A Warm Welcome at Our New Office

This month, we gathered as a team in our new Barnet office for a day of learning, sharing, and connecting. The day began with a team lunch where everyone contributed a dish, creating a true sense of community and warmth in our new space, followed by a staff meeting. It was a chance to reconnect, reflect on our shared goals, and hear updates from teams working across London. The atmosphere was filled with energy, laughter, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Team Lunch in Barnet
BSL Fingerspelling

Learning BSL Together

One of the highlights of the day was a session with Holly, our Deaf Community Outreach Worker from Healthwatch Newham. Holly taught us some simple British Sign Language (BSL) phrases, which included greetings like “hello” and “thank you,” as well as how to ask “How was your weekend?” and the BSL alphabet. This impactful training not only helped us learn more about BSL but also promoted an inclusive environment within the office. You can find a helpful resource on the BSL alphabet to the left.

Safeguarding Refresher with Jeni

In addition to the BSL session, we took part in a safeguarding refresher training led by Jeni, our Director of Communities and Partnerships. The training focused on the principles of safeguarding, ensuring that everyone on the team feels confident in making safeguarding judgements when necessary. Jeni highlighted the Multi-Agency Decision Support Tool by the Barnet Safeguarding Adults Board, which is crucial in providing the right support to adults at risk. We also focused on the six key principles of safeguarding: empowerment, prevention, proportionality, protection, partnership, and accountability.

To support wider learning, we also recommend watching our updated Safeguarding Adults video, created in collaboration with the Barnet Safeguarding Adults Board. It reframes safeguarding as “Keeping All Adults Safe” and encourages our communities to speak up when something doesn’t feel right.

Updates from Young People Thrive

To conclude the day, we received an exciting update from Zoe, our Director of Young People’s Wellbeing, about the incredible work being done through Young People Thrive. Zoe shared progress on the Being Me project in collaboration with Buckinghamshire New University, which aims to raise awareness about eating disorders. We also learned about an upcoming eating disorder project in Hillingdon, set to launch in the summer.

It was a day full of meaningful learning, connection, and growth ensuring that as a team, we continue to support and empower each other and the communities we serve.