The Cloonavin Green Project
The Cloonavin Green Project opened in January 2006, with many of the tenants moving from ‘Dunluce Residential Home’ which was the first site opened by Fairways back in 1987 and is now closed. The Project consists of five houses in a ‘regular’ private housing development on the Portstewart Road in Coleraine. The Project can provide tenancy and support services for up to twenty-two people with learning disabilities. Three houses have four bedrooms and two houses have five bedrooms, with the addition of one ground floor bedroom with disable access and showering facilities in each.
The practices of the entire staff team are steeped firmly in 
the ethos of Fairways. Each tenant receives an individual care package appropriate to his/her needs. We were very fortunate from the outset, in the sense that we were able to completely custom build the project around the people who were to use it, optimising and facilitating the potential for a true user led service. We were adamant from the beginning that this would not be token gesture supported living, but that the people who we work with would be valued citizens and contributors of their community. Our daily work with each tenant continues to pursue this objective. In addition, this is a significant part of the reason as to why we chose the location on the Portstewart Road. We firmly believe that people with learning disabilities have the same right to high quality housing as any other.
Continuing the aim of a user led service has meant that there is huge potential for development, bring new horizons and new challenges for tenants and support workers alike. Opportunities are extensive and the continued support from the local community is invaluable.
Vikki, the project manager, continually works to promote
empowerment and independence by facilitating employment support networks, day care placements and educational opportunities at local colleges. This has helped tenants to establish friendships and social networks leading to increased ability and confidence with an enhanced feeling of self-worth.
Each tenant is actively encouraged to take responsibility for daily living tasks, such as shopping, cleaning, cooking and budgeting. Geoff, our living skills development manager, supports each tenant in completing each of these responsibilities. With four or five people living in each house, tenants are encouraged to share household responsibilities equally, obviously based on needs and abilities.
For more information on our service provision at the Cloonavin Green Project, please do not hesitate to contact Vikki. You can get in touch with Vikki using the ‘Contact Us’ link on the left.