Destined open rural office

Based at 5 Main Street in Feeney Village Centre, the rural office will open its doors to those needing support and advice in the Claudy, Park, Feeney, Dungiven, Limavady, Eglinton and Greysteel areas. The number to call for support and advice is 028 7778 1141.

Established in 2002, Destined is an advocacy and user-led organisation which provides personal and social skills training and activities for people with a learning disability, helping enable them to participate fully in their community.

Under their remit, Destined is operating a Rural Development Project - an innovative two-year project, funded under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, which aims to reduce levels of social isolation and exclusion which is experienced by people in rural areas who live with a learning disability.

The new rural programme is aimed at people with a learning disability in any of the areas and districts named above, and all facilities and support mechanisms are open to people over the age of 17 with a learning disability.

Among the services they can avail of will be personal and social development programmes, support through person-centred planning, careers and employment information and advice and educational and vocational training, as well as Drop-In Centre facilities.

The newly-appointed project manager, Charlene Keenan, said the official launch of the centre would take place on March 30 at 11am, and the centre would open for business shortly after that.

“It really is a service that is open to anyone with a learning disability and I would encourage as many people as possible to come along and learn about what Destined is about and the services that will be on offer,” she said.

“We are open to anyone aged 17 and over, and we will help them make the transition from leaving school to adulthood with quality programmes offering training in life skills,” Charlene said.

one of the Destined members from Londonderry, Michael Cole, who signed up eight years ago, said being a member of Destined had dramatically helped his confidence.

“I have done basic maths, computers and public speaking and alcohol awareness programmes and become more confident. Before I went to Destined I would walk about the streets aimlessly, but now I am more confident talking to people and I will be speaking at the launch of the new centre,” he said.