Services
The right support can make a real difference. We make sure it's built around you.
Our services can help you stay independent, look after your mental health, and feel less isolated.
Find out what’s available below, or get in touch for a chat about how we can help.
Enablement
A one-to-one service that assesses what support you need and connects you with the right help.
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Our Enablement service is open to anyone living in South Tyneside or Gateshead who is visually impaired or has dual sensory loss.
In South Tyneside, the Enablement service also supports people who are Deaf or hard of hearing.
In Gateshead, hearing support is delivered by the local authority - we can help connect you to that service.
Our experienced Enablement Officers take time to get to know you and what matters to you. Together, you'll put together a personal plan that sets out what support would make the biggest difference. That might include counselling, rehabilitation, or training on equipment and tools, all provided by our team. If we can't provide something ourselves, we'll connect you with the right people and make sure nothing falls through the gaps.
We work closely with local eye hospitals and audiology teams, so we can also help you understand what care and support is available through the NHS.
We'll check in with you over time to make sure the support is working. And once your plan is complete, our door stays open. Just get in touch whenever you need advice, information, or a little extra help.
Living Well with Sight Loss
Practical sessions to help you live well with sight loss, and connect with people who understand.
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Living Well with Sight Loss is a nationally recognised course, delivered as part of the RNIB Quality Assurance Framework.
The course runs over two weeks, with one half-day session each week. As well as practical information and advice, you’ll have the chance to learn from each other’s experiences in a small, friendly group.
Topics covered include:
- Registration as sight impaired and understanding benefits
- Staying independent and managing daily life
- Daily living skills and using technology
- Eye health and available care services
- Wellbeing
- Leisure and connecting with others
- Other local and national organisations that can help
The course is open to adults of all ages, including friends and family members.
Community Voice
Community Voice brings people together to share experiences, take part in community activities and help shape future services.
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Community Voice is about putting people at the heart of what we do. Funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and delivered in partnership with Your Voice Counts, the project is led by people with lived experience of sensory loss and disability.
Through peer support and volunteering, Community Voice helps people access activities in their area, try new things, and build friendships with people who understand what they’re going through.
Low Vision Service
For anyone struggling with their vision, we offer a specialist assessment and support all in one service.
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Please note this service is currently available to Gateshead residents only.
If you struggle to see clearly even when wearing the right glasses or contact lenses, you may have what's known as 'low vision'.
It's more common than many people realise, and the right support can make a real difference. Through our Low Vision Service, you can expect:
- A detailed examination with an Optometrist
- A personal plan to help you achieve your goals
- Advice, support, and equipment to help you make the most of your remaining vision
- Support to help you get the best from any equipment provided
Our team includes professional Optometrists registered with the General Optical Council, working side by side with our rehabilitation and enablement specialists. That means fewer hoops to jump through, and more consistent, personalised care.
Well Connected
Well Connected is our digital support service, designed to help people access technology and get online.
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Technology can open up a huge amount of independence, but it can also feel confusing or daunting, especially if you've never had the right support to get started. Well Connected is here to change that.
Our digital support service is delivered in partnership with Age Concern South Tyneside (ACTS), Age UK Gateshead, and Your Voice Counts, with funding from The National Lottery Community Fund.
We can help you:
- Get online and make the most of digital services
- Stay safe from online fraud and cyber scams
- Feel more confident and independent using technology
Want to learn more about how we can help? Contact us for a friendly chat.
Advocacy
Practical support to help you understand your rights, navigate systems, and get the help you're entitled to.
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Sometimes the systems that are supposed to help can feel confusing, unfair, or hard to navigate on your own. Our advocacy support is there to make sure your voice is heard and you get the help you deserve.
Demand for advocacy support among people with sight loss has grown significantly, and we know that the cost of living has made this even more pressing. We can help with a wide range of issues, including:
- Employment issues
- Blue badge and concessionary pass applications
- Mandatory reconsiderations for benefit applications
- Housing issues, including property adaptations, banding applications, and providing evidence of the impact of sight loss
Connected Caring
Support, information, and community for unpaid adult carers across South Tyneside.
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Caring for someone is one of the most important things a person can do, but it can also be exhausting, isolating, and overwhelming. Connected Caring South Tyneside joins the dots to support unpaid adult carers in our community.
This new service is run as a partnership between our team at Sense Ability Matters, Age Concern South Tyneside (ACTS), and Your Voice Counts, with funding from South Tyneside Council.
We offer a wide range of local support services, including:
- Information and advice on benefits, respite, assessments, and other support for carers
- Connecting you with your community and helping you find or create support groups with people who understand
- Empowerment and support to explore what's available to you, find opportunities for yourself, and space for a life outside of caring
- Connections to services including health and social care, housing, advocacy, and counselling
- Emotional support through one-to-one and group sessions with staff, trained volunteers, and other carers
- Respite for carers - time out, breaks, and social activities just for you
- Assessments and plans to make sure you're getting the right support
- Training and education on caregiving topics, for carers and professionals
- Regular updates with news, activities, and events tailored to carers
- Awareness and advocacy to highlight carers' rights and improve support and employment opportunities in the community
You can also find more information on the Connected Caring South Tyneside website.
Contact us today for more information or if you would like to refer someone