The WY-FI Annual Learning Event took place on Wednesday 26th September, at the Civic Hall in Leeds. More than 200 guests attended the event, which focused on the learning and knowledge gathered over the last four years, which will help to establish better services for people with multiple needs.
West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson opened the event, addressing partners, professionals, academics and network members, as well as Humankind staff.
He had a strong message that joint working was essential to address complex issues surrounding mental health and criminal justice.
As well as listening to keynote speakers, guests were invited to choose from a selection of Information Sessions to attend during the day, which included:
• The Ripple Effect of WY-FI
• Multi-Agency Working and Multi Agency Review Boards
• Evaluating Talking Therapies with Complex Needs
• Housing First – a case study
• Embedding Co-Production and the Value of Lived Experience in the Workplace
• The Value of Peer Mentoring
• Developing the Workforce for Everyone
• Cost Benefit Analysis
The event closed with some personal messages from the Network, reflecting on how much work WY-FI has done, and is yet to do between now and May 2020. There’s a strong focus on the project’s legacy, to ensure that support for people with multiple and complex needs doesn’t end when the project ends.
Network Member Adam was the last onto the speaker podium, to recite a poem he’d written just that day, reflecting on all the key messages from the event and the importance of sticking together to continue making a difference.
