ABSTRACT
This chapter presents Paul Alford's story. The social and environmental barriers Paul encountered represented a mountain he had to climb with the support of some important people and processes. The help he received to sign the contract for the property and obtain a loan from the credit union were the final steps in a long climb to the summit of the mountain. In Ireland, there are still over 3,000 people who live in institutions who want to be able to live their own life, in their own home. Institutional life has been described as a 'trap' that mindlessly imposes 'segregation and supervision on people who require accommodation and assistance'. A key turning point in Paul's journey was becoming involved with the anti-bullying group at Trinity College. Social isolation and segregation from the wider community creates a significant barrier for people wanting to move out of institutional life.
