What Matters to Me Online Launch Event

Following the Challenging Behaviour Foundation’s presentations at the 2024 Community Conference we are pleased to share this opportunity to hear their key findings from their What Matters to Me Project.

 

This initiative involved engaging with young people with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities to influence policy and shape support and services.

The event will be an interactive session, sharing the project multi-media manifesto including a practical toolkit, giving attendees a chance to reflect on their own organisations practice, hearing from those involved in What Matters to Me and bringing together other good practice examples.

Places are limited, so book your free ticket here:

What Matters to Me Online Launch Tickets, Thu, Mar 27, 2025 at 9:30 AM | Eventbrite’

Reducing self injury through education in KSS *content warning*

The community is pleased to be able to share some published work by regular contributors and Surrey-based Learning Disability Nurse Carla Withers. 

The paper tells the story of a man with a history of self-injury during masturbation, and how the Community team for people with learning disabilities undertook assessments and education sessions to support him to masturbate safely. 

If you want to read more the paper is published in the Nursing Times and can be found by clicking on the link below.

 Safe masturbation: educating a man with learning disabilities | Nursing Times 

Kent and Medway Learning Disability Strategy 2024

The Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board will be holding a number of online meetings to help shape the strategy for people with learning disabilities and autistic people in the county. 

These events have been developed with local people to be accessible and inclusive to all.

Places can be booked by emailing makingadifference@kent.gov.uk by Tuesday 1 October 2024 

Two dates are available to book:-

Date:

Thursday 9 October 2024           

Time:

10.30am – 12pm

Location:

Virtual meeting on Zoom  

 

 

Date:

Tuesday 15 October 2024                

Time:

2pm – 3:30pm

Location:

Virtual meeting on Zoom  

For more details please click here.

New employment opportunity with Bemix

A new opportunity has arisen to support the development of leaders in Kent and Medway for the delivery of the Oliver McGowan Training.

Bemix, along with partners, Kent Autistic Trust, Aucademy and Canterbury Christ Church University have recently been awarded the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board contract to deliver the Oliver McGowan Training for the next two years. As a result they are looking to grow their team to support trainers with lived experience and facilitators.

To find out more click through to the Bemix website at https://www.bemix.org/outreach-and-support-lead-learning-disability-and-autism

Oliver McGowan Photosymbol

Further opportunities will be shared in the coming months for people with learning disabilities, autistic people and training facilitators to become NHS England approved Oliver McGowan Trainers and part of the cascade of training in Kent and Medway.

Community of Practice Annual Conference 2024

The Community’s Steering Group is pleased to announce this year’s annual conference will take place on 4th December at Canterbury Christ Church University’s Medway campus.

We plan to share a flyer and call for abstracts/contributions in September, in the meantime please block the day out in your diary.Canterbury Christchurch Medway Campus Rowan Willams Court