About Us
Living Options Devon is a well respected user-led organisation which works to ensure that people with disabilities and Deaf people can live the life they choose.
Set up in 1990 LOD is now a registered charity (Charity N0. 1102489) and a company limited by guarantee (No. 4925281). Based in Exeter and Barnstaple, our charitable aims have been amended so that we can offer services across the South West and to enable us to share good practice throughout the UK.
Being led and run by people with disabilities and Deaf people ensures LOD has first hand knowledge and understanding of the issues facing service users and so is very well placed to increase the influence and voice of Deaf and disabled people. We do this by providing education, training and services which enable people to live the lives they choose.
Our Vision
People with disabilities and Deaf people have the same life chances and opportunities to be active and equal members of society.
The 2010 Equality Act generally defines a disabled person as "Someone who has a mental or physical impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities" This includes people with a learning disability, visual and hearing impairment, people with mental health illness, people with mental health issues, people with dementia and those with a terminal illness.
Persons who are self-identified as belonging to the Deaf community use British Sign Language as their first or preferred language
Our values underpin everything that we do. They have not changed since 1990 and shape our behaviour both as an organisation and as people working with and for Living Options Devon.
We believe in a fully accessible society where all people can enjoy freedom of choice and equality of opportunity.
We are user-led in all we do, enabling people with disabilities and Deaf people to influence and manage our full range of service and projects.
We believe we deliver the highest standards of service to all the people with whom we work.
We operate a culture of open communication, empowerment and development, where individual abilities are respected and people are encouraged to achieve their full potential.
Click here to see some examples of recent work we are particularly proud of.