Me first: Conversations about Transition
Before taking part in our Conversations about Transition training you must have completed our Fundamentals training. Sign up via our website www.mefirst.org.uk or email info@mefirst.org for more information.
Background:
As young people grow up and explore and experience new and different aspects of their lives, they start to take on more responsibility and independence. How and when this happens varies and for young people with disabilities there is an added complexity to what they need to be responsible for alongside the day to day realities of adolescence.
There can be many challenges for young people in developing life skills required to navigate through this time. It can also be challenging for parents and professionals to know how and when to support this, particularly when there is little extra time or money available and, at times, no adult services available to provide ongoing care.
No matter how few resources are available, young people will at some point benefit from taking on more responsibility. As professionals we can provide invaluable support for children, young people and their carers to journey through this complex and challenging time and we have a pivotal role in encouraging their involvement in choices and decisions. When managed well we can improve the experiences of young people and their families and also potentially save time by minimising problems that can occur if transition is mismanaged.
Me first training is interactive, practical and includes real-life scenarios. The voice of the child and young person is embedded throughout the training and we co-train alongside a young trainer with lived experience of care. Our modules are co-developed with children, young people and healthcare staff. The combination of professional experience, child and young person experience and evidence based practice ensures that the training remains relevant, useful and up to date.
Course description:
This Me first training course provides the opportunity to learn about how to have conversations with young people about growing up and transition. We support staff to prepare young people and parents for changes in services, particularly when reaching 16 years of age when legal and financial changes occur. Helpful life skills can be developed such as preparing young people to speak to professionals on their own, understanding rights and confidentiality and learning about what their services offer.
This course takes advantage of a multi professional environment to help participants build on their existing skills. We take time to reflect on young peoples’ experiences of transition and growing up to support the practical aspect of how to open up these conversations. This evidence-based training offers practical resources that bridge the gap between the theory of child and young people centred communication and what happens in practice. Training is interactive, practical and includes real-life scenarios. The voice of the child and young person is embedded throughout the training and we co-train alongside a young trainer with lived experience of care.
This training will take place over zoom. We will include breaks between interactive sessions to optimise the learner experience
