What is Reaching Out?
The Reaching Out project is our initiative to….well… reach out and include young adults with upper limb difference in our wonderful charity. Now, with funding from The National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund and The VTCT Project, we can do just that!!
Back in March, we posted about the new chapter for Reach and we are pleased to announce the next part of that chapter – the Reaching Out project.
When you, our members, unanimously voted to update our articles of association to, amongst other things, extend support past 18 years of age, we wanted to honour that – thus the Reaching Out project was born. As part of the Reaching Out project, you’ll see new activities included in Reach, like:
- An annual 18-25 Retreat and Mentorship programme that young adults can sign up for now. This in- person retreat allows young people to connect and talk with other people who just get it! They’ll be supported by older adults who also have limb differences and can relate to their lived experiences and journey. Mentors will be supported and trained by New Pastures Therapies‘ Chantelle, herself a Reach adult with a limb difference.
- You’ll also see us collaborating with our amazing partners in the Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Collective. An important part of the growth Reach is starting is the spirit of collaboration and working with other charities supporting people with limb differences is a great way to start.
- The addition of a Young Person’s Advisory Group. We want to make sure the voices of young people are heard in the charity and they have a platform to bring issues and ideas to the trustee board and advise of what’s important to them.
- A new podcast (to be named, suggestions welcome). With the support of Reach members Nick Wilmhurst and James Jones, we’ll be starting a podcast where Reach members and people with upper limb difference can tell their stories and talk about issues important to their lived experience. More to come, stay tuned!
These are just some of the things that we can talk about now but there is more still! We’re at the start of an amazing new journey for Reach and we hope you’ll join us on this journey!
You can read about the journey to get Reaching out started on our Limb Loss and Limb Difference Partners blog.
