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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

Bitesize Trauma & How to Respond

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

Half-Day Online | 9:30am – 12:30pm

7th October 2026

Empathy Fatigue

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

One-Day Online Training | 9:30am – 4pm
13th October 2026

Neurodiversity in the Workplace

“Brilliantly Different: Different Minds, Better Services:”

Half-Day Online Training

Morning Session | 9:30am – 12:30pm 

14th October 2026

Neurodiversity in the Workplace

“Brilliantly Different: Different Minds, Better Services:”

Half-Day Online Training

Afternoon Session | 1:00am – 4:00pm 

14th October 2026

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

“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

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

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
One-Day Face-to-face | 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM

10th September 2026

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

Safeguarding Hidden Vulnerabilities

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

One-Day Online Training | 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

16th September 2026

Trauma & Drug Induced Psychosis: Creating a Safe Space for Customers

This workshop driven session, focuses on environmental management and how to create a safer environment by considering physical, procedural and relational security, along with strategies for critical events.

Face-to-Face Training | 9:30am – 2:00pm

Dudson Centre, Hanley. ST1 5DD

15th October 2026

Trauma and Drug Induced Psychosis: The Skilled Helper

This workshop driven session, focuses on improving the assessment, understanding and safe management of customers presenting with emotional disturbance, psychosis and trauma. 

Face-to-Face Training | 9:30am – 2:00pm

Dudson Centre, Hanley. ST1 5DD

22nd October 2026

Effective Factual Recording

This course was created in co-operation with people with lived experience from across North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. This includes clients and professionals.

Face-to-Face Training | 9:30am – 4pm

Dudson Centre, Hanley. ST1 5DD

23rd October 2026

Inspiring Change Motivational Interviewing

Motivational Interviewing, is a method that works on facilitating and engaging motivation within the customer in order for them to think about and change their behaviour.

2-Day Online Training | 9:30am – 4pm

10th – 11th November 2026

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:

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).

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.

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.