About Sarah Robinson

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So far Sarah Robinson has created 29 blog entries.
31 05, 2017

Exactly what is it the frontline staff do that makes a difference?

By |2019-05-14T09:18:30+00:00May 31st, 2017|Categories: Blog|Tags: , |

Helen Gavaghan, Senior Engagement Worker at Inspiring Change Manchester (ICM), gives an inkling of some of the things workers do to support people to think about change. She says some ‘traditional’ approaches need challenging and staff freed up to be open about working with both their own and their client’s lived experience. She concludes by suggesting learning about what it is that staff are doing is collected and brought together as a tool-kit for other practitioners.

In the Fulfilling Lives (Multiple Needs) projects, when considering the learning that is being fed back overall, I feel there could be more detailed examination of what the frontline project workers do that makes a difference to people’s lives. I believe that there is some valuable learning that could be collected and shared […]

20 03, 2017

Individuals with lived experience to present at national conference in May

By |2019-05-14T10:29:11+00:00March 20th, 2017|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

The National Expert Citizen’s Group is a group of individuals with lived experience of homelessness, substance misuse, mental ill health and offending behaviour. The group is comprised of individuals from the 12 funded project areas for the Big Lottery Fund’s ‘Fulfilling Lives: Supporting people with multiple needs’. CFE Research facilitates the group. Members from the group have been accepted to run a workshop at the 2017 Multiple Needs summit in Milton Keynes. Sarah Robinson, the group’s facilitator (and research manager on the programme’s National Evaluation), will be supporting two group members to lead and present at their first national conference.

http://www.homeless.org.uk/events/tackling-multiple-disadvantage

8 02, 2017

Developing actions together: reflecting on a National Expert Citizens’ Group Workshop

By |2019-05-14T09:22:03+00:00February 8th, 2017|Categories: Blog|

Sarah Robinson (CFE) and Wayne Richmond and Nicola Plumb (Blackpool Fulfilling Lives) share their reflections on a National Expert Citizens’ Group Workshop

On Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th November 2016 CFE facilitated a two day workshop for the National Expert Citizens’ Group (NECG). The NECG is a group of individuals with lived experience of multiple needs; the group is formed by representatives from each of the 12 funded Fulfilling Lives project areas. The Monday was a training and planning day for the experts by experience. The day focused on training delegates to chair meetings/events and facilitate workshops at events. It was an opportunity to build the confidence and skills of the experts. The activities used to test their skills focused on deciding the direction of […]

1 07, 2016

Fulfilling Lives Annual Report Published (2016)

By |2019-05-14T10:42:32+00:00July 1st, 2016|Categories: News|

CFE Research, working in partnership with the University of Sheffield, have published their latest report on the evaluation of the Big Lottery Fund’s ‘Fulfilling Lives: Supporting people with multiple needs’ programme.

Supporting those who are chronically excluded and disadvantaged – experiencing homelessness, mental ill health, substance misuse and reoffending – is a challenge that needs a different approach. The £112 million initiative is funding 12 projects across England to provide more person-centred and co-ordinated support.

Latest findings from the evaluation show that projects have made a good start in reaching those with greatest need. But continued effort is needed to reach ‘hidden’ and harder to reach groups such as women with multiple needs and people from Black and minority ethnic communities.

The initiative still has six years to […]

11 05, 2016

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Complex Needs and Dual Diagnosis, is looking for examples of good practice

By |2019-05-14T10:36:33+00:00May 11th, 2016|Categories: News|

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Complex Needs and Dual Diagnosis, is looking for examples of good practice in working with people with co-existing substance misuse and mental health issues, to inform an online ‘library’ for policy makers, commissioners, providers, academics, experts by experience and others to reference.

For anyone who is interested in either providing a case study of good practice or contributing to this work in general, please do get in touch with us at appg@turning-point.co.uk<mailto:appg@turning-point.co.uk> with the attached form.

They are also planning on conducting a short survey to ascertain the current strengths, risks and opportunities facing services supporting people with multiple complex needs so please do look out for this in the next few weeks.

