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Insight Academy

Community-led organisation harnessing the insight of lived experience.

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Insight Academy

Delivered by Expert Citizens & Stoke-on-Trent City Council as part of the Changing Futures Stoke-on-Trent programme, the INSIGHT Academy offers fully funded face-to-face and online for anyone living and working within the Stoke-on-Trent area and for a nominal charge for those outside the area.

Since its inception in August 2022 the INSIGHT Academy has delivered over 466 individual sessions to over 7443 attendees. 182 organisations have benefitted from these sessions include those from the local authority, police, health services, support services, housing providers, volunteers and community organisations.

All our training is co-designed and co-delivered through lived experience. We also offer people with lived experience the chance to become trainers themselves with our train the trainer programme.

Our Calendar

Check out our up coming training events

Strengths-based Practice

This course will help you to implement truly strengths-based practice with simple and creative tools which can transform people’s experience of your support.

The Dudson Centre, Hanley, ST1 5DD.
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Tuesday 11 August
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Co-Production in Practice: Turning Involvement into Influence

A highly interactive one-day workshop helping leaders and practitioners create meaningful co-production that drives better decisions, stronger services and lasting system change.

The Dudson Centre, Hanley. ST5 1DD

6th August 2026
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Empathy Fatigue

This one-day training course, encourages learners to embrace a more rational approach to working with customers / service users. 

The Dudson Centre, Hanley. ST1 5DD
Tuesday 1st September
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Inspiring Change Motivational Interviewing

You will learn a method that works on facilitating and engaging motivation within the customer in order for them to think about and change their behaviour.

Online
9:30 AM – 4:00 PM

2nd – 3rd September
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“We can do it better” – Trauma and Change

The aim of this session is to equip you with the skills to work compassionately with people who may have experienced traumatic life experiences and are now living with trauma.

The Dudson Centre, Hanley. St5 1DD
9th September 2026
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Compulsive Hoarding

This course was co-designed and created with customers to give their view of compulsive hoarding and how they overcame their issues which led them to hoard.

Online
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

10th September 2026
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Journey Into Governance

Becoming a Trustee or Board Member

This one day course is designed for anyone taking their very first steps toward becoming a trustee or board member.

The Dudson Centre, Hanley, ST1 5DD.
9:30 AM – 4:00 PM

10th September 2026
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Trauma-informed Theory and Practice

Many people using homelessness services have experienced complex trauma. Understanding trauma can ensure that you can adapt your approach and provide the right support.

2 Days | The Dudson Centre, Hanley, ST1 5DD.
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

14th September 2026
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Safeguarding Hidden Vulnerabilities

An introductory course helping frontline workers to identify hidden risks, recognize exploitation and act to safeguard vulnerable people.

Online
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

16th September 2026
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Lived Expertise

Expert Citizens has an extensive national network of contacts with cutting edge systems thinkers and leaders. Many of these bring their own lived experience which we supplement with testimony from local people using co-delivery and local case-based examples.

Our network includes expertise related to:

The implications of legislative change and the current policy landscape for those supporting customers and how to navigate systems; e.g. legal literacy, navigating benefits, and homelessness

Expertise on issues affecting people experiencing multiple needs in context and effective approaches to support; e.g. suicide, self[1]injury, hoarding, loneliness, drug and alcohol addiction, grief and loss

Understanding the root causes of multiple disadvantage to inform empathetic and effective practice; e.g. PIE, trauma informed care, and motivational interviewing

Professional development including wellbeing and resilience in order to maintain capacity; e.g. mental health first aid, building resilience, and emotional wellbeing

INSIGHT Academy

Our range of opportunities includes:

Accredited courses

Learning delivered over multiple sessions, the successful completion of which leads to the award of a qualifications (e.g. Level 3 Education and Training).

Non-accredited courses

Learning delivered over multiple sessions designed to meet a specific current training need of those supporting people experiencing multiple disadvantage (e.g. navigating the benefits system).

Masterclasses

Standalone learning sessions led by local and national experts on key subjects identified as current learning priorities through the Learning Programme’s planning and development process.

Bespoke workshops

 Expert Citizens CIC co-design and deliver a wide range of bespoke workshops to meet the specific learning requirements of organisations who work with customers experiencing multiple disadvantage.

Local Partnerships

Expert Citizens will work in partnership and alongside existing learning and development organisational teams and system across social care and health.

Communities of Practice

These multi-agency communities centre on case-based learning to aide reflective practice around a particular theme, such as hospital discharge for those with multiple disadvantage.

Arts based learning

Expert Citizens were central to the development of a performance arts-based learning opportunity in 2025 called Punishment Acts: Tales of Retribution, Reparation and Redemption.  The play was co-produced with Ride-Out and cast included a mix of professional actors and Expert Citizens members.

National Insight Awards

Shine a spotlight on someone who deserves it
Awards

Nominate now

Cele brate individuals, teams, or organisations that have made a to significant contribution promoting the value of lived experience.
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