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T-KASH Transition Tools

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Let’s Get it Right for Young People

T-KASH (Transition – Knowledge and Skills in Healthcare) are FREE resources which were originally created in 2015 by young people from the Alström Syndrome UK (ASUK), Hear My Voice Youth Forum. The resources are designed to support young people, families, and healthcare professionals, to help everyone understand the transition journey and the things that are important to young people as they grow up.

At the end of 2022, we began the process of updating the T-KASH resources to ensure they are inclusive and represent the needs of young people within the rare disease community. With the support of the BDB Experts by Experience Advisory Group and our youth and young adult advisors, we have updated T-KASH and created brand new resources, including an animation that we hope will be used throughout the BDB network and beyond.

Why is T-KASH so important?

Research has shown that when young people and their carers first transfer from children’s services to adult healthcare services, they feel nervous about the change. When they are well prepared for this move by developing their transition knowledge and skills, they find it easier to cope in the new situation. The skills gained during the transition process can also be useful in other aspects of life – That’s why T-KASH is here to help you.

Alongside young people, we have made a T-KASH animation to educate everyone so they understand what T-KASH is, and how T-KASH can be used to support you.

How can T-KASH help you?

Draw attention to the knowledge and skills you may be able to develop to manage your healthcare, while having the best life possible.

Prepare you for identifying and coping with change at key points in your life, like moving schools, how and when to disclose your health condition or getting into the world of work.

Supporting you to plan for and cope with your eventual transfer/settling into adult services.

The 12 logos identify different important parts of a young person’s transition journey.

T-KASH interactive support

You will also find top tips created by young people (YP) aged 14-18 years old from Alstrom Syndrome UK Culture Family Forum. They have shared their tips on how to cope with different aspects of your life, while living with visual/hearing impairments and other long-term medical condition/s.

Click on each of the logos in the T-KASH Wheel below and it will take you to information and links, with drop down boxes for parents/carers and professionals.

Register to receive your FREE resources
We would like these resources to be used as widely as possible to ensure young people’s voices are heard at every stage of transition. These resources are free of charge to use and include a how-to guide and a poster. All you need to do is register with ASUK/BDB simply send an email with your name, job title, place of work and what the materials will be used for to Office Manager, Catherine Lewis Catherine.lewis@alstrom.org.uk to register and request copies of the information.

Acknowledgement Statement
We request that when organisations are using the T-KASH resources that they adhere to the acknowledgement statement below:

Users are permitted to use’ T-KASH, Transition Knowledge And Skills in Healthcare’ materials in their original format purely for non-commercial purposes. No modifications or changes of any kind are allowed without permission of Alström Syndrome UK.

The following acknowledgement statement must be included in all publications which make reference to the use of these materials:

T-KASH Transition Knowledge And Skills in Healthcare have been developed by young people with lived experience from Alström Syndrome UK, led by Marie McGee, National Transition Co-ordinator, ASUK. Further information can be found at www.breaking-down-barriers.org.uk/t-kash-transition-tools/

Important to remember

Everyone’s hopes and dreams are different, and we all develop at different stages and have differing abilities. Each interactive logo page gives examples to look through, and this is by no means an exhaustive list of ideas. It is just to get your creative thoughts flowing, to come up with your own ideas, hopes and aspirations too.

Thank you to all who have supported T-KASH and helped produce these educational tools and resources.

A special thanks go to the young people who have been involved in developing T-KASH:

Abdullah Jawad and Rutendo Dzokamushure for providing the animation voice overs
Alisha Sadique, T-KASH Youth Advisor
Alstrom Syndrome UK, Hear My Voice Youth Forum

Thanks to the Breaking Down Barriers, Experts by Experience Advisory Group and all young people and families who gave their time and experience to help make T-KASH inclusive and representative of young people within the Rare Disease community.

Thank you to our T-KASH funders and sponsors

If you are interested in sponsoring these innovative resources, then please download the sponsorship brochure HERE

You can also get in touch with Catherine Lewis by email catherine.lewis@alstrom.org.uk to discuss how we can work together.