My name is Johnathan. I have a diagnosis of ADHD, anxiety, depression and a mild learning disability.
My early life was defined by chaos and difficult relationships with my family. After a schoolteacher got involved, I was admitted into care at the age of nine. Because of my ADHD, I struggled to find the right placement and must have been in more than 20 placements over the years.
At the time, I felt confused and frustrated, which meant that sometimes I acted out. This often resulted in losing placements and moving around a lot. There were times when I felt like this cycle could never be broken.
That changed when I met a wonderful lady who fostered me for more than three years and treated me like one of her own children.
After leaving this foster placement as a young adult, I found myself living in a particularly difficult placement. The building was very run down, with holes in the walls, and many of the people there were quite aggressive. Scuffles would regularly break out.
My room was very small, with little space to do more than get by day to day. I wasn’t allowed to do much outside of staying in my room, as the placement was run mainly by agency staff. Because of that, I never really got the chance to thrive or do the things a young man likes to do.
I was also living a long way from my family, which neither they nor I liked.
Ollie, the manager at The Orchards, came to visit me in that placement. He saw my situation and how detrimental it was to my wellbeing, and invited me to visit The Orchards as a potential new placement.
To make sure it was the right fit, I visited The Orchards to look around and see what it was like. I loved it. I couldn’t wait to move in and have a fresh start.
Initially, I was supported on a 2:1 staffing ratio, which was what I was used to and made me feel reassured. However, at The Orchards I was given much more independence and freedom than I had ever experienced before.
It felt amazing that people were willing to take a chance on me and trust me.
As I became more settled, my confidence began to grow. My relationships with the team and the other residents improved, and I started to feel at home.
I’m only human, so there were times when I slipped up or things went wrong. When that happened, I would sit down and talk with the team. They always spoke to me calmly and without judgement about what I could have done differently and how I could do better in the future.
I could really see that the support I was receiving, including my care plans, was tailored specifically to me as an individual. I really valued that. Eventually, my support reduced from 2:1 to 1:1.
I’ve made the most of as many opportunities as possible during my time at The Orchards. One of these was taking part in Cygnet’s Got Talent. I was nervous about getting involved, but I wanted to give it a try and ended up loving it. From there, my passion for performing really took off.
Later that year, I attended the National Lived Experience Awards as a guest. When a performer dropped out at the last minute, I was asked if I could take their place.
There was no rehearsal or preparation. It was completely unexpected. But I told myself, “You can do it. Just go up there and start singing.”
So I did.
It was an incredible experience.
With every milestone I achieve, even the unplanned ones, I feel more hopeful and excited about what I can accomplish in the future.
My ADHD means I have a lot of extra energy, but I’ve learned how to channel it into positive activities that help me grow and become more independent.
I have already completed an Information Technology course at a local college and have recently enrolled on another course.
I’m also an Expert by Experience within social care. This means I work with organisations and services to provide feedback and advice from the perspective of someone with lived experience.
Looking ahead, I would like to have my own flat. Right now, I am developing the skills that will help me achieve that goal, including budgeting, meal planning and cooking. With support from the team at The Orchards, I am practising these skills so that I feel confident when I eventually live independently.
I’d also like to continue singing, carry on my work as an Expert by Experience, and keep learning new things.
So, watch this space. Who knows where you’ll see me next? Maybe one day I’ll be managing a service like The Orchards myself.
Whatever happens, I’m excited for the future.
