Meet Natalie—a dedicated Community Development Officer with a passion for helping people with learning disabilities live more fulfilling lives. While she had years of experience, Natalie often felt there was more she could do to truly understand and support the people drawing on her support, especially people whose needs are more complex to meet.
“I wanted to go beyond reacting to behaviour—I wanted to understand it, and respond in a way that really made a difference.”
That’s when Natalie discovered the opportunity to apply for funding to complete a Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) qualification. With encouragement from her manager and a strong desire to grow, she applied—and was thrilled to be accepted.
Learning That Changed Everything
From the very first module, Natalie felt empowered. The course gave her a new lens through which to view behaviour—not as a challenge to manage, but as a form of communication.
“It completely changed how I see things. I started asking, ‘What is this person trying to tell me?’ instead of just focusing on the behaviour itself.”
Natalie has admitted that previously she would have felt wary or stressed about trying to include people labelled as having ‘behaviours of concern’ in activities, but now she feels confident to understand and meet people’s needs better and create a capable environment for them to succeed.
Putting Knowledge into Practice
Natalie didn’t wait until the course was over to start applying what she learned. She began using PBS strategies in her daily work, with powerful results:
– Building stronger relationships: Natalie used her new skills to foster trust and communication. She introduced visual aids, sensory tools, and structured routines that helped individuals feel more secure and understood.
– Creating personalised support plans: Natalie worked closely with individuals and their families to understand their needs, preferences, and triggers. She developed tailored plans that focused on prevention and positive reinforcement.
– Making person-centred changes to activities to overcome barriers to participation. Sometimes these have been quite simple eg enabling one person to start bowling when they arrive not asking them to wait for everyone to arrive.
– Reducing restrictive practices: By identifying the root causes of distress, Natalie helped reduce the need for reactive interventions. One individual who previously struggled with frequent outbursts began engaging more calmly and confidently in daily activities.
“One of the people I support used to get really anxious during transitions. Using what I learned, I created a visual schedule and introduced it gradually. Now, they feel more in control—and the anxiety has dropped dramatically.”
A Ripple Effect
The impact of Natalie’s learning didn’t stop with her. She began sharing her knowledge with colleagues, offering informal training sessions and mentoring new staff.
“As a result of supporting other to develop and follow PBS plans I have seen changes for people so they are now happier, their wellbeing has improved and their enjoyment of life has increased.”
“We overcame a lot of barriers to support one man to attend a music session. You could tell how happy he was from his appearance and one of the staff who supported him to attend emailed afterwards saying that it was ‘such a positive experience, we’ve never done anything like that before’. The staff team have also tried a local sensory room they didn’t know existed and are changing their attitudes towards what is possible as a result of Natalie’s support.”
Gratitude and Growth
Natalie credits the funding with opening doors she never thought possible.
“Without the funding, I wouldn’t have been able to do this. It’s not just a qualification—it’s a whole new way of working. I’m so grateful for the opportunity.”
Inspired by Natalie’s Story?
If you’re passionate about making a difference and want to grow your skills in Positive Behaviour Support, funding opportunities may be available to help you take the next step.