One page profiles

Including things that are important TO others in the person’s life, but are not important TO the person.

• Family, friends, and supporters all might have ideas of things they want for the person. One-page profiles focus on the person’s perspective. We want to avoid assuming that things that are important to others are also important to the person. Take the time to understand the person’s perspective. What is most important to them?

Using short, cryptic phrases.

• One page profiles give a positive introduction to the person. We want to give the reader great information and avoid them making assumptions or misinterpreting what is written. For example, ‘privacy’ may be listed as important to the person. Without saying what this means to the person, others might apply their own experiences.

Including ‘the basics’

• Everyone needs food, shelter, and clothing. We don’t need to include this on a one page profile, unless this is especially important from the person’s perspective. Someone who has lived in an unsafe situation may want their profile to say that they must not live with people who hurt others. Someone who has never lived in such a situation will take that as a given.

Credit to Helen Sanderson Associates for this list of common one page profile mistakes.