The difference we make
The impact of our innovation projects:
- Our Access to Volunteering project demonstrates how people with aphasia can contribute as local volunteers; five community organisations recruited people with aphasia as volunteers
- As a result of our Reaching Out project seven NHS Departments and Universities are running conversation partner schemes
- Over 100 formerly isolated people with aphasia have access to opportunities for meaningful conversations after our Conversation Outreach project
- The Arts Access project enabled four major London galleries and museums to learn how to be more accessible to people with aphasia, and to contribute to our new publication Access to the Arts
Net result?
- People with aphasia are less socially isolated and excluded
- People with aphasia are better able to access, participate in and enjoy their local communities
- Community organisations and public service providers are more able to open up opportunities for people with aphasia
The impact of our training:
- In 2005-06 we trained, discussed and demonstrated our work to over 1,100 health and social care providers across the UK and internationally
- 500 people attended training sessions on self management in stroke and aphasia in the Taking Control project
- We have trained 67 people as peer supporters, included as part of the Peer Support for People Living with Stroke project
- 500 course delegates were trained by people with aphasia
- We trained people with aphasia to co-facilitate groups and how to work as trainers, including as part of the Bristol Feedback project
- 40 people with aphasia regularly support Connect's training programme as trainers, in London, the South West and East Anglia
Net result?
- Greater skills and confidence amongst health and social care providers
- More people with aphasia genuinely involved in taking control of their own recovery, gaining skills and confidence in developing and delivering services and influencing change by helping to develop effective long-term services across the UK
The impact of our publications
- In 2005-06 we sold over 4,000 publications, including 1,200 copies of Better Conversations, which we developed collaboratively with relatives of people with aphasia
- In the last year we have published 4 new resources for people who work or live with people with aphasia
- We are working collaboratively with people with aphasia to develop a new resource – the Communication Access Toolkit – to help front-line service providers include and involve people with aphasia
Net result?
- More service providers, people with aphasia and their families are equipped with skills, tools and techniques that work in the real world
- A platform for better communication across the community to benefit everyone – with and without aphasia
The impact of our consultancy and collaboration
- This year we trained 90 tutors from the NHS Expert Patient Programme across the UK
We developed for them a set of communication ramps, a new training course and a training manual - We are working with the Stroke Strategy Unit in the Department of Health to develop national policy on services for people living with stroke and aphasia
- We are training civil servants in the Department of Health to be able to include and involve people with aphasia
- We designed a programme to provide comprehensive 'support after stroke' services for The Stroke Association
Net result?
- Key decision makers know about aphasia like never before and are including it in policy making
- Service providers to people with aphasia are transforming their services