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Peer Support & Mentoring Newsletter #2

Our events calendar for Spring was buzzing with enthusiasm for AAC communication clubs, mentoring qualifications and the opportunities available to AAC users, families and professionals to have their voices heard in all aspects of life.

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Communication Matters’ Peer Support & Mentoring Project is all about empowering Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) users to develop their communication skills, enhance their independence and improve their quality of life.

The project is currently funded until July 2029 thanks for National Lottery Funding (England). Communication Matters is also providing funding for Wales, along with Awards for All in Scotland.

To receive future Peer Support & Mentoring Newsletters direct to your inbox, please subscribe here.

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Sharing Best Practice

This full day of speakers and conversations at University of Leeds on 31 March 2026, gave everyone plenty to aspire to in terms of becoming a role model and using your voice in diverse settings.

The next Sharing Best Practics event will be held in March/April 2027 (date to be confirmed). This will be a day of workshops for AAC users who are mentors and for those AAC users that would like to know more about mentoring including skills, knowledge and understanding as well as sharing more about communication clubs.

AAC Experience of Mentoring: Gregor Gilmour & ATtherapy Mentors

“For anyone who is not familiar with mentoring, mentoring is basically using your own lived experience, and knowledge to help others. This can be in anything. But for me it’s AAC. So I use my past experience to help other less, competent AAC users. I help with things like social skills, building confidence, positive self identity. It’s very similar to being a role model, in that you are inspiring the young individual to want to use their AAC device,” says Gregor Gilmour.

The PP slides include short video clips with other ATtherapy mentors, Ruby, SJ, Sam and Aid.

Gregor presented his own experiences of using AAC, and his journey to becoming a mentor. He talked about his connection with 1Voice, joining ATtherapy and the qualifications and training that he has completed. The CM Peer Support & Mentoring Project has provided funding for the mentors to complete the Level 1 Award in Mentoring along with other qualifications and units.

Download AAC Experience of Mentoring presentation

CM Our Futuires Project: Beth Moulam and Helen Hewson 'Nothing about us, without us'

Beth and Helen presented an update about this important CM project (see PDF for more information and CM Journal articles). Beth talked about the project working group and the objective to present a co-produced project plan to the CM Board of Trustees.

Download CM Our Futures Update

AAC Communication Club, london: Fazil Baksh and Andrew Stuart

Fazil and Andrew told us about the AAC Users Group that meets in central London once a month. It is free, accessible and is a safe place to talk about interests and lived experiences.

The members of the group highlighted the positive outcomes so far:

  • Making meaningful connections
  • Opportunity to use AAC
  • Confidence using AAC device outside of ‘sessions’
  • Sharing lived experience
  • Exploring London /having a day out

Thank you to everyone from the London AAC Users Club for making the journey to Leeds!

Download AAC Users Group Presentation
"Great day, it was great to find out more about the mentoring award and  the impact for both mentors and mentees. Also, an update on the futures project  and work still to do to support AAC users in education and beyond."
"Today has been excellent. I have really enjoyed hearing from AAC users."
"I've never been before and found it interesting. Presentations were great and well done to all."
"Presentations were all fantastic. It would be good to have some group activities and time to talk to each other."
"Enjoyed the lived experience, very good and please have more of this."
"Really enjoyed hearing from other AAC users."
"Thanks so much for supporting users to attend, the logistics are no small task!"
"Lovely conference, enjoyed having feedback from various users."
"Today was good as it had a user focus, thanks everyone."
"I would like more opportunities for break-out discussion groups and talking more specific topics with AAC users."
"It's an awesome project."

Congratulations!

Congratulations to our recent graduates. Ruby Curtis and Nathan Bennett have achieved Level 2 Awards in Employability. 

Ruby Curtis

“I’m Ruby, I’m 20 and I’m an ATtherapy mentor. I like to play Boccia and listen to music.

I wanted to do this qualification because I did the mentoring qualification and I found it very interesting.

I would like to get into counselling and this qualification overlaps some skills. I enjoyed gaining skills which will help me in my job. I learnt how to be professional in a mentor and mentee relationship which is important to keep boundaries in place. I want to be a counsellor for people with disabilities.”

Nathan Bennett

“My name is Nathan Bennett, I am 24 years old.  I have completed College with English, Mathematics and IT. 

I have done work experience with CASEE and on their recommendation, I started with the Mentoring Course with Verity.   I started with the Employability with Verity after I finished college, July 2025.

I learned so much in the Employability course about the working environment, because I have not worked at the premises of any company. I watched many YouTube videos about different companies, their working structures, and the different office structures.

I would still like to be involved with AAC users on a part time voluntary basis, that is why I have done the course. I especially enjoyed time management, it helped me to see how easy it is to waste time.  It also helped me to do some planning of tasks to be done and completed within a certain time frame.” 

Voices Without Limits

16 April 2026, Corseford College, Inchinnnan

It was exciting to host our first Voices without Limits Communication Club at Corseford College on 16 April 2026. This was a morning session which included an ice-breaker facilitated by Fraser (two truths and a lie), a presentation on Becky’s creative eye-gaze art and then time for two activities; melting wax crayons and sun catchers.

We are about to start planning the next Voices Without Limits club event, so keep a  look out for where and when.

What did you enjoy today?

"Meeting new people, being involved and joining in activities."
"Loved the truth or lie game, good ice-breaer, everything was great."
"Enjoyed making the sun catcher."
"I had a good time and enjoyed the truth and lie game. More football chat."
"I liked meeting new people and talking to them."
" Good meeting everyone. Enjoyed the artwork."
"I enjoyed coming here today, I would like to come to another meeting, I enjoyed interacting with others and choosing the colours for my picture."
"I enjoyed my experience here today, information and interacting with others."

Suggestions for future activities

  • Music games, quiz games, accessible sports and have talks about what and where people go on holiday.
  • We would love drama activities, meet at the place you live and show something special, say V&A in Dundee.
  • It would be nice to have time to introduce everyone.
  • Perhaps a music quiz or another topic
  • Games, art, conversations, storytelling, role play games.
  • I enjoyed the painting activity, I enjoyed the presentations and meeting other people and hearing their stories and watching eye gaze communication.
  • Other games for talkers and switchers.

Suggestions for future activities

  • Would be useful to know topic of conversation to pre-programme AAC device.
  • We appreciated clear directions and pictures, it was nice knowing the programme ahead.
  • Regular meet ups, I loved this!

Did you know...?

Voices Without Limits was borne from asking AAC users what they would like from a Communication Club.

In a consultation in November 2025, everyone agreed that the opportunity to attend a communication club/group is important.

The social aspect was highlighted along with opportunities to help younger and less confident AAC users. The age of the attendees for the clubs was briefly discussed and it was agreed that 14+ up to adult, would be appropriate but would also depend on individual requirements and interests.

  • “It is so important to help people with their talkers.”
  • ”Social aspect is important in the club.”
  • “To be able to help some young people, children and young adults.”
  • “Hoping to help people who are not confident.”

Consultation setting

Participants discussed questions about peer support and communication clubs in Scotland, after listening to a presentation on 18 November 2025, about Communication Matters, mentoring and activities available with funding from Awards for All Scotland (2025-2027).

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