Brain Injury & Me (BIAM) - Brain Injury Educational Programme
Charity: Headway Essex
Location: Essex
Amount: £5,000
About the Project
In Essex alone around 10,000 people a year are admitted to hospital with a brain injury related condition. The injury can result in complex combinations of physical, cognitive, emotional, and communication impairments that have a devastating impact on daily life.
The LHC CBF funding allowed Headway Essex to deliver an eight week supportive learning programme for adults with acquired brain injury (ABI) who are struggling to adapt to life, when they return home.
Creating Social Value
Support for people leaving hospital after an acquired brain injury is limited and inconsistent. Many adults with acquired brain injury “fall through the gap” once they leave acute care. Lack of support post discharge can result in preventable loss of function, mental health challenges, and social isolation.
The objective of Brain Injury & Me (BIAM) is to help people with brain injury gain a greater understanding of the effects of their injury and provide tools to help them to cope and compensate with the effects of their injury.
In turn this will deliver impactful value for the community; enabling people to be more independent and confident, armed with tools and techniques to address situations that have been holding them back.
Social Value Impact
The support they received reduces the likelihood of social exclusion, homelessness, or involvement with the justice system, leading to safer and healthier communities.
Those who are helped are better placed to contribute to the wider community through volunteering, advocacy, or peer mentoring which can benefit others with disabilities.
Their families experience reduced stress, improving the overall wellbeing of the community.
Benefits Delivered
For the person with ABI the funded programmes were delivered as learning and support modules and sixteen people directly benefited from the sessions Headway Essex ran. 94% of those attending agreed:
· They had a greater understanding of the functions of the brain.
· They feel more confident in managing the effects of their brain injury.
· They will use strategies learnt on the course to help them manage the effects of their brain injury.
· The course made a difference to their life.
“This course is the first time I have received any help following an acquired brain injury in a car accident two years ago, as I am still waiting for neuropsychology and behavioural help. The course has been totally invaluable for me not only, not only the expert trainers and superb materials used in the course, but also being able to share my experiences with others with similar (but different) experiences. The understanding of the importance of your health in the journey including alcohol and nutrition was very useful. I can’t recommend it highly enough it has been an enormous help to me. Thank You”
“Wow!! Amazing and priceless! Thank you so much Kev! I have thoroughly enjoyed! Looked forward to every Friday, the support from everyone has been fantastic, now have new friends for life. I feel like I understand the new me a lot better now and can give myself a bit more slack as well as a “well done”. I have also added/changed parts of my diet to include more foods that are good for my brain also I am now sitting in nature more because of how good it can be for my wellbeing. Thank You, Thank You”
Legacy and Future Plans
Funding the program empowers participants to rebuild confidence, develop self-management and life skills, and increase independence, reducing long-term reliance on health and social services.
It facilitates peer connections and community inclusion, helping to break down stigma and isolation and enabling better understanding of ABI in the community.
The knowledge and resources developed through the program will continue to benefit future participants. The successful outcomes will provide strong evidence to help future funding.
If you would like to learn more about our Community Benefit Fund, please get in touch with our team.