Our Shared Lives carers and their families reflect the great community spirit we have in Barnsley, opening up their homes to someone who needs a little extra support.

They create welcoming spaces where someone can develop their skills and grow in confidence, truly changing the lives of Barnsley people like Joe.

Joe has always loved cars and dreamt of driving one since he was ten years old.

He was told he would never be able to drive because of his autism but he was determined to prove that a disability doesn’t have to hold you back.

When Joe was 17, he applied for his provisional licence and started to have lessons, determined to achieve his dream. Sadly, he lacked the confidence at the time to continue the lessons and get behind the wheel.

A few years went by and with the help of our Shared Lives team, who supported him with travel training and job coaching, Joe’s confidence grew and grew. He felt able to pursue his driving dream again and decided to restart his lessons.

When his Assistant Shared Lives Officer recently went to visit him, Joe was waiting at the door with some very exciting news. He’d not only passed his theory test on his first try but he’d also just passed his driving test first time!

Joe’s absolutely over the moon as are all of us – I want to extend a massive congratulations to him for achieving his driving dream!

This is just one of the great stories we have from our Shared Lives carers. You can learn more about the support we offer by visiting our Shared Lives webpage.

This Better Lives blog post was written by our Shared Lives team. Visit our Better Lives programme webpage to find out how our Adult Social Care teams are working together to build a healthier Barnsley and place you at the heart of everything we do.