Sent […]

22 04, 2016

Home Office turns to National Expert Citizen Group for user experience in National Drug Strategy…..by Ben Royston

By |2019-05-14T09:07:49+00:00April 22nd, 2016|Categories: Blog|

I am part of the National Expert Citizens Group (NECG). This is a group which draws people from all twelve Fulfilling Lives areas together to learn and try to influence on issues which are important to us. We all bring our own skills and expertise but the one thing that we have in common is that we all have lived experience of multiple needs.

On Friday 29th January we came together in Stoke-on-Trent to meet with Home Office representatives and Public Health England. On the agenda: The National Drug Strategy Review due to be published in March 2016.
[…]

18 02, 2016

NECG reviews the Home Office’s National Drugs Strategy

By |2019-05-14T10:38:19+00:00February 18th, 2016|Categories: News|

On the 29th January, in Stoke on Trent, the National Expert Citizen’s Group of Fulfilling Lives were invited to review the National Drugs Strategy. The strategy focuses on three key themes: Reducing Demand, Restricting Supply and Building Recovery. The day focused on the third strand – Building Recovery. A member from the Home Office’s Drug Strategy Team provided an initial presentation to set the scene. The rest of the day focused on obtaining expert’s views and opinions, from their lived experience, on key aspects that are needed to inform the new strategy. The review was particularly interested in:

— Barriers to recovery
— How to reduce the stigma of substance misuse
— What works well in recovery – particularly around housing and employment

The day was recorded graphically and […]

27 01, 2016

Birmingham Experts by Experience: Message for 2016

By |2016-01-27T11:31:25+00:00January 27th, 2016|Categories: News|

Following the success of the Experts by Experience launch film in 2015, Birmingham Changing Futures Together decided it would be fitting to create a new film for 2016. This film features some new year’s resolutions, a variety of stories and successful journeys and recommendations for services for 2016.

Watch it here

Birmingham Changing Futures Together will continue to work with Experts by Experience to help improve services across Birmingham, and make the lives of their users more fulfilled.

They really hope you find it as rewarding to watch as they found it to make.

17 12, 2015

Reflecting on a year of learning….

By |2019-05-14T09:54:24+00:00December 17th, 2015|Categories: Blog|

It’s coming up to the end of the year so I thought I would take some time to reflect and take stock. I started my role in January excited. The pioneering nature of the Fulfilling Lives programme interested me but above all was the hope that lives would be transformed both during the life of the project and in a real on-going way into the future. The opportunity to take any part in this, however small, seemed both a privilege and a responsibility.
[…]

17 12, 2015

First edition of the PIElink newsletter

By |2015-12-17T09:17:16+00:00December 17th, 2015|Categories: News|

PIElink is a rapidly growing community of practice with the aim of connecting people involved with addressing the psychological and emotional issues that go with homelessness, particularly through the development of ‘psychologically informed environments’ – PIEs.

They have just released their first newsletter, follow this link to find it.

If you want to find out more about PIElink then got to their website to get involved. http://pielink.net/

12 11, 2015

WY-FI (West Yorkshire Finding Independence) One Year On Conference

By |2019-05-14T10:38:02+00:00November 12th, 2015|Categories: News|

The event marked the first year of the WY-FI project. The audience saw videos made by beneficiaries of the Wakefield Navigator Team, presentations about the team’s achievements and testimonies from partners in Wakefield. Out Of Character Theatre showcased some of the work they had been doing across West Yorkshire to help WY-FI users tell their own stories of recovery and resilience

Read more about it here

[…]

8 10, 2015

Definitions, disadvantage and domestic violence

By |2019-05-14T09:53:44+00:00October 8th, 2015|Categories: Blog|

‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.’
Romeo and Juliet (11, ii,1-2)

Shakespeare’s Juliet knew that Romeo’s surname did not take into account all the things she loved about him; he was more than his name. Yet, in order to make sense of our world, we continue to ascribe names and definitions to everything, perhaps forgetting that they can never truly encompass everything that something is.

[…]

7 10, 2015

Survivors Rights – End Violence Against Woman publishes new briefing

By |2019-05-14T10:47:51+00:00October 7th, 2015|Categories: News|

The End Violence Against Women Coalition has published a new Briefing Paper on the rights of women and girls to specialist support when they have suffered or are at risk of abuse, and has written to the Communities Secretary Greg Clark MP calling on the UK Government to act to make these rights a reality.

