Gosport Voluntary Action has merged with Community First. Find out more about them here.
Gosport Voluntary Action has merged with Community First. Find out more about them here.
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17/06/2024
On Wednesday 5 June 2024 a record-breaking 88 people attended the Hants & IoW Social Prescribing Network’s (HSPN) Webinar – ‘Meeting the Needs of Neurodivergent People’.
After new and existing HSPN members & guests were welcomed, Tim Houghton, Community First’s Chief Executive, started by setting the scene about the increasing challenges facing the community & voluntary sector – whilst illustrating the value of VCSE support in terms of better health outcomes and reducing health inequalities. Tim highlighted the funding and volunteers support provided by CVS organisations – such as Community First and Gosport Voluntary Action – giving an update about the proposed merger of the latter two organisations on 1 October 2024.
Tim briefly discussed Volunteers’ Week Celebrations – 3-9 June 2024 and the NCVO Voluntary Sector Manifesto. Current funding opportunities include the Household Support Grant and HCC’s Local Solutions Grant. Tim concluded by explaining the value and importance of mobility via Community First’s Accessible Transport service. He also mentioned the training and events from NASP (National Academy for Social Prescribing).
Katie Board, Service Manager, Autism Hampshire began by demonstrating four key areas of support that Autism Hampshire provides. She explained about their free Information, Advice & Guidance service, external training and consultancy, university mentoring service and serendipity groups. Katie concluded by identifying how attendees could help Autism Hampshire.
Next, Zoë Beasley, Autism Partner Coordinator, Adults’ Health & Care, Hampshire County Council, began by explaining about the Hampshire Autism Partnership Board and the Hampshire All-age Autism Strategy. She then played a short explanatory YouTube video – ‘What is Neurodiversity?’. Zoë described Hampshire’s Autism Demography, Health & Care Inequalities, improving accessibility & inclusion, local support services and how to support? The presentation concluded by highlighting the range of resources, videos and additional information available.
Why Autism is a Difference, not a Deficit
Young people explain communication | Ambitious about Autism
Young people explain stimming | Ambitious about Autism
Young people explain meltdowns | Ambitious about Autism
Debbie Martin, Children Services Manager, Barnardo’s and Sam Churcher, Senior Parent Support Worker, Barnardo’s presented jointly about their Hampshire & IoW support for Neurodiverse families. Debbie began by detailing the background, impact and a service outline of Barnardo’s. Sam proceeded to describe the programmes:- Cygnet Autism Support, The Parent Factor in ADHD, the Nurturing Programme, Right from the Start, Talking Teens, Who’s in Charge? and support for parents. This concluded with an explanation of their referral pathway and some impact statements from those supported by Barnardo’s.
An engaged audience networked virtually, adding observations &/or questions via ‘Chat’.
The next Hants & IoW Social Prescribing Network Webinar will be held on Tuesday 8 October, 1.00-2.00pm.
Please contact Jane Bray – healthforums@cfirst.org.uk to register if you are not an HSPN member and would like to attend &/or be kept up-to-date.
You can find out more about Hants and IOW social prescribing Network by heading to our Social Prescribing Web Page
