Changing Our Lives
Changing Our Lives is a UK registered charity, founded in 2002, that works with disabled people and people with mental health difficulties through person-centred advocacy, NIHR-funded research, national NHS frameworks, and anti-racism and arts programmes. It primarily serves individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people in hospital settings, alongside minority ethnic and underserved communities across England.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersSheffield, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Changing Our Lives does
Changing Our Lives is a rights-based registered charity in England (Charity No. 1093883), founded in 2002 by Jayne Leeson, MBE, that works alongside disabled people and people with experience of mental health difficulties to challenge social injustice and health inequalities. The organization operates a portfolio of services rather than discrete products: (i) direct person-centred planning, advocacy and facilitation for individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people in hospital settings across England, with a stated willingness to work cases that other providers decline as 'too complex'; (ii) national policy and practice work, including the NHS England-commissioned Acute Liaison Nursing competency framework ('A Uniform Approach') and the 'Got My Back' postural care campaign; (iii) NIHR-funded research partnerships with the University of Birmingham (Why are we stuck in hospital?, What Happens Next?) and Manchester Metropolitan University (Minority Interest, 200 Lives); (iv) anti-racism programmes (Equal Treatment, Rights for All, Colour Between the Lines) and intersectional work in South Asian, Black, and minority ethnic communities; and (v) arts and campaigns (Front and Centre, Common Ground, Windrush Through the Senses, Chai Mithai and Challenging Myths, Beyond the Stigma) delivered with Ikon Gallery, Foka Wolf, Katie Seymour, and the Black Cultural Archives. The underlying technology base is minimal: no proprietary platform, with the digital Postural Care Passport (co-developed with Simple Stuff Works) being the only notable digital tool. Outputs are publications (Ordinary Life Stories, Quality of Life Standards, research reports), some archived at the British Library.
The business model is grant- and commissioning-funded rather than commercial. Revenue streams identified in the data comprise NHS England / Health Education England commissioning for national frameworks, NIHR and other public-funder research grants, and charitable foundation grants (Heritage Lottery Fund, Co-op Foundation, MHCLG). There is no pricing model for beneficiaries; services to individuals are delivered free at the point of use via referrals from professional teams and local authorities. The leadership team is small (1-10 employees per firmographic data) and includes Jayne Leeson as CEO, Lucy Dunstan as Deputy CEO, two Senior Development Officers (Anne-Marie Glasby, Jackie Taylor), Siraaj Nadat as Senior Quality of Life Facilitator, and Lucy Harris as Development Officer, with trustees John Baker (Chair, CPS), Professor Rosie Harding (University of Birmingham), and Tony Middleton (NHS Vocational Specialist). Headcount per firmographics is 1-10, consistent with a lean charity model that outsources research delivery to academic partners and cultural delivery to galleries and artists. Geographic scope is England-wide for direct advocacy and research, with a particular West Midlands cluster of activity (Birmingham, Sandwell, Walsall); the organization has not claimed a global footprint. The organization has no subsidiaries, no parent company, no disclosed funding rounds, and no M&A activity.
Changing Our Lives firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Changing Our Lives
- Legal name
- Changing Our Lives
- Website
- https://changingourlives.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Changing Our Lives is a UK registered charity, founded in 2002, that works with disabled people and people with mental health difficulties through person-centred advocacy, NIHR-funded research, national NHS frameworks, and anti-racism and arts programmes. It primarily serves individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people in hospital settings, alongside minority ethnic and underserved communities across England.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Changing Our Lives industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability Advocacy and Social Care Research
- NAICS
- Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Transitions of Care Management (Hospital/SNF/Home) (HLADALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Care Transitions Management (Hospital/SNF-to-Home) (HSABAIAC), Housing Transition & Supported Living Navigation (EDAKANAK), Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM)
Keywords
Where Changing Our Lives is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sheffield
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Changing Our Lives business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government/Public Funding: Commissioned by NHS England and Health Education England to produce national frameworks such as the Acute Liaison Nursing competency framework. Also receives funding from government bodies for specific projects.
