Spotlight on – Tony Hart and Victoria Hatton

The NAPPI approach is all about enhancing quality of life within a range of care settings.’ And for two members of the team particularly, their input is also transforming their own lives. Tony Hart and Victoria Hatton are part of NAPPI uk’s co-production team, working alongside trainers to deliver the company core message, ‘changing lives’. Added power is given to training sessions by Tony, who has learned ways of reducing stress, and behaviour that challenged. Over the past seven years he has gained qualifications and can give a ‘service user’s perspective’ on how to support others more effectively. Victoria joined NAPPI uk six months ago and is supporting the team complete assessments during trainer programmes. Both have gained skills and confidence through their “expert by experience” work roles, which is also helping their lives in general.

Tony said: “I was the first NAPPI service user to deliver training – and I want more people like me to do the same.

“People are impressed and see me as the living proof NAPPI works. People relate to that because it is similar to the people they are supporting,” he added.

Tony has gained knowledge and skills and says: “I am better at speaking now and have improved my reading and writing and life skills too.”

He now travels a lot for work and joined a NAPPI delegation visiting the ENTMA conference in Poland. “The place is beautiful and I enjoyed trying new food especially Polish dumplings!”, beamed Tony.

Away from work Tony is a keen Man United fan and enjoys cycling. 

Victoria is taking an assessment qualification, and has been gaining experience by taking notes, and helping support sessions. 

“It makes me feel useful and that I am doing something that is important. A lot of people with autism cannot communicate, or people don’t listen. I feel I can help their voices be heard and say to carers ‘have you considered this is why they are doing that?’

She is looking forward to building on her skills, and is this year heading to sessions in Scarborough and Nottingham, having gained confidence to travel on her own. 

“I have stayed in more hotels in the past six months than a did in the previous 10 years,” said Victoria, who is enjoying her new role. 

Victoria also loves Lego – and her growing confidence has seen her moving from doing basic sets by exactly following the instructions to creating her own designs and scenes, one of which included a winter village, Thomas the Tank Engine train set, Elsa from Frozen, a flying dinosaur, and “a couple of penguins”. 

She admits: “It is all a bit random but it has been a gateway to recover my creativity.”

*Photo Credit Will Palmer Photography.