Since small beginnings forty years ago, Advance has grown. Learning from the experiences of its staff and clients, the organisation has gone from being a simple helping hand with housing to a solution that supports thousands of people at home, at work and in the community.
Helping those who start from a position of disadvantage due to their health or disability, Advance help these individuals to achieve the choice, control and opportunities they want.
They help people with disabilities and mental health issues to achieve home ownership, offer employment advice to broaden horizons, or provide suitable home and support systems to those with complex needs so that they can gain more stability and control over their lives. Having come a long way in forty years, Advance is determined to keep learning and keep getting better so that they can keep helping and supporting people to move forward with their lives.
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Advance want to enable people of all ages, with a disability or mental health issue, to realise their potential as valued citizens. They believe that everyone must be valued and treated with respect; has the right to live as independently as possible in good quality, local housing; has the right to privacy; should have the opportunity to be active and productive through work, learning and leisure; should be able to use services in their local area; and can enjoy a richer life with a circle of friendships and relationships.
It is vital for Advance to achieve value for money throughout its work. The organisation looks at everything it does to check that they are making the best use of the houses they own, the money they spend and the way in which they work. By doing this, the organisation believes they can do more things for their customers and continue to make people’s lives better.
The local Advance office reached out to Carlton Hayes Mental Health Charity for this reason. Wanting to be able to provide day trips for their Leicester-based customers, Advance needed additional funding to be able to put their plans into action. The majority of Advance's customers do not have the ability to leave Leicester of their own accord due to financial strains. Yet Advance understands that it is very important for these individuals to have the opportunity to get out and about and do something different.
Day trips can have significant beneficial impact on the mental health of many individuals, particularly those who are isolated and rarely leave their properties. Advance's recent trip to Skegness proved the positive effect of providing day trips: using the Carlton Hayes funding to pay for transport and food, a brilliant day was had and Advance’s customers all really enjoyed themselves.