Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope

In 1992 Marsha Forest and Jack Pierpoint used their P.A.T.H. process to help us develop a plan for the next year.

P.A.T.H. is very simple, but very useful and I highly recommend it. It gives a good overview/framework on which to hang other, more specific, plans for example an IEP.

You can see more detail of the technique on P.A.T.H., MAPS and Circles on Marsha and Jack's web site.

For a P.A.T.H. session you gather together everyone who is closely involved with the person. We had the following people:

	The Star - Rebecca Hulst
	Some of the Star's family - Jane and Gerard, grandparents and aunt
	The Star's school aide - Gaylene Wilson
	A facilitator - Marsha Forest
	Co-facilitator and scribe - Jack Pierpoint

Marsha facilitated the questions, while Jack made a graphic record of the meeting. The record was written and drawn on a piece of paper that covered one wall! Too big to include here - so I've included some fragments to give you an idea.

Firstly we had to situate ourselves in a very positive future, picture it clearly, then think backwards.

The situations (with our responses) were:

1.   Touching the dream (the North Star).  
      By the end of the year we will have:

Been invited to birthday parties Friends over to play on the weekends Been pony riding during the week Had other parents say "It's great to have Rebecca in our school" Been accepted as "just one of the gang" at school Be going swimming regularly Read lots of books Rebecca communicating with us Rebecca awake all day and sleeping at night (without drugs) Been to DEAL Won a prize at school Been going to Jumping Beans (kids gym) on Saturdays Have a library of Muppet videos

2.   Grounding in the NOW. Where am I/are we?

Rebecca sleeps too much at school Rebecca understands but cannot express what she knows   Frustrated by lack of knowledge of facilitated communication We are hurt at people's inability to accept Rebecca We are tired of arguing, waiting for services and endless excuses We are sick of too many negative people We believe that Rebecca has a place, and that she will do well at school, she will make friends and that DEAL will see us

3.   Identifying people to enrol on the journey

Rosemary Crossley - DEAL Cheryl Pivac - Communication aids Parents of peer group in school Pauline - Rebecca's school teacher School principal and Board of Trustees Rebecca's friends (school and family) Ministry of Education Reading companion (high school student to read with her)

4.   Recognizing ways to build strength

Believe in Rebecca (in my opinion the most intelligent thing anyone said all day!) Spend time with like-minded people Spend time relaxing with books and movies Play golf Go to bed by 10pm Don't put up with irritating people Don't argue with negative people

5.   Charting actions for the next three months

Go to DEAL Communication Centre and be using facilitated communication Have a bed at school and hot water Have been to one birthday party Go swimming Go riding Awake - well working on it (someone suggested: hot bath at night, cold shower in morning, marbles in nappies and no breakfast - it was a joke folks!!) Reading companion one day a week The school Board of Trustees will be on-side

6.   Planning the next month's work

Invitation to a birthday party Get hot water and a bed in her room at school Get communication assessement at Wilson Home Get a standing frame Design a communication board Tape Sesame Street for Rebecca to watch to build language skills

7.   Committing to the first step (the next step)

Prioritise hours in the day Develop the recipe book sales - putting something back

We finished the session with one word reactions:

Focussed, hopeful, possible, moving forwards, exciting