Welcome to Together Matters
Together Matters is a small organisation with big ideas about the importance of talking, learning and working together to help create positive change in people’s lives.
We do this by:
- developing and sharing a wealth of written resources to give ideas and information to people with learning disabilities, their families and supporters around planning for a good life, based on what is important to them
- providing training and consultancy work for services and organisations to help them make the best use of our resources and to ensure meaningful conversations about the future are part of the way they work
- offering information and tools to make planning manageable and helpful at all ages and stages of life
Young People
- Ideas and tools to plan for adult life
- Preparing to be part of the world of work
- Gaining skills and confidence about making choices
- Being connected locally to people and places
Adult Life
- Ongoing planning and preparing for change
- Choices about moving home and finding work
- Building friendships and support networks
- Planning for emergencies
- Making the most of annual reviews
Growing Older
- Good support as people get older
- Having a healthy lifestyle to age well
- Opportunities to be active and involved
- Talking and learning about ageing
- Thinking about choices in older age
Together Matters works alongside people with learning disabilities, their families, practitioners, organisations that provide support, self advocacy groups and anyone else interested in the work we are doing.
Together Matters offers fresh ideas, sound knowledge, easy to use resources and skills to provide training and service development. Our aim is to challenge and complement existing support and services, making the best use of things that work and overcoming those that prevent people having a good life.
Newsletter: September 2023
September can be a time of change and uncertainty for many people with disabilities– starting a new course, looking for work or joining new groups. Why not have a look at our resources to help with making choices and planning for new opportunities?
Newsletter: July 2022
Make the most of summer: support people to explore interests and local connections
Summer is a great time to get out and explore what is happening locally.
Our latest planning guide, ‘How to be part of the world of work’, has lots of ideas about building links in your local community.
“When mum showed me the I’m Thinking Ahead thing I thought great – I started on the housing bit straight away, its brilliant I can do it on my laptop. I really want to leave home and this is helping me think about the stuff. I can see now there’s lots I need to do but I am going to do it and I am going to get my own place.”
– George
Could I’m Thinking Ahead help you?
Free download
“Thinking Ahead: a planning guide for families has been our bible for the last few years as our son, Lewis, has moved on from school and then college. We jump in and out of relevant sections: Making Decisions, Making Financial Plans, Housing and Support, Making an Emergency Plan have all been very useful.
We have recently started using ‘I’m Thinking Ahead’ which makes it easy for our son to express his likes and aspirations.
We thoroughly recommend these guides for families with SEN young adults.”
– Michael Nelson