Delivered by Jill Corbyn (Founder, Neurodiverse Connection)
With guests Sally Adams (ISVA), Alison Jobe and Helen Williams
Content Warning: Grooming, Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape and Coercive Control
This webinar meets with Sally Adams, Specialist Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ISVA) and Alison Jobe and Helen Williams about their participatory research project. We will hear about the accommodations Sally makes when supporting autistic people, and her suggestions for other services. All three panel members have been involved in work with Durham Police, facilitating reflective practice sessions to support officers to consider how they can adapt their approach to consider and meet the needs of autistic people and people with a learning disability. Findings and recommendations are not yet completed, but get an early insight into the learning and process of this important research.
-
She/Her
Durham University
Alison Jobe is an Associate Professor in Sociology and Criminology at Durham University. Alison’s research focuses on institutional responses to victims of violence and victim’s experiences of accessing justice and support services. This research theme has been explored through previous research projects on trafficking, asylum, sex work, rape/ sexual assault and child protection/ safeguarding. Alison is currently working on an ESRC funded research project, Developing inclusive criminal justice responses to victims of sexual violence.
-
She/her
University Of Sunderland
Dr Helen Williams is an activist and a senior lecturer in Criminology at the University of Sunderland. Her research specialisms include criminal justice responses to sexual violence, particularly for autistic or learning disabled victim/survivors.
-
They/them
Founder & Director
Neurodiverse ConnectionJill is interested in people, collaboration, autism, sensory environments health & social care. They are skilled in facilitating workshops and enabling change in practice and working with individuals and teams to support better outcomes for individuals.
In previous roles, Jill has worked with provider organisations supporting involvement, as an advocate, and supporting involvement and innovation in cancer services. In their role with NDTi they developed the autism programme, developed the sensory work into housing and hospitals.
Jill was the lead author on the co-produced ‘It’s Not Rocket Science’ report into inpatient sensory environments. This was commissioned by the CAMHS Mental Health Taskforce. The NHS ‘Sensory Friendly Ward Principles’ are embedded in this report and are supporting change across inpatient services in England. They have continued to develop and embed this work, developing guidance into lighting and working with architects to include aspects of the report into building notes.
Jill was also lead author for the co-produced LGA paper ‘Supporting autistic flourishing at home and beyond: considering and meeting the sensory needs of autistic people in housing’.
They are a lover of walking and wild places.
-
She/Her
Sally began working as a Learning Disability ISVA (Independent Sexual Violence Advisor) in September 2021 and is passionate about supporting survivors to navigate their way through the criminal justice system. This is more challenging for survivors with Learning Disabilities and/or Autistic. Sally is actively involved in raising awareness of the additional barriers faced by clients with Learning Disabilities and/or Autistic and is keen to support the Police to develop their skills in working with these survivors.
Disclaimer
At Neurodiverse Connection, we are committed to promoting the use of neurodivergent affirming language. However, please do note that in these webinars, as with any content that Neurodiverse Connection host or share that includes input from other organisations or parties, we cannot guarantee that the preferred neurodivergent affirming terminology is always used.
Our guide to language is available here: Neurodivergent Affirming Language