Who we are...
a-2-e staff have expertise in health and social care, leadership and management, housing, brokerage, education, caring, bespoke training and advocacy.
We are based in Nottinghamshire - Robin Hood country, and we work across the UK, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. Allegedly we have been spotted deep in the forest in lincoln green, dodging from tree to tree in ever new attempts to recover our costs......it's one way to survive in difficult times.
The team...
Director:
Julie Thorpe
Training and Development Manager:
Teresa Randon
Training Team:
Patricia Harland, Sheila Gilson, Marie O'Sullivan, Marian Crawford, Liz Bonner
Expert by Experience Team:
We have a team of experts who have experience of using or caring for someone who uses services regualted by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Achieving Best Evidence Team: Mark Headley, Sharon Walker
We have a range of partners who join our team on specific projects according to their field of expertise and talents. They are all champions for engagement.
We provide bespoke work experience opportunities tailored to individual need, giving people a chance to learn new skills or get back into the workplace.
We use local services where we can so that money is recycled into the local economy, for example, hiring venues from scout and guide associations, village halls, using local community transport schemes, catering groups that provide work for people with learning disabiities.
We work alongside carers, people who use services, and service providers.
a-2-e was started by Julie Thorpe, a service manager and a carer for over 20 years.
"I found it amazing that when I was working as a service manager people listened to me and gave me respect, and yet the next day in my role as mum I would often be treated as though I knew nothing and wasn't to be trusted with information even though decisions had a real impact on my life and my family's life.
I met other parents who felt the same. We had a lot of understanding of what works and what doesn't work for people but our skills knowledge and practical experience was often disregarded. In 2005 I decided to risk all and set up a-2-e to develop a range of flexible, innovative services that equally valued the views of people who use services, carers and professionals."
Some partners and projects we have delivered
Nottinghamshire County Council - approved provider of Adult and Community Learning Service Courses - from 2005 - over 1700 enrolments to date
Care Quality Commission / Choice Support - provding Experts by Experience to support CQC inspections and other work by the CQC since 2016
Lancashire and Nottinghamshire Police Crime Training Units - Achieving Best Evidence Training, vulnerable witnesses 2005 and ongoing
NHS England - Expert by Experience involvement in Care, Education and Treatment Reviews (CETR)
Mansfield & Ashfield CCG, Newark and Sherwood CCG and Sherwood Forest Hospital Trust - support 'health champs' with learning disabilities to consult others about their experiences of health care
Pegasus School - staff training to enable staff to better hear and respond to the 'voice' of children with complex needs or behavioour that can be seen as challenging
Housing Options - advice and guidance on consultation with adults with learning disabilities in Nottinghamshire 2010
Nottinghamshire County Council - Critical Friend to Campus Reprovision 2008
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Advocacy Alliance - Training of Advocates 2006
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust - Service User Ivolvement Benchmarking, 2005
Framework - Staff Development Training
Nottinghamshire Mental Health Partnership - consultation events
Disability Nottinghamshire - Staff Development Training
Reed International - advice on the engagement of hard to reach job seekers
Individuals - advocacy, brokerage, support planning and management, cv development, preparation for job interviews