Paul’s life story interview

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What is the weirdest food you have ever tried?

PAUL: That’s a hard one.

SM(Claire): What do you think?

PAUL: Fish.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): First. What is your favourite artist or band?

PAUL: Pink Floyd.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): If you eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

PAUL: Fish and Chips.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Good. If you win the lottery, what’s the first thing you would do?

PAUL: Get my own place?

INTERVIEWER: Nice. If your house was on fire, what item would you save?

PAUL: My skates

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): If you could have any superpower, what would it be? And how would you use it?

PAUL: I can’t think…

SM(Claire): You can’t think? What would you like to do? What do you like to be strong or faster? Anything?

PAUL: Fast.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What’s your ‘go-to’ karaoke song?

PAUL: ‘We Will Rock You’ by Queen

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Nice. What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

PAUL: Water skis.

SM(Claire): What did you say?

PAUL: Water skis.

SM(Claire): Water skis?

PAUL: Yeah.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): If you were an animal, which one would you be?

PAUL: A duck.

SM(Claire): A duck.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What is your favourite TV show?

PAUL: I’ve got quite a few.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): OK.

SM(Claire): What’s your best one would you say?

PAUL: I like watching cricket.

SM(Claire): Yeah, what- Anything else? What about your one that you got in your room, your picture of her?

PAUL: Mrs Brown.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Nice. What is your favourite film?

PAUL: I’ve got lots of favourite films.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Nice. So, best birthday present you ever had?

PAUL: Think it’s seeing Mrs Brown.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): And you, if you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? And why?

PAUL: Somewhere hot.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What is your favourite colour?

PAUL: Blue.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Who supports you in your daily life?

PAUL: Different people.

SM(Claire): Different people?

PAUL: Yeah.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Can you tell me about someone who’s made a big difference in your life?  

PAUL: United Response. 

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): When have you felt very supported or understood?

PAUL: When I’m talking to people like you.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Are you part of any clubs or groups?

PAUL: I’m part of the choir.

SM(Claire): Choir on a Thursday, don’t you?

PAUL: Yeah. But I didn’t always have someone to go with.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What do you enjoy the most of being part of them?

PAUL: I just like meeting different people.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Have you made any good friends there?

PAUL: Yeah. Yeah.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): How has United Response or other organisations supported you?

PAUL: I’ve been supported by another organisation.

SM(Claire): How was that?

PAUL: That was alright.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Can you describe a time they helped you with something important?

PAUL:  I don’t know…

SM(Claire): Hard one…

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): When did you first find out about your disability?

PAUL: I went onto the website.

SM: You went onto a website?

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): Do you remember how old you were?

PAUL: When – I had it since I was born.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): How did you feel when you learned about it?

PAUL: I felt worried.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): How has it affected your life day to day?

PAUL: Some days, I’m in a lot of pain with it.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Can you tell me about your big, life changing moment?

PAUL: That’s a difficult one. When I came to United Response.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Was there a time that changed how you see yourself?

SM(Claire): So, what happened, Paul, that you think something could’ve changed for you as to how your confidence for example has grown?

PAUL: I’m meeting more people.

SM(Claire): Yeah? Meeting more people?

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): Yeah?

PAUL: Yeah.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What do you love doing?

PAUL: I like going out a lot.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What are you really good at?

PAUL: Cooking.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): How does it feel when you do something well.

PAUL: It makes me feel proud of myself.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Do you like sports, music, crafts or travel?

PAUL: Sports.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Is there’s something new you’d like to try?

PAUL: I would like to get my own place.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Favourite sport?

PAUL: Darts.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Favourite darts player, and why?

PAUL: Luke Littler.

SM(Claire): And why do you like him?

PAUL: Because he’s young.

SM(Claire): He’s young?

PAUL: Yeah.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What’s been one of the hardest things in your life?

PAUL: Going into the hospital.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): How did you get through it?

PAUL: That’s a hard one.

SM(Claire): You had staff to see you, didn’t you?

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Who helped you during that time?

PAUL: Staff

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): How do you think people see disability?

PAUL: Some people don’t recognise disability.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): How did you feel about it?

PAUL: People should be more vigilant.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Have you ever faced unfair treatment or judgment?

PAUL: I don’t know.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What are you most proud of in your life?

PAUL: I live from day-to-day.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Is there something you’ve achieved that surprised others?

PAUL: Do you think of something?

SM(Claire): I think there is a really big achievement that surprises people. What happened about a year ago?

PAUL: I’m managing my own finances.

SW: You’re doing really well at that, aren’t you?

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): You didn’t think you’d be able to do it, but you only have a little bit of support to do it and you’ve done it really well.

PAUL: Yeah. And I want to keep doing that.

SM(Claire): Yeah.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): How have you changed over time?

PAUL: I’ve changed a lot over time.

SM(Claire): Yeah, what’s the biggest things, do you think?

PAUL: Doing my finances?

SM(Claire): Yeah, and also feeling more…

PAUL: In control.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What have you learned about yourself?

PAUL: That’s a hard one.

SM(Claire): That you can do basically what things that you want to do, isn’t it as well?

PAUL: Yeah.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Is there something you used to struggle with that’s easier now?

PAUL: I can’t think.

SM(Claire): Anything that you found hard, but you’re finding it a bit better now?

PAUL: Finances.

SW: Yeah.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What do you want to do in the future?

PAUL: I would like to get my own place.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Are there any goals or dreams you’re working towards?

PAUL: I don’t know. Saving for my own place.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What would your dream home look like?

PAUL: I’d have pictures all over the walls of where I’ve been.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What advice would you give someone going through something similar to you?

PAUL: I would say work at it.

SM(Claire): Work at it?

PAUL: Yeah.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): What’s something you wish you’d known earlier in life?

PAUL: My disability. I used to live in my own place. I liked it a lot, but there were days where I was left on my own for 24 hours without food or drink.

SM(Claire): And Paul, he had support, didn’t you? So, you were in that bungalow with – you had sort of like workers coming in to support Paul. And unfortunately, it wasn’t the best experience that you received, was it? No, and then we came out, Paul was one of the first people that we assessed to live in Dallas Street. And it was almost six years ago now, wasn’t it, Paul?

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): And he was really, really worried about coming and it was quite a hard and difficult decision that you made, wasn’t it?

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): But I think, correct me if I’m wrong, but obviously it was one of the best decisions that you’ve made.

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): Because you’ve got on very well and you’ve done really well, haven’t you?

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): He’s been on quite a few holidays.

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): And you love your trips out.

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): And you try to be as independent as you possibly can, don’t you?

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): And you’ve also had some knockbacks like you had some hospital stays.

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): But then you pulled yourself through it.

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): And you’ve turned a corner, haven’t you?

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): And you’ve made lots and lots of achievements.

PAUL: Yeah.

SM(Claire): So, I’m proud of everything that Paul’s done. And I know you are yourself, aren’t you, Paul?

PAUL: Yeah.

INTERVIEWER(LEWIS): Is there anything else you would like to say about yourself?

PAUL: I want to live to 100.

SM(Claire): You want to live till you’re 100?

PAUL: Yeah.