Leeds woman Kelly Rainey wins national award

From institutions to independence; we meet Leeds woman Kelly Rainey who has transformed her life and recently won a national award.

Transcript

00:00Kelly Rainey, from Leeds, has a learning disability, autism and mental health needs and lived in

00:06institutions for 12 years. With support from the Transforming Care Programme and Aspire

00:11Community Benefit Society, she moved into her own home in 2019.

00:16I get a mini house, a fantastic house. I love my house, I love my bedroom, I love my living room, everything.

00:30Kelly was recently crowned one of the winners of the Dimensions Learning Disability and

00:34Autism Leaders' List, the UK's first national awards recognising people with learning disabilities

00:40and autistic people who are challenging stereotypes and making communities better for themselves

00:45and others. It shines a spotlight on their achievements as new research reveals 72% of

00:51people with learning disabilities and autistic people have felt ignored by society.

00:56I got the award for being the best teenager. I went out for my tea and everybody nice to me.

01:11She's really impacted on the team because she's just done amazingly well in all aspects

01:16of community care, from the transition moving down into a new home. She has lots of get-togethers

01:24and she speaks to her family every day, so it's lovely.

01:27Kelly's future is bright. With a love of music, dancing and socialising, she's become engaged

01:33to Danny, who she met at the day centre she attends.

01:36He's fantastic with me. I don't want to go to the day service if he won't listen to me.

01:43When Kelly moved into a new home, it was just capturing the transition of how somebody can

01:49come so far really and she's done amazingly well. She takes part in all the community

01:54activities. She now goes to a day centre and she's loving life.