Building and Maintaining Relationships
New Directions, Inc. recognizes that unpaid relationships are fundamental in a fulfilling life and have positive impacts to the physical and mental health of a person. As such, we assist and encourage people to build and maintain personal relationships. When people we serve are connected to a community, they are recognized for their strengths and can make positive contributions.
We talk about people's strengths and where those strengths would be appreciated. We talk about about people's interests and how they can connect with others over those interests. We talk about how we can bring community into the lives of the people we serve. As a guide, we use Dr. Angela Amado's Workbook, "Friends: Connecting People with Disabilities and Community Members" published by the University of Minnesota's Research and Training Center on Community Living.
We have helped people connect through various different groups and organizations. Here are just some examples:
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various churches and church groups
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pickle ball groups
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puzzle meet ups
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drum circles
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sports teams
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music cafés
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VFW socials
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anime groups
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walking and hiking groups
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Boy Scouts
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Community Education classes
Vision
Our vision is for every person to continually experience and maintain:
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personal well-being;
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engagement in their interests inside and outside of their home.
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satisfying personal relationships;
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and participation in and contribution to community life.
Mission
Our purpose is to assist and support people in forming and achieving a life of their own choosing.
We promote communication and seek the contribution of ideas so that everyone feels responsible for success. We welcome all stakeholders in planning, decision making, implementing, and evaluating.
We believe every employee should have a commitment to continuously refine what we do so that we do it a little better each day.
Guiding Values
We encourage personal growth and understand that people we serve change. We provide services and supports based on current preferences and needs.
Our first responsibility is to people who use our services. We learn what is valued by the person and we work in accordance with these values. Quality is defined by the people we serve.
Our words are in sync with our actions and we fulfill our commitments.
We exceed people’s expectations and derive a sense of fulfillment from doing something that matters.
We believe in the dignity of each person; expect honesty and consideration in all of our actions.