the final design. It is an outcome because the final design document is then a robust and practical mechanism for people to use as a blueprint for implementation.
The design process uses a model coherency framework as its foundation. Model coherency is a five-step process which investigates the following elements of service design and delivery:
- Who is the person being served and what are their needs?
- What would meet their needs?
- Where is the ideal place for the needs to be met?
- Who is best placed to meet the needs?
- What resources are required?
Securing Your Funding
PreNASC Assessment Planning
Access to Disability Support funds such as Individualised Funding, Personal Budgets, Personal Care, Home Management, Respite, Carer Support etc in Aotearoa NZ is through your local Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) agency. Some people find navigating and negotiating the NASC process and outcomes a significant challenge.
When you understand what the role of the NASC is and how it operates, achieving positive outcomes is greatly increased. Allies Aotearoa has over 20 years of experience of dealing with NASC processes, supporting individuals and families to proactively and successfully negotiate support allocations that meet their needs.
Preparation is one of the best determinants of success when it comes to the NASC process and outcomes. A preNASC assessment planning package will support you to be well placed before your assessment and assist you to most successfully negotiate service allocation outcomes.
Turning the Resources (Funding) into a Good Life
Home, Work & Friends (The Big Three)
Creating My Own Work — Making a Micro-Business
Once school has been completed the world of adulthood is upon us. What can my son or daughter do now that school has finished? How can they use their time productively and meaningfully? How can they utilse their unique skills, gifts, passions and interests to make friends, associates, mana and money?
Creating my own work, or more accurately assisting a person to create their own work and be supported to undertake it, is a viable and highly functional approach to the questions above. Is this possible? Yes it is!
Friends and Enduring Relationships — A Circle of Support
A ‘Circle of Support’ is an intentionally created network focused on a certain set of outcomes. All around us these groups exist but they are not called ‘circles’. You’ll recognise them as faith communities, sporting groups, cultural groups or special interest groups like scrapbooking, genealogy or fishing.
When we are feeling isolated, disconnected, alone and unsure, finding people to join with us and assist us usually takes more intentionality than us joining a group. The approach of creating intentional ‘circles of support’ is well established and their benefits are well recognised.
Testimonials
I feel privileged to have had a personal individualised service design report written by Tony McLean on behalf of my son.
I had this report done because I believed that aspects of his current residential service were not allowing him to live the life that he deserved.
The research, time and effort that Tony put into this document was well beyond any other report that I have had done for our son, and there have been many!
The comprehensiveness of his report was a combination of spending a significant amount of time talking to people who have been both historically and are presently involved in his life and thus learning what his needs are. In addition, the unique visionary skills that Tony has, resulted in ideas and a plan that I believe will have a really positive change in his life.
The report contains a large number of practical options that will make his life a lot more meaningful. Because these options and ideas suggested by Tony are practical, I can see a great many of them being successfully implemented.
The report is very much in line with the aspirations and dreams that I have had for my son for many years. So if you have a vision for your family member that you want to turn into a reality, I would highly recommend having an individualized service design report done by Tony McLean.
Our family worked with Tony to support our daughter to clarify her vision of having an intimate relationship. Tony spent time establishing trust with our daughter and together they explored concepts of friendships and special relationships; while always being tuned to her and our family attitudes and beliefs. This has assisted our daughter to make and be a good friend and to begin a special relationship.
Navigating the NASC system is problematic for most families including our own. Having Tony’s knowledge, guidance and support enabled us to achieve a much more successful outcome with our recent assessment process. We also now understand the process and are feeling empowered and ready for the next time!!
Our family had experienced significant changes in our circumstances & I had requested a reassessment & a review of our support needs. Our NASC was very difficult to work with, communication was minimal & after a period of many months I was not making any progress. It was a hugely stressful process & I felt like I’d exhausted all options & was ready to admit defeat.
Tony looked through our assessments & quickly determined we had a good case to put forward with our NASC. He knew exactly how I needed to approach them, what needed to be said & which questions needed to be asked. Tony drafted all emails ready for me review & send to our NASC. His correspondence was very professional & well written – using specific wording the NASCs understood & responded to with urgency.
Once Tony was involved very little effort was required from me & the NASC always responded promptly to all correspondence I sent. Tony was fantastic at keeping in touch & guiding me through the entire process & our experience with the NASC improved dramatically with his involvement. Within a very short time after engaging with Tony we had a hugely positive outcome & funding & support was changed to reflect our change in circumstances. There were also referrals made to other departments that were quickly actioned.
Tony was very professional & easy to work with.He was incredibly understanding of the difficulties families face within the NASC process & I would highly recommend him to anyone needing advice or guidance for issues or delays they are having with their NASC.