What does the program do?
The Australian Supported Learning Program (ASLP): Me and My Community aims to assist mothers with learning difficulties to identify their own learning needs and aspirations, and help them create learning opportunities and connect with resources available in their local communities.

Who is it for?
Mothers with learning difficulties with children under school age.

Who runs the program?
ASLP: Me and My Community can be run by any experienced group work facilitator committed to strengths-based family support.

How is the program run?
Weekly mothers' group sessions within the facilitators' organisation, and individual sessions between facilitator and mother.

How long does the program take?
ASLP: Me and My Community usually takes approximately three months to complete. However, as the program is based on the learning goals of each group of mothers, the duration is flexible and dependant on these goals.

About the program

Who developed this program?
ASLP: Me and My Community is based on the Supported Learning Project (SLP) originally developed by Tim Booth and Wendy Booth in the United Kingdom. The Australian adaptation of the SLP has been funded by the Australian Government under the Early Childhood - Invest to Grow components of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy.

Why was this program developed?
ASLP: Me and My Community was developed to support mothers with learning difficulties access learning opportunities and to develop community connections.

What does the program cover?
ASLP: Me and My Community has two foci. The first is the establishment of a mothers' group where group learning goals are identified and worked toward. The second focus is on individual learning goals. Both foci are aimed at increasing the mothers' ability to access learning opportunities in their local communities.

Does it work?
Empirical results from the UK SLP have shown positive results for the mothers involved through new learning that bolstered confidence and mothers reported feeling better about themselves after being involved in the SLP.

ASLP: Me and My Community underwent a multi-site pilot during 2005-2007 in NSW and Victoria. A total of 32 mothers with a learning difficulty completed the program, with reported improvements in their psychological wellbeing and social relationships. The majority of mothers partially or fully achieved their goals of participating more in community life.

The results of this pilot have been recently published in the British Journal of Learning Difficulties: McConnell, D., Llewellyn, G., Dalziel, A., Laidlaw, K., & Hindmarsh, G. (2009). Strengthening the social relationships of mothers with learning difficulties. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 37(1) 66-75. 

How can I access this program? 
Reference copies of ASLP: Me and My Community have been distributed to all Healthy Start Learning Hubs across Australia. Practitioners may contact their local Learning Hub Convenor to view a copy of the resource prior to purchase.

ASLP: Me and My Community is now available for purchase (cost-recovery) through the Australian Family and Disability Studies Research Collaboration.

What materials are provided?
Participants receive an ASLP: Me and My Community scrapbook including user friendly worksheets. Practitioners receive an ASLP: Me and My Community Facilitators Guide which includes current best practice information and copies of the participant worksheets.