Help and Connect is a service offered by Skills for People.

If you live in Newcastle upon Tyne and are aged 16 or over, our Help and Connect team can help you to get your support right and to make the most of what’s going on in your area.

What does Help and Connect offer?

Our team will help you make the most of the information we have. You can find out about:

Contact is the UK charity for families with disabled children. They support families, bring families together and help families take action for others. They give support through:

Disabled Children’s Register

By law we are required to keep a Disabled Children’s Register. We use it to help us improve services now and in the future.

By being on the register you will be kept informed of what services are available and how you can get involved if you want to.  Joining the register is voluntary but if you register your child we will:

Family Advice and Support Team at Skills for People

Services Offered:

Pathways 4 All is a parent-led charity, providing leisure services for children and young people with disabilities/ additional needs (0-25 years old). Our primary service is a specialist play and activity provision, the Tim Lamb Centre (in the grounds of the Rising Sun County Park, Benton). Our centre is open to families from across the North East region.

The Access Fund is a grant scheme. It can help children and young people with educational needs and/or disabilities take part in activities within their community alongside their non-disabled peers. It can help with the cost of taking part in local activities. This may include but is not limited to sporting, performing arts, or recreational activities.

Who is eligible to apply? 

The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company provides accessible opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autistic people to express themselves creatively, and to develop their skills, confidence, independence and social connections.

Our weekly Performing Arts and Music academies are for people with Learning disabilities and autistic people, aged 16 and over.

Whether you want to  DJ at our club night, act on stage, or perform in a live band, our Academies can help you to achieve your goals.

Skills for People helps disabled children and adults and their families to be in control and to have better lives. We also work with children with special educational needs.

We offer help with planning, meeting other disabled people and their families, advocacy, advocacy groups, social activities, self help meetings and individual development. We work with people who have an individual budget and those who do not.

Gosforth Civic Theatre is an arts venue, café and community hub in Gosforth, and is home to, and run by, Liberdade Community Development Trust.

We opened Gosforth Civic Theatre in 2016, and in 2019 we hosted more than 900 events and activities, and invited over 50,000 people through our doors. In the words of Ozzy, one of our founding members, we opened the theatre because; 

Youth Link Newcastle is for young people living with a disability or additional needs. It matches young people to a peer mentor.  They can help with working towards a goal and overcoming challenges. 

The service is available to young people living in a Newcastle Postcode, aged from 11 to 18.

Some examples of how a peer mentor could help you include:

Provides dental care for pre-school children, school children, those with special needs, learning disabilities, medical problems or severe anxiety and any other clients who are unable to find a dentist.  

Clinics are available at Arthur's Hill Clinic (check website), Kenton Health Centre, Molineux Street NHS Centre and Walker Centre. You can contact the service directly.

The community dental department provides a full range of dental treatment for patients who are residents of Newcastle and who fit one or more of the following criteria:

We are a North East based disability sport charity. We offer many sport sessions for people with special educational needs or disabilities, including:

• SEND Activity Sessions (8-19 years old)

• Adult Adapted Cycling Session

• Adult Sport and Social Session

• Boccia Session (all ages) 

• Summer holiday activities 

To find and book a session, click here: What’s On – Smile Through Sport

Situated within the Alan Shearer Centre, our specialist home offers residential accommodation for adults with profound and multiple disabilities, offering longer term, safe and nurturing care and support. In addition, our disabled residents have full access to the on-site Activity Centre.

If you would like to see our facilities, meet the staff and discuss your individual needs, Sarah will be happy to arrange a visit. You can also speak to Sarah if you would like to enquire about a place or find out details on the referral process and the criteria for admission.

The Tree House Early Years Centre provides a range of Educational, Social, Therapeutic and Health activities / services for children aged 0-5 with SEND, and their families.

The centre was officially opened by councillor Lesley Storey in September 2023. The following video showcases the opening of the Centre and highlights some of facilities and activities available for children and their families.

Run by the NSPCC, Childline is a free, private and confidential service where children and young people under the age of 19.  This includes those with additional needs or disabilities.  You can talk to a counsellor about any issue they’re facing.

Online, on the phone, anytime.

Browse and borrow a wide range of toys for children (0-5) with special educational needs. These can help with your child's learning and development. Toys can be borrowed for up to 4 weeks.  

The library is open Monday to Friday during term time.

Come to the Tree House Early Year's Centre (map below).  

For more information, you can call 0191 278 8458 or email treehouseenquiries@newcastle.gov.uk 

West End Women and Girls Centre is the first and only open access, community based women and girls centre in Newcastle, we aim to build the power of women and girls, who have been and continue to be disenfranchised. We seek to drive positive change in the world, our community and in women and girls lives.

We do this through group work where women and girls have the opportunity to meet, have fun, learn skills, look at issues relevant their lives and generally build confidence in a safe and supportive environment.

Northern Stage is a theatre in Newcastle City Centre, very close to Haymarket. You can enjoy plays, dance, comedy and musicals on all of our three stages.

We have family shows throughout the year and at Christmas we have two magical shows one for under 5s and one for over 5s. 

Are you aged 18-25 and looking after someone who needs help and support? 

If you are caring for someone who cannot manage without your support and you're not employed to do this, then you are a young adult carer. Anyone can become a carer at any point in their life. We're here to listen and support you.

The CAN project helps 16-25 year olds from Newcastle and Gateshead who may require support to transition into adulthood or make steps towards improving their confidence and reducing isolation. CAN aim to support young adults to overcome any barriers affecting them to move forward in their lives.

A mentor programme with a difference, it connects them with someone who can provide assistance tailored to their needs and ambitions. In the past, the programme has helped young people to:

Sporting Chance is a local community organisation. We aim to overcome some of the barriers young people may face and we strive to provide a holistic service to all our members. 

This is a free service for those who care for children with additional needs. Browse a wide range of suitable, quality and specialist toys.  You can borrow 4 toys for up to 4 weeks.  

For more details on this service please contact us on 0191-2656158 or email admin@napi.org.uk

Founded in 2005 through a partnership between The FA and UEFA Hat-Trick delivers around 70 sessions each week to people in Newcastle upon Tyne and now in Gateshead.

We support the young people to reach their full potential by providing opportunities to participate in positive activities that offer training, qualifications & leadership. We work across the city of Newcastle and borough of Gateshead in areas of high deprivation, the top 10 percent of most deprived neighbourhoods  across the country. 

Vinspired.com provides inspiring high quality volunteering opportunities to gain new experiences and skills for life for 14 - 30 year olds.

The Vinspired.com platform offers you the chance to: