Jack's Story
Jack is a customer at our Oakview Learning Disability Service in Hertfordshire and thanks to his passion for DJing, he can often be found at Look Ahead’s customer events spinning his decks.
I moved in to Oakview four years ago, just after college and I’ve loved living in the service. They’ve supported me in so many ways to become more independent. I used to be more reliant on the staff, but I’ve improved step by step and I feel ready to move on to a more independent placement quite soon.
The support workers don’t put too much pressure on me here, we agree on my development goals, and then work on them together, which is fantastic. I can do most of the things I need to do by myself now. So I think it’s going quite well.
I live in a nice flat and I keep it clean and tidy. My support workers also show me how to manage my money, help me with shopping, and teach me how to cook for myself. I love cooking chicken with my air fryer and making pasta with vegetables.
I’ve got paid work now as well, working at my local café. I have a lot of fun serving people there, and I work at a record store twice a week too. I enjoy being at the record store because music is my passion. I’ve actually been DJing since I was 16 years old.
Through Look Ahead I get the chance to perform at lots of events. I DJ at other customers’ birthdays at Oakview, as well as our Christmas and Halloween parties. In June this year I even got to spin tracks at Look Ahead’s big 50th Anniversary Celebration Event as well the annual customer celebration.
My goal is to be a professional DJ, and my support workers have been helping to find gigs at local pubs. I’ve even got my own business cards made. My other goals for the future are to live more independently and to move in with my fiancée. I’m nearly there. I just can’t wait.
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