Matthew’s Journey from day centre to community connections
For nearly 15 years, Matthew attended the ECL Basildon Day Centre three days a week. A familiar and well-settled member of the centre, Matthew, who has autism, could express himself verbally, but his spontaneous conversation was limited.
What truly animated him was art—particularly drawing comic book and superhero characters. With extensive knowledge of his favourite figures, he came to life when discussing them. With the support of his keyworker, Charlotte, Matthew even created his own comic book. However, outside of his artwork, his interests remained narrow, and he was reluctant to engage in other activities.
The day centre team recognised the depth of Matthew’s passion and believed it could be harnessed to help him broaden his experiences, build confidence, and connect with others beyond the centre. This led Amy Butler, Learning Disability Manager at ECL Basildon, to refer Matthew to ECL’s Community Connecting team, a service designed to help individuals find meaningful opportunities within their communities.
Community Connector Jack Taylor began researching suitable groups for Matthew and quickly identified The Art Ministry, a long-established charity in Hadleigh that offers weekly art and craft sessions. The Art Ministry supports individuals with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, visual impairments, and mental health conditions, providing creative opportunities that reduce social isolation and promote wellbeing.
Jack met Matthew and his mother to complete a community profile, a person-centred assessment that provides a detailed overview of an individual's skills, abilities, interests, and preferences to help them find suitable opportunities in the community. Jack mentioned The Art Ministry during their conversation and both Matthew and his mum instantly felt like it would be a perfect fit.
Jack arranged for Matthew to attend a trial session and accompanied him and his mother to the first few visits. At first, Matthew was hesitant, keeping close to his mum and Jack and preferring to draw his beloved Star Wars characters rather than join the planned activities. The volunteers were patient and flexible, allowing him the time and space to feel comfortable. Gradually, Matthew’s curiosity grew. The variety of creative materials and themes encouraged him to participate more fully, and over the following months, he began engaging not only with the activities but also with the other participants.
After just four sessions, Jack was able to step back, leaving Matthew to attend independently with only his mum accompanying him on public transport.
The impact of this new experience has been clear to everyone involved. Matthew’s communication skills have developed significantly. Jack observed, “When I first met Matthew, he said very little, often making noises or humming. Now he’s using full sentences and has a wider vocabulary.”
At the day centre, staff also noticed a positive change. Amy Butler remarked, “Matthew now comes into the centre happier and much more talkative, eager to share his artwork from the last session at The Art Ministry.”
Allan Webb, Chair and Treasurer of The Art Ministry, praised Matthew’s growth, “Matthew has really come out of his shell. He remembers everyone’s name, introduces himself to new people, and takes great pride in showing his creations. In my nearly 20 years at The Art Ministry, he is the best example of what taking part in creative activities can achieve.”
Matthew’s progress culminated in his artwork being showcased at The Art Ministry’s annual exhibition, held at Hadleigh Fire Station. His display, titled ‘Difference Makes You Beautiful’, was a source of great pride for him and his family.
Matthew’s speech and language have improved. He’s talking more, telling us about the things he is doing. His social skills are better, and he seems so much more confident.
Carol, Matthew's mum
He now attends The Art Ministry once a week, reducing his days at the day centre from three to two. For Amy and the ECL team, this represents the best possible outcome:
“There is no greater reward than seeing our customers develop beyond the safety net of the day centre and engage in real, community-based activities. That transition is made possible by our Community Connecting team, who support individuals through what might otherwise feel like a daunting step.”
Carol wholeheartedly agrees, “Jack from the Community Connecting team was very informative, supportive, and engaged well with Matthew. He accompanied Matthew several times and made sure he was comfortable before stepping back. I would absolutely recommend Community Connectors to others. Matthew has been at the day centre for a long time, and it’s wonderful that he now has another place where he is happy and meeting new people.”
Matthew’s journey reflects the difference community-based opportunities can make. By engaging in creativity within a supportive environment, he has improved his skills, gained confidence, and formed meaningful social connections.