We deliver 1:1 support and advocacy for the neurodiverse community, those disabled by neurological conditions or employment difficulties.
We are community partners with Teesside University to enable lived experience seminars as a learning tool for the NHS professional of the future.
To this, we are co-authors with a senior lecturer, Dr Stephanie Kilinc of a self-management framework (Published Disability and Rehabilitation 2021)and subsequent My Life Tool self-managment programme evaluated for NIHR.
We deliver pan-neuro and neurodiverse adults peer support and contribute to a range of regional networks and Forums to improve NHS and mental health service awareness and delivery.
We offer our 'Open Door' series of lived experience narratives as learning tools to students at Teesside, Sunderland and Durham Universities, published to the Integrated Care System Mental Health website whilst our Neurodevelopmental resource is used by the Virtual School for adoption and fostering services and the Criminal Justice network out of Bristol University.
Since inception in 2006, we have created a network of over 1,000 professionals, community members, beneficiaries to improve communication and knowledge. The neurological client group is one of the most marginalised NHS groups and there has been no tenable improvement to care pathways in over a decade. We have seen a 50% increase in demand since Covid lockdown, increased access to face-to-face and What's App peer support and are an accredited Disabled People's Organisation. Owing to waiting lists and difficulties people experience, we are witnessing more people sliding into early disability but subject to pre-conceived assumptions in welfare benefit systems. Our collaborative methods enable cases of lived experience to be sent to to the Disability Unit under the auspices of Cabinet Office. We leave no stone unturned to improve outcomes for peopel with a neurological disability.
Pivotal to our work and governance is an acceptance that our values, centred on those for counselling including beneficience and non-maleficence
lead our approach and work delivery. Respect for individuals is our guarantee plus excellent listening skills that can translate requests into actions.
Owing to the constraints of managing current demand we are looking for help for three projects;
a) We need help to bring our website up-to-date, new QR/donation code, upload docs and add news.
b) We would like to engage with a psychology and media/film student, likely 3rd year or graduate programme to design an interview with a beneficiary as a learning tool to be filmed and up-loaded to YouTube.
c) We need a short term commitment to transcribe an important document into word, we only have a PDF and need to review regulalry and add signatures. We were hacked 18 months ago and our documents were stolen to extort money. The Charity lead has chronic osteoarthritis in her hands and this is the last document to replace.
Lived experience has led our work since 2006, long before they became a buzz words.
We deliver participatory research methods, we deliver learning tools in the spirit of shared commons, we deliver our impact from the ground floor up, not the other way round. Our sole focus is to improve the rights of the neuro-disabled community to live the best life that can be achieved.
Our Opportunities
We are looking for a volunteer to help bring our website up to date, new QR codes / donation codes, upload documents and add news items. Help needed to transcribe important documents into MS word. Admin tasks.