Tees Better Future Fund awards grant to Cambridge charity, The Expert On Myself
We have completed the second funding round and are thrilled to announce that one of the three community projects to receive a Tees Better Future Fund grant is The Expert On Myself (TEOM) based in Cambridgeshire.
The Expert On Myself is a community interest company in Cambridgeshire that helps people speak and organisations listen. They create valuable opportunities for people to educate professionals about the issues that affect them. Their expertise is from personal experience and from many years of working with people.
Founded in 2021, The Expert on Myself helps organisations be more inclusive and socially aware, by listening to people about the issues that affect them.
The Tees Better Future Fund grant will help TEOM to plan and create a training programme for organisations wishing to improve their services for people with autism.
Lisette from TEOM commented:
“We are delighted to be able to use this funding from Tees Better Future Fund to help organisations better meet the needs of local autistic people. We have already had enquiries from autistic people wanting to get involved in the project, and from organisations who are keen to have training from autism experts.
The TEOM team are excited to be working on this project and looking forward to meeting lots of new people.”
Janine Collier, Co-Chair of Tees Better Future Fund said:
“The inspiring vision of The Expert On Myself for the 'Experts on our Autism' project has resonated with us. This initiative aims to foster social awareness and inclusivity, addressing a crucial topic in today's society. Bringing those with lived experience together to inform a comprehensive training programme for local organisations to improve their services, communications and work environments, allows reaching far beyond the direct beneficiaries of the project.
By offering support to individuals who may face challenges in this area, we aspire to boost their confidence, develop their skills, and empower both them and their organisations to flourish. Through the comprehensive training programme, this project will contribute to promoting a better understanding within organizations, enhancing mental health and increasing accessibility and opportunities for the autistic and allistic.”
In phase one of their ‘Experts on our Autism’ project, TEOM will recruit five autistic individuals in Cambridgeshire. The TEOM team will hold three separate sessions with the individuals to gather information, coalesce the information into a plan, and create the training programmes to be delivered.
Phase two of the ‘Experts on our Autism’ project will focus on engaging three local organisations that want to improve the way that they offer services to autistic people. TEOM will support the five experts to deliver the training that they have created to each organisation.
The support from the Tees Better Future Fund will in turn benefit the five experts by building their confidence and skill set, allowing them to add valuable experiences to their CVs. The project will also benefit the wider society as the organisations will be more inclusive and socially aware.
If you are autistic or an organisation looking to expand your knowledge on autism, please contact TEOM through their website form or via their social media.
The Tees Better Fund was set up in May 2022 to offer grants of up to £5,000 for projects that support learning and education and/or promote good health and well-being in Cambridgeshire, Essex, and Hertfordshire.