Empowering Families, Inspiring Futures
Embracing Neurodiversity
Welcome to Havenswood Trust…
…a charity working to create a supportive village community for neurodivergent children, young people and their families in Scarborough and the coastal regions of North Yorkshire.
Our Village goal is to address the challenges that too many SEND children and their families have faced for too long - like absence, exclusion, mental health struggles, social isolation and fragmented, difficult-to-navigate access to essential support and services. It’s too easy to get lost in the system or even understand which service you need to access or what is available.
WHAT IS A “VILLAGE”?
If you walked into Havenswood Village, you wouldn’t find a traditional school or service. Instead, you’d see a collection of calm, welcoming spaces with different things happening side by side.
In the Education Hub, several small groups of children might be learning with a teacher in a quiet, low-pressure environment. Nearby, a young person could be building confidence through a practical life skills session in a kitchen or workshop space. Down the corridor, a therapist might be meeting with a family, while in a shared café area parents are having a coffee, chatting, and accessing informal support. There are quiet rooms for regulation, activity spaces for creative or physical sessions, and outdoor areas for fresh air and nature-based activities.
The same families might move between these spaces across the day or week, accessing the right support at the right time, all in one place where everything feels joined up, flexible and supportive.
To achieve our goal, we’re partnering with Oasis Charitable Trust (Oasis UK), an organisation with over 40 successful years of experience in setting up schools and running successful community projects, and we’re excited to be part of such pioneering work at its outset.
The Oasis “Village” model we are adopting is a groundbreaking approach to community care. As well as supporting education, it aims to support those at risk of exclusion, isolation and youth criminality, and provide safe spaces for those who need them. Based on the principal that “it takes a village to raise a child,” the aim is to deliver a wide range of support that is easily accessible to those who need it. (Take a look at St Martin’s Village in Brixton, London to see the flagship village in action.)
The village community will combine education, early days and family support, therapy, counselling, life skills, community engagement and youth initiatives and enrichment activities …all accessible from one space - a partnership led by Havenswood, made between local voluntary organisations, public services and children, young people and their families right in the heart of Scarborough.
“A Village is more than co-location or even partnership. It is the complete coming together and integration of our energy and resources – a new civil society covenant to create the opportunity for children and young people to raise their aspirations, set ambitious goals, and unlock their potential. It’s time to think like a forest rather than a group of individual trees. That is the only way we will get the job done!”
Steve Chalke - Founder of Oasis UK
OASIS UK and HAVENSWOOD
Shaping the Future of SEND Support
Ages 9-16 Provision
Community Village
A Centre for Excellence
Havenswood Village hopes to become a recognised research centre in SEND and neurodiversity. We believe it is important to keep learning about what helps children and young people with SEND to thrive, and to be honest about what doesn’t work for them. Our SEND research programme will help us do exactly that.
By listening to children, families, and professionals, and by carefully trying out new ideas and approaches, we can understand what truly supports wellbeing, confidence, and learning. This ongoing learning means we are always improving what we offer, rather than relying on one-size-fits-all solutions. Our goal is to build knowledge that not only strengthens our own provision, but that also shapes best practice across the country.
Discover more about our research ambitions by clicking below.
Laying the foundations for a SEND village built on understanding, partnership and hope for neurodivergent families..
Get Involved
We know we can’t do this alone, and need your support! There are so many ways to get involved with our mission – so take a look and discover how you can help us make a real difference.
Contact Us
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Email
info@havenswoodtrust.org
Phone
07788114559
