Douglas is 18 years old and lives in Milngavie with his family. Douglas has autism, learning difficulty, and ADHD and his family support him to do the activities he loves, like hill walking.
Taking part in activities like walking and cycling make Douglas feel happy, less stressed and can be of great help during challenging times.
Douglas’ family applied to the Transition Fund when he was 16 after finding out about the Fund during lockdown.
They applied online and said: “It was fairly straightforward. We were applying for camping equipment.
"The hardest part really was deciding what we were going to spend the money on. The main thing was a very lightweight tent that could be taken up into the hills. They were very helpful and it was just really that we needed to be reassured that we were doing the right thing.”
This new camping gear enabled Douglas and his brother Kenneth to do more outdoor activities in the summer, like climbing a Munro – Ben Lawers by Loch Tay.
They went with a big group and Douglas had an amazing time soaking up the outdoors with Kenneth and his friends.
The Transition Fund has allowed him to continue pursuing these passions with the right equipment by his side.
Douglas’ mum, Catriona, offers this advice to anyone thinking of applying: “Think about the young person and think about what they like to do, the staff are very helpful. The work the ILF Transition Fund do is just so valuable, it can make such a difference to a young person's life and it has to Douglas.”
Feeling inspired by Douglas’s story? If you are a young disabled person aged 16-25 and living in Scotland, you too could benefit from the Transition Fund.
Simply fill out an application form to tell us about your goal and how the Transition Fund can help you.
Learn more about how to apply for the Transition Fund here.
Written in November 2022.
