Local Offer Live is taking place between 15 -26 May, and will feature a range of virtual events, activities, performances and workshops for parents, carers of children and young people with special educational needs or disability, providing greater awareness of the local opportunities that may be available to them.
The two-week programme has been created in partnership between Dorset Council, NHS Dorset and Dorset Parent Carer Council and full event and booking details will be available HERE.
The Local Offer Live Programme features a variety of events at locations across Dorset beginning with a ‘Supported Internships Roadshow’ on Wed 17 May in Dorchesterhttps://news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Local-Offer-Live-Programme-2023-UPDATED.pdf (24 May, Ferndown), then a ‘Transitions roadshow’ on Thurs 18 May in Wimborne, followed by a ‘Creativity showcase’ on Sat 20 May which will involve the latest music technology. There will also be Local Offer locality roadshows visiting Wimborne, Sturminster Newton, Purbeck and other venues where you can meet your local teams and find out more of the services and support available.
We are delighted to announce that we will also be joined by two special guests during Local Offer Live:
On Mon 22 May Tricia Nicoll will be joining us in person for a full day event called ‘Gloriously Ordinary Lives’ – an exciting and creative conversation exploring how co-production, person centred thinking, and personal budgets can ensure young people live their best lives. Then on Fri 26 May Caroline Coady from the Council for Disabled Children will join us online and share her closing thoughts and highlights from a national perspective.
Visiting presenter Tricia Nicoll said:
“I’m hugely looking forward to meeting lots of young people, parents and carers and hearing all about their lives. This is a day to bring people together to explore what having gloriously ordinary lives means to people in Dorset. There will be a focus on our uncompromising belief in the potential of everyone to get their gloriously ordinary lives, on a sense of belonging and of any services and support being designed around what that individual person tells us they want and need, not what we think we should do. It’s a day to change hearts and minds and will be fun and interactive”.
Andrew Parry, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Children, Education and Early Help said:
“I’m very happy that we are able to put on this inspiring and engaging fortnight of events for our young people, parents, carers and practitioners. I hope we learn everything that we need to so that we can support our residents even better and help them get the best start possible”.
Local Offer Live will also provide an opportunity for feedback in order to help improve the range of services. The SEND 2023 survey will be open from 5 May to 25 June which all young people, parents and carers are invited to complete.
For more information on “Local Offer Live,” visit the website HERE.
You can view the range of Local Offer services HERE