Read more about it here.

12 08, 2015

MEAM statement on review of support for benefit claimants with drug and alcohol problems

By |2019-05-14T10:50:11+00:00August 12th, 2015|Categories: News|

The Department for Work and Pensions has launched an independent review led by Dame Carol Black into the support available for benefit claimants with drug and alcohol problems. MEAM has responded to the call for evidence.

This review provides an opportunity to explore the range of challenges that people with substance issues face in moving towards employment, and explore how the current system could be improved to better respond to their needs.

While a great deal of the media coverage has focused on proposals to make benefits conditional on accepting an offer of treatment, this is one debate within a much wider set of issues and must not be addressed in isolation.

In responding to the review, the MEAM coalition charities – Clinks, Homeless Link and Mind – […]

1 07, 2015

Birmingham Changing Futures Together Officially Launched

By |2019-05-14T10:51:44+00:00July 1st, 2015|Categories: News|

Over 120 guests attended the official launch of the Birmingham Changing Futures Together project Friday 19th June. They were able to find out more about the achievements so far, aspirations for the future and how they could get more involved.

Birmingham also took the opportunity to capture views on how people think Services, Outcomes and Systems (SOS) for people with multiple needs can be improved across the city. For details of the event and an inspiring video by their Experts by Experience, click here.

4 06, 2015

Solutions from the Frontline

By |2019-05-14T10:46:44+00:00June 4th, 2015|Categories: News|

A new report, launched by Making Every Adult Matter (a coalition of Clinks, Homeless Link, and Mind) shows that people experiencing a combination of homelessness, substance misuse, offending, and mental health problems, are not getting the support they need because policymakers are not consistently listening to them or the practitioners that support them.

Solutions from the Frontline is based on the ideas and experiences of people with multiple needs. It sets out how the new Government, as well as national and local policymakers and commissioners, can act to reduce stigma, improve services, and support people to achieve their ambitions.

Read it here

 

20 05, 2015

Join the new research network on severe and multiple disadvantage

By |2015-05-20T09:58:48+00:00May 20th, 2015|Categories: News|

Important research on severe and multiple disadvantage (also labelled ‘multiple needs’, or ‘chronic exclusion’) is often confined to specific disciplines, or certain sectors. People with direct or ‘frontline’ experience rarely have a chance to shape this research, while inter-sector and interdisciplinary collaboration is rare.

Our hope is that this network will be a place where we can start to change this.

Our First Seminar

Our first seminar is Tuesday 30th June, 2.30-4.30pm, and we are pleased to host Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick, Heriot-Watt University and Di McNeish, DMSS Research & Consultancy. Suzanne is lead author on ‘Hard Edges’, the recent report mapping severe and multiple disadvantage, and an expert in homelessness and housing exclusion. Di is a leading researcher into factors causing and characterising women and girls’ experience of […]

6 05, 2015

Using lived experience to influence change

By |2019-05-14T10:00:19+00:00May 6th, 2015|Categories: Blog|

I am the Communications Lead for the National Expert Citizens Group and the Independent Futures (IF) Group in Bristol – we are the advisory group of people with lived experience of multiple and complex needs. We are equal partners for the Fulfilling Lives project, a Big Lottery funded initiative to see how we can help individuals who keep falling through the gaps in the system. It is evident that many who come under this category – who have experienced at least three out of the four problem areas; mental health, substance misuse, homelessness and offending behavior, are still bouncing from service to service not getting their real issues dealt with properly. Having had hard earned street level experience of accessing these services means that our […]

16 04, 2015

Simple Change for Troubled Lives – Five Actions to help people with Multiple and Complex Needs

By |2015-04-16T08:31:18+00:00April 16th, 2015|Categories: News|

Framework, the specialist charity and housing association, proposes five specific actions to bring effective help to people living troubled lives and those at risk of doing so. The aim is to secure cross-party agreement to win a better deal for people living troubled lives

These Five Actions are the key components for a national Troubled Lives Strategy:
• Support people using tried and tested solutions
•Amend the rules on access to health and social care
•Invest in specialist housing
•Make welfare work for people living troubled lives
•Join up policy where it impacts on troubled lives.

Follow the link to find out more http://fiveactions.org/

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