Circles of Support
By Joanne Wilson
A circle of support is a group of people who agree to meet on a regular basis to assist the focus person to accomplish personal visions or goals. The members of a circle of support are usually friends, family members, co-workers, neighbours, congregation members and sometimes service providers. The majority of people in a circle of support are not paid to participate. They are involved because they care about the person and have made a commitment to work together to make the person's life better.
What Support Circles Do for Individuals:
- Support the person to find his/her voice
- Assist in planning for the future the person wants
- Help with decision making
- Work with the individual's service providers and monitor services received
- Monitor the individual's health
- Support community connections
- Stand ready to give support
- Support the person at family events
- Help the individual to manage his/her finances
- Spend time with the person assisted
- Help her/him find a job
- Advocate on their behalf
- Provide friendship
- Celebrate together
Circle Exercise
Download and print full page with Circle sample (PDF format, Acrobat Reader Required)
Imagine yourself in the centre of the circles on the page above. As you fill in the circles, remember that there is no right or wrong way. There is only a chance to represent your awareness of who is part of your life.
- Think of those closest to your heart; those you can hardly imagine living without. Identify them in the circle closest to you, the circle of intimacy.
- Think of those you count as true friends; those who hold an important part of your personal story; those you can call on and count on; those who can call on and count on you. Identify them in the circle of friendship.
- Think of those you meet - or have met - because you belong to a particular association, or work in a specific place, or live in a particular neighbourhood. You share some time or activity or interest. You might call or be called on for engagement in projects related to your shared association or interest or for information or for connections to others. Identify them in the circle of participation.
- Think of those you count on because they provide a paid service to you. Identify them in the circle of economic exchange.
Look at the display you have made and ask yourself:
- What is there to be grateful for in this web of relationships?
- Do any of the connections need the attention of a phone call or an invitation to share a meal?
- Are any connections strained by bad feeling and in need of reconciliation?
Now fill in another circle for someone you know has been labelled disabled:
- What are the differences?
- Where is the emptiness?
We know from experience that people with disabilities have full circles of exchange and usually filled circles of intimacy. This we also know is the picture of loneliness and isolation.
To understand more about the power of circles of support, read Toronto Star columnist Hellen Henderson's articles published on Friday August 22, 2003:
Power of Life and Death
Building circles is about necessity,
not social niceties
