Lighting up life skills for adults with learning disabilities

Through innovative, engaging tools, PossAbilities is revolutionising how adults with learning disabilities develop essential life skills. Thanks to support from the Foundational Economy Innovation Fund, the Rochdale-based social enterprise is driving meaningful change for individuals and their carers.

Tackling the gaps in Life Skills opportunities

Research shows that helping adults with learning disabilities to participate in meaningful and enjoyable activities can greatly enhance their quality of life [1]. However, achieving this can be a significant challenge for caregivers.

“Adults with learning disabilities often face limited opportunities to develop life skills,” explains Michael O’Keeffe, Special Advisor at PossAbilities. “Caregivers frequently lack the time, training or tools to plan engaging activities that align with individual needs, and this leads to repetitive, unfulfilling routines. Days become dull and repetitive for both parties.”

The need for a scalable, user-friendly solution to enrich lives and empower carers was clear to Michael and the PossAbilities team. However, achieving this required investment and external expertise.

Empowering growth through innovative tools

Determined to tackle the challenge head-on, PossAbilities focused on designing a practical and inclusive solution that would improve the lives of both carers and individuals with learning disabilities. At the heart of its innovation are two key elements: a Life Skills Framework and a digital and physical activities library, YourGo.

The Life Skills Framework

This visually intuitive tool categorises essential skills – from health and community involvement to travel, home and money management. Each skill is paired with reference numbers and hierarchical organisation, making it easy to integrate into support plans and track progress. Designed to engage both carers and adults with learning disabilities, the framework fosters clearer communication and goal-setting.

‘YourGo'

This resource library transforms traditional activity planning, with video tutorials, interactive content, and practical guides. Each activity is linked to a specific life skill, offering carers quick and effective solutions to engage service users. From activities that support themes such as Safeguarding Week to seasonal topics tied to World Earth Day, YourGo keeps content fresh and relevant.

How the Innovation Fund made it possible

PossAbilities received £68,000 from the Foundational Economy Innovation Fund, initially awarded £10,000 to develop and test their innovative ideas, and securing an additional £58,000 in the second phase to further develop the project, working through several different iterations and versions to create a new, better version with expanded impact.

“The help we’ve received has made a world of difference,” says Michael. “These grants, along with the related input and expertise from GM Business Growth Hub and Manchester Metropolitan University, meant we could not only turn our ideas into reality but do so in a way that will benefit a much wider audience.”

The support will enable:

• Carers and adults to find greater day-to-day fulfilment in their jobs and lives
• The approach to become self-sustaining, generating an income that allows it to expand and grow
• This innovative work to be replicated across the region and further afield, showcasing Greater Manchester’s commitment to supporting adults with learning disabilities to develop their life skills

Early success stories

Early feedback from users and carers highlights the impact of these tools. By the start of 2025, more than 200 staff and service users had already interacted with the Life Skills Framework and YourGo, with anecdotal evidence indicating higher engagement levels.

Carers have praised the accessibility and variety of resources, which make planning activities faster and more effective, while service users have responded enthusiastically to the interactive elements. Michael says, “Users have accessed hundreds of unique digital activities, with thematic content like quizzes, games, and video narratives driving engagement. The engaging design ensures that even those with limited digital literacy can benefit.”

As PossAbilities continues to gather data, it’s evident that YourGo is saving carers time while providing richer, more impactful experiences for adults with learning disabilities. Plans are in place for further studies to quantify these benefits, positioning the digital activities library as a cornerstone of modern care solutions.

Scaling and sharing

The toolkit is being trialled at nine locations before being expanded to all PossAbilities sites and external providers. A full commercial launch is set for the second half of 2025.

“Our goal is to support thousands of adults to improve their life skills and live the lives they choose,” says Michael. “And for providers across the industry, it’s about creating efficiency savings by offering a ready-made solution that can replace the need to create or adapt their own activities.”

Visit the PossAbilities website (external website) for more information.

Notes

[1] ‘What activities individuals with intellectual disabilities do for fun: exploration into self-care' (external website), National Library of Medicine (United States) website, accessed 6/12/2024