Ryan is a resident at our Bainbridge Court service in Storrington. He was placed under our care and support in August 2011 because of his profound learning disability and anxiety disorder.

When he first arrived at our service, Ryan had a clinically high BMI and was a very shy individual with low self-esteem.

Part of what we do at Pathway Healthcare revolves around trying to integrate our service users into the local community as much as possible. And in Ryan we’ve supported him into becoming a person who likes to keep himself busy. Someone who overcomes the challenges of his disabilities on a daily basis.

Thanks to our care and support and the adoption of a healthier lifestyle, nowadays he weighs 10 stone lighter than when he first came to us and he engages with the world around him as often as possible. He enjoys baking cakes, DJ’ing at local clubs – and even at our Spring Ball – and volunteering at the local Oxfam charity shop.

Having worked at the charity shop for just over two years, Ryan has served dozens of people who have come through the doors. He really enjoys working with the public and helping them out with their inquiries. He also likes manning the tills and handling money when customers pay.

When on duty, Ryan receives any necessary support from other staff at the Oxfam store. They’re always on hand to answer any questions that he might have about working the tills, attaching price tags to items for sale and assisting setting up shop front displays. They’re also available to help with any other tasks and assist him if required.

The manager of Bainbridge Court, Tendai Funganjera, supported Ryan in getting the role in the first place by contacting the Aldingbourne Trust – a Sussex-based organisation dedicated to helping adults with learning disabilities find suitable work placements. The team there were very helpful and supportive to our desire to find Ryan a suitable role, calling Ryan in for an interview and subsequently finding him volunteer work.

Working two days a week, Ryan really gets a taste of the working world and the routine this brings to his life. This has helped him gain a better experience of the world and how it works and has done wonders for his own personal growth under our care and support.