Module 5: Using pictures to explore hopes and dreams
Key things to consider when using Picture My Future to develop goals
It is very important that each person with disability is actively involved in planning their future. The capacity of each person to be involved in their planning will differ. Picture My Future enhances the capacity of people with disability to be involved in planning their future.
People with disability may not be able to talk to a planner in terms of goals and aspirations. They may use language such as “important”, “like”, “dislike” and “hopes and dreams”. The planner should use the information provided to discuss what options are available to the person and help them determine their priorities.
The ‘conversation’ and ‘the story’ that goes with the photos are vital in helping the person determine their goals. This is especially important where the person themselves needs a high level of support to ‘tell their story’, and where the meaning of the image for the person is not clear from the photo alone.
When talking about the picture it is necessary to remember that what is important to a person may include both what they want to do, as well as how and with whom they wish to do it.
Short term and long term goals should be recorded, as well as the priority of goals if this is evident in the discussion.
Not all important information is future-oriented. It is also necessary to capture what is important to a person to maintain their current life (things or people or elements they want to stay the same in the future, what things make life happy now).
How the pictures are stored is important. It is important that the pictures can be accessed and used in conversation with those people who are involved in supporting the person to develop their plan.
Not all important information will be provided by the person themselves. Some information may also be provided by family, carers, or friends, or through insights of the facilitator during the process.