New lunchtime sessions about Small Supports

The three bite-sized sessions will aim to explain some of the different aspects of Small Supports organisations, including sharing new research and thinking.

Topics cover:

• Important factors for finding and keeping great people who deliver fantastic support
• The local economic impact when Small Supports organisations are commissioned.
• The powerful insights gained from real life stories

Who should attend?

• Anyone already running or considering setting up a small supports organisation.
• Commissioners with a responsibility for mental health, autism and learning disabilities.
• Mental health practitioners working in this field.

More information and to register for individual sessions

• Thursday 21 September, 12noon-1pm: “Never giving up on anyone!” Staffing Small Supports organisations. Helen Bown, from NDTi, shares the themes and messages from a review of the “small supports workforce” looking at what national and organisational data reveals alongside conversations with staff working for three established small supports organisations. The aim of this work is to highlight important factors for finding and keeping staff delivering fantastic support that enables people to have a good life. We also wanted to find out if there are any differences between these approaches and those adopted by more traditional social care organisations. We’ll share the findings and together explore some of the major themes the work has revealed.
  
  
  
  
• Thursday 19 October, 12noon-1pm: “A Hole in My Bucket?” The local economic impact of Small Supports. Mike Richardson from NDTi shares learning from work to investigate the local economic impact of commissioners investing in small bespoke support organisations.
  
  
  
  
• Thursday 23 November, 12noon-1pm: “Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today.” Sam Smith, from Small Supports partner C-Change, shares experiences, stories and testimonies from people now being supported by Small Supports organisation.
  
  
  
  

What is Small Supports?

Small Supports are small, local, person-centred, organisations which follow common principles based on human rights, choice and control, size and community lives.

We know that for people with a learning disability and autistic people, being placed in large mental health settings, often miles away from family and friends doesn’t work.

Our aim is that through working in partnership we will see more local, community-based, small support organisations supporting people with complicated lives and providing the very individual support they need to flourish and live independently.

Read more about Small Supports.