Over the past year, Stak.life CIC has continued to grow in reach, voice, and impact - working tirelessly to improve outcomes and raise awareness for neurodivergent individuals and their families across Kent. We have delivered a broad programme of training, reaching over 200 individuals from education, healthcare, social care, and the VCSE sector. These sessions have increased understanding, improved inclusive practice, and empowered professionals to offer better support to neurodivergent people in their settings. Our SEND drop-in centres have supported over 80 families, providing accessible advice, peer support, and practical guidance in an informal, non-judgemental space - helping to reduce isolation and fill the support gaps left by statutory services. In addition, we have delivered parent and carer workshops, a structured parenting course, Professionals' Workshops and training tailored specifically for the VCSE sector, ensuring the wider community is better equipped to support neurodivergent people at all life stages. We’ve also spoken at five conferences, sharing lived experience and professional insight on neurodivergence and suicide awareness - helping to reduce stigma, challenge stereotypes, and inform service design at both regional and national levels. Since February 2024, we have led the “Kent Speak Their Name” Suicide Awareness Quilt Project, honouring lives lost and opening vital conversations around suicide, grief, and mental health. To celebrate neurodivergent identity, creativity, and culture, we hosted a 4-day art exhibition alongside a series of music and poetry events that provided a platform for neurodivergent artists and performers to share their work with the public. These events, along with others throughout the year, have collectively attracted over 2,500 attendees - a significant proportion of whom are directly impacted by neurodivergence or who are neurodivergent themselves. Our reach has also been made possible by a growing and passionate team of volunteers, who continue to support our events, training delivery, and community engagement. Their commitment has enabled us to expand our services and remain deeply rooted in the communities we serve. Through a combination of successful funding bids and community fundraising efforts, we have ensured low-cost or no-cost access to our services and events - making sure that financial barriers do not prevent participation, particularly for underserved families in Thanet and across Kent. Collaboration has been central to our mission. We’ve worked with numerous charities, CICs, schools, businesses, NHS teams, and local authorities - strengthening local ecosystems of support and building shared understanding through joined-up working. These partnerships continue to add value, amplify our voice, and improve life chances for neurodivergent individuals. In addition, we continue to influence statutory services in Kent and Medway via participation in various forums and sitting on various NHS and KCC panels. Our work, updates, and lived experience perspectives can be followed through our social media platforms (@Staklife CIC), where we maintain an open and transparent presence for our community and stakeholders. This year has been one of visibility, advocacy, and action, and we have been recognised both locally and nationally with awards for our work to date. This reflects our continued commitment to reducing inequality, raising awareness, and creating lasting change for neurodivergent people and those who love and care for them.

At Stak.life CIC, stakeholder engagement is embedded in every aspect of our work. We prioritise the voices of neurodivergent individuals, families, professionals, and community partners to shape inclusive, meaningful services and resources. Ongoing Consultation & Listening Across our social media channels - particularly Facebook and Instagram, and our ITrust feedback software - we regularly invite community feedback through posts, DMs, booking forms, workshops and informal interactions. This enables us to hear directly from those we support. Topics such as SEND drop-ins, parenting courses, professional training, parent and carer training and from neurodivergent families have sparked continuous input around needs and gaps in statutory services. We published an open survey, to our network and also shared it via stakeholders, forums, KCC, education and on social media to elicit feedback and gap analysis. Our digital presence also acts as an active listening platform, highlighting consistent themes: -A need for local, low-cost access to SEND support -Greater visibility of neurodivergent-led training and voices in professional spaces -More safe, affirming spaces to address bereavement, mental health, and emotional support Direct Consultation with Stakeholders In-person and group consultations have been a key focus of our engagement this year: -Neurodivergent children and young people have shared their insights through our work with Umbrella Youth Club, 4 us two and SPOTS shaping inclusive approaches to communication, learning, and expression. -Parents and carers offered valuable feedback during our sessions with SPOTS, via Nuero Nurture and at SEND drop-ins, as well as through partner forums such as Kent County Council and local SEND forums. All of this influencing training topics and peer support development. -Engagement through wider network partners and stakeholder events, including NHS professionals, education staff, VCSE groups, has helped us co-design training and awareness campaigns that are practical, lived-experience informed, and neuroaffirming. These spaces have enabled honest dialogue around barriers, stigma, service access, and the need for tailored resources. Responsive Actions As a result of this ongoing consultation, we have taken the following actions: -Expanded training delivery, including neuroaffirming parenting courses and professional CPD shaped by lived experience -SEND drop-ins extended across Thanet to meet increased demand for accessible, face-to-face support -Suicide awareness, wellbeing, and grief- Shaping events such as Wellbeing and suicide awareness through our events held, “Grief Connections” Workshops, and our World suicide prevention day event. -Inclusive community events - such as our 4-day art exhibition, music and poetry nights, and the “Speak Their Name” suicide memorial quilt project-developed in response to calls for creative, non-clinical engagement opportunities and suicide awareness raising. -Deepened collaborations with local schools, Higher Education, NHS staff, charities, local Authority, NHS and community groups, and venues as well as within the Kent VCSE sector, enabling more joined-up support and visibility and supporting other VCSE organisations by using their spaces and collaborations. Shaping the Future Feedback continues to drive our strategy. Stakeholders have helped identify key future priorities: -A call for more neurodivergent-led mental health and suicide prevention work -Tackling systemic inequality in education, healthcare, and employment -Developing creative, peer-led spaces for young people and adults to explore identity, connection, and wellbeing At Stak.life CIC, consultation is not a one-off process-it’s a core value. We remain committed to co-producing services with those we support and to growing a community where every voice shapes the path forward, improving outcomes and life chances for neurodivergent people.

No remuneration was received

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration