It's My Life

It’s My Life is a creative alternative to day services. It was established in 2011 by Josie Bolland & Jane Hobson in Sheffield.

It’s My Life operates from the basic assumption that everybody belongs and can join in community life with their friends when and how they like.

It’s an alternative to the traditional system of building-based day services where money is invested at a high per capita cost. People are forced to accept restricted and institutional options. Instead people get flexible support and the chance to do things that are positive and fun in the same places that every other citizen uses.

The key elements of the It’s My Life model for creative day services are:

1. No boredom - people have a great time doing what they love
2. No buildings - people use the full range of what's already in the community
3. No barriers - we help communities be accessible
4. No dependency - the right support to maximize independence
5. No inhumanity - support comes from people who bring all of themselves to work
6. No isolation - we help people do things with their friends
7. No bureaucracy - smart systems to make people’s money go further
8. No waste - transparency and accountability about the money

It’s My Life have demonstrated that high quality and specialist support is best delivered in the community. The community is where most of our social resources are already invested. It is where other people meet. It is where people will be seen with more respect.

The publisher is the Centre for Welfare Reform.

It's My Life © Josie Bolland and Jane Hobson 2012.

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