ABC Project

        

At Dhiverse we aim for inclusivity and equality in everything we do, and we want everyone to have the opportunity to be equipped to make informed choices and decisions around sexual health, consensual and pleasurable sexual activity, healthy relationships and personal safety.

ABC stands for Awareness, Balance, and Choice. The project supports both people aged 11 upwards who have a learning disability (LD) or autism (A), and their parents and professionals.

The project has 3 strands:

The ABC Programme is a short term educational, age and ability appropriate programme for anyone aged 11 upwards who has a LD or A and would like support around sexual health, sexual and intimate relationships, online safety, and potential risky sexual behaviours. The programme aims to give participants the information they need to be able to make their own informed choices and decisions. The programme covers a range of topics which are delivered in an accessible, informal and interactive way, usually over 6 sessions.

The programme is designed to be delivered to small groups or on a 1-1 basis.

We can work with a group within a single provision, but we also offer open groups which people from different provisions can join. The open groups are usually delivered online, and participants are placed in the most appropriate group, considering availability, age, ability, behaviours, and other information provided in the referral. Groups generally work well for people who enjoy being around other people and having the opportunity to talk about things with their peers.

1-1 sessions are generally better for people who find it difficult being around a lot of other people, want some privacy to discuss their situation or are unable to make a group. 1-1 sessions can be face to face in a provision, community venue or at our office in Cambridge or they can be virtual.

• The ABC Programme Booklet – easy read version
• The ABC Programme Leaflet – for referrers and participants 
• ABC Referral Form for 1-1 Support 
• ABC Referral Form for a Group Workshop 

The ABC Programme is free of charge for people who live in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough. We can provide the programme to people living outside of these areas, but the following charges will apply:

• £110 per session plus return travel costs from our Cambridge office
• £80 per session if delivered virtually

The ‘Understanding ABC workshop aims to help parents, carers and professionals to understand the ABC Programme and to explore the relationship and sexual needs of people with a LD or A. It also aims to help participants to understand some of the barriers people with a LD or A face when learning about relationships, sex and sexual health and to consider more effective ways to communicate with them about these topics.

• Understanding ABC Leaflet

Understanding ABC is free of charge to anyone in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough. We can provide this workshop to people living outside of these areas, but the following charges will apply:

• £112.50 per workshop plus return travel costs from our Cambridge office
• £95 per session if delivered virtually

The ABC Project Development Group aims to help keep the project relevant and up to date, and to ensure that it is user led and always meets the needs of those taking part.

Anyone who has taken part in the project or anyone who has an interest in ensuring equality for people with a LD or A is welcome to join the group. We can hold a group meeting at your organisation, or you can join us when we hold an open meeting, which is usually a couple of times a year.

For more information on any aspect of the ABC Project, to check availability or to make a booking please contact Liz MacKenzie, ABC Project Manager on 07985 447846 or at elizabeth.mackenzie@dhiverse.org.uk

The Team