Positive Futures

01/04/2026

We’re growing in Bangor✨

It feels special to be expanding our services in Bangor, the place where we opened our very first supported living service 30 years ago.

As our East Coast service continues to grow, we’re evolving too. To make sure we can keep providing the best possible support, and create space to welcome more people, we’re splitting the service into two new supported living services: 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 🏰 and 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⛵.

This change will help us stay personal, connected and focused on what matters most, supporting each person to live the life they choose, while also allowing us to grow in a really positive way.

It’s also great news for Bangor, with new job opportunities coming as our team expands.

If you’d like to be part of our journey, take a look at our latest roles:
https://ow.ly/xW5f50YAGty

Special mention to We dump your junk who supported us during our move!

24/03/2026

📢 We have some news...

After more than 30 years of extraordinary leadership, our Founder and Chief Executive, Dr Agnes Lunny OBE, will retire at the end of this year.

Her vision in establishing Positive Futures in 1995 helped shift learning/intellectual disability and social care practice away from institutional models and towards person-centred, rights based, community support, a journey described in her 30 year anniversary reflections.

Read full statement: https://ow.ly/80o450YygmI

24/03/2026

☕🎉 We had a fantastic morning at our Arches Family Support Service in Bangor, Co. Down, celebrating 30 years of Positive Futures!

It was wonderful to see so many of the people we support, their families, and our dedicated staff come together to share stories, celebrate achievements from the past three decades, and look ahead to an exciting future✨.

Here’s to continuing to transform lives and build brighter futures for the next 30 years!

👉 Find out more about our celebrations and how you can be part of what’s next:
https://ow.ly/lMnC50Yxxtx

23/03/2026

Looking for your next role? Start the conversation...

Chat with a member of our team tomorrow about the various Positive Futures services and find out what makes working for us so rewarding!

✨The Charity Careers & Volunteer Job Fair organised by Charity Jobs NI
📆Tuesday 24th March 2026
📍Assembly Buildings Conference Centre, Belfast
⏰10am-2pm

You can register for free via: https://ow.ly/8psr50Yxvf6

Delighted to be taking part in Northern Ireland's only dedicated recruitment and volunteering event for the third sector! See you there 😊.

20/03/2026

Weekly roundup✨...

Our services have been buzzing with activity this past week including lots of St Patrick's Day celebrations ☘️ and outdoor activities!

Delighted to see Stephen and Aiofe from Cluain Farm out embracing the dry spells with some horse-riding🐎. A fantastic moment for Lisa from our NAHVI service in Co. Dublin, who recently reignited her love of Braille! And not to mention Kathleen supported by Sperrin Supported Living Service enjoying a cinema trip to see "Hoppers" 🍿. We also had 3 March birthdays being celebrated at our East Coast Supported Living Service, we manage to capture Lizzie, supported by Jenny, eagerly awaiting her meal at Romas 😋.

19/03/2026

Over the past 30 years Positive Futures has been working closely with families and the people we support to enable them to live the life they want. For Adrian, diagnosed with autism from an early age, Positive Futures has empowered him to take control and carve out time to walk, swim and bake 🧁.

Following a period of ill health a few years ago, Adrian’s support workers from our Lakeland Supported Living Service, Co. Fermanagh, sat with him, shared stories and put him at ease🤝.

Our staff embody person-centred support, from basic needs to setting out goals and ambitions for the people we support; we are about making real changes to transform lives.

If you are passionate about making a difference like this every day, we are currently recruiting in Fermanagh and across other areas in NI✨.

Find out more: https://ow.ly/TNve50YwpM3

18/03/2026

Email template below!
Please please help ‼️

Subject: Adult provision for people with complex needs

Dear Minister,

l am a parent of a young person with complex needs in Northern Ireland.

I understand the Learning Disability Service Model is being presented as the response to gaps in adult provision. However, my child would not be covered by this model, despite having significant support needs.

This is because:
[Add one sentence about your child]

I am deeply concerned about what will happen when my child leaves school.

What provision will be in place for individuals with complex needs who do not meet the learning disability diagnostic threshold?

No young person should be left without support because they do not fit a category.

Yours sincerely,
Your name

⬇️

Send to the Health Minister:
mike.nesbitt@mla.niassembly.gov.uk

💙 When you've sent it, comment "DONE" below

Let's show them how many families this affects.

17/03/2026

Great piece from our placement student Chloe Torrans for Shared Lives Plus Community who recently completed her 17 week placement with our Families Matters Shared Lives Service in Belfast 🥰.

Have a read: https://sharedlivesplus.org.uk/2026/03/17/shared-lives-creates-a-real-sense-of-belonging-social-work-student-chloe-reflects-on-placement-for-world-social-work-day/

For World Social Work Day, social work student Chloe Torrans shares what she learned during her Shared Lives placement.

During her time with the Families Matter Shared Lives service at Positive Futures, Chloe saw how Shared Lives supports people through relationships, everyday life and community connection.

She explains why the experience strengthened her confidence as a future social worker - and why more people in the profession should know about Shared Lives.

“Seeing Shared Lives in practice showed me that it is built around community, inclusion, and a real sense of family and belonging.”

Read Chloe’s reflections.

https://sharedlivesplus.org.uk/2026/03/17/shared-lives-creates-a-real-sense-of-belonging-social-work-student-chloe-reflects-on-placement-for-world-social-work-day/

16/03/2026

Be part of what’s next in Belfast supported living 🌱

As we prepare to welcome someone new to our Ormiston Supported Living Service, we’re strengthening leadership across the team.

We’re recruiting Specialist Senior Support Workers to help shape this next chapter:

☀️ Day shift roles leading the team and supporting practice on shift:
https://pulse.ly/qem8b15z4j

🌙 Waking night roles overseeing the service and maintaining a safe, well-run environment overnight:
https://pulse.ly/7iz4fzsvf5

In both roles, you’ll guide shifts, mentor colleagues, and model strong practice in supporting people with a learning disability, autism or brain injury.

Please note, this post has a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) and is open to male applicants only.

If you want to join a service that’s evolving, and play a key role in building it well, we’d like to hear from you.

15/03/2026

The young people, supported by our Lakeland Family Support Service have been busy decorating cupcakes and making cards for all their Mums. Thanks to Deliciously Eatable for coming in to help our kids decorate their cupcakes. Happy Mother's Day to all those mums out there - you are doing a great job.

13/03/2026

Graham and others from our Windermere Supported Living Service in Co Antrim enjoyed seeing 'Give My Head Peace' in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. Here is Graham pictured with Tim McGarry, one of the stars.

11/03/2026

Somethings coming…

Thank you to minister Mike Nesbitt for visiting Annagh Social Farm CIC, in Co. Fermanagh, an exciting new project we are working on with Jennifer and Simon.

This partnership is about creating an environment for people with a learning disability to call home and exploring new ways to enable them to thrive with the support of Positive Futures.

Watch this space!