- Charitable Foundation Grants: Receives funding from foundations including the Heritage Lottery Fund, Co-op Foundation, and Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) Windrush Day Grant Scheme for specific projects and campaigns.
- Research Partnership Funding: Partnership research projects with universities funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), including Why are we stuck in hospital? and Minority Interest studies.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Changing Our Lives product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Changing Our Lives is a rights-based charity that provides person-centred planning, advocacy, and facilitation services for people with learning disabilities and autistic people trapped in hospital settings, supporting them to move into their own homes. It also delivers commissioned national frameworks (notably the Acute Liaison Nursing competency framework 'A Uniform Approach'), partnered university research on hospital detentions and supported living, anti-racism training programmes, publications such as Ordinary Life Stories and Hospital to Home, and arts projects influencing national policy and practice.
Product overview
Changing Our Lives is a rights-based organisation offering a portfolio of programmes, research initiatives, publications, and advocacy services rather than a single product. The core offerings include person-centred planning and advocacy services for individuals in hospital settings, anti-racism programmes (Equal Treatment, Rights for All, Colour Between the Lines), health inequality work (Acute Liaison Nursing framework, Postural Care programme, Short Black n Sides), research partnerships with universities (Why are we stuck in hospital?, What Happens Next?, Minority Interest, 200 Lives), and arts projects (Front and Centre, Common Ground). Publications include the Ordinary Life Stories series and Quality of Life Standards frameworks. The organisation also runs current campaigns such as Windrush Through the Senses, Chai Mithai and Challenging Myths, and Beyond the Stigma. All work is underpinned by coproduction principles and the social model of disability.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Person-Centred Planning, Advocacy and Facilitation Services A three-strand service for people with learning disabilities and autistic people in hospital settings, providing person-centred planning, advocacy, and facilitation to support transition from hospital into their own homes.
- A Uniform Approach (Acute Liaison Nursing Competency Framework) National competency framework and toolkit for Learning Disability Acute Liaison Nurses, commissioned by Health Education England (now part of NHS England), designed to improve health outcomes for people with learning disabilities across NHS trusts.
- Equal Treatment An anti-racist training programme funded by NHSE England, aimed at people with a learning disability within self-advocacy organisations to develop practice addressing inequalities faced by people from minority ethnic communities.
- Rights for All A leadership development programme specifically designed to enable people from minority ethnic communities into leadership opportunities, with professional mentors and workshops on race, racism, and human rights.
- Colour Between the Lines An oral history project funded by the Heritage Lottery that documents the individual development and successes of disabled individuals from minority ethnic communities, accompanied by a short film and portrait series.
- Short Black n Sides A community-based project focusing on mental health of men from Black communities, including the Barbershop Stories online series that explores identity and mental health conversations.
- Postural Care Programme Programme addressing poor postural care for people with learning disabilities, including the digital Postural Care Passport tool and the Got My Back campaign commissioned by NHS England.
- Quality of Life Standards Publications used as tools to measure quality of life for disabled people, covering areas such as home, employment, communication, health, and safety.
- Why are we stuck in hospital? Research A two-year research study funded by NIHR with the University of Birmingham investigating why people with learning disabilities and autistic people spend prolonged periods in hospital.
- What Happens Next? Research Follow-up study (2025-2027) with the University of Birmingham exploring what supports work well for people discharged from in-patient settings, funded by NIHR School for Social Care.
- Minority Interest Research Research study (2024-2027) with Manchester Metropolitan University exploring cultural competency in support services for people with learning disabilities from minority ethnic communities, funded by NIHR.
- 200 Lives Research Research examining quality and costs of supported living and residential care for 200 adults with learning disabilities, in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University and LSE, funded by NIHR.
- Ordinary Life Stories Publication series co-authored with individuals documenting their life stories, celebrating what is possible when people have support to live the lives they want.
- Hospital to Home Series recording experiences of individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people who have left hospital settings, showcasing what is possible with the right support.
- Front and Centre A photography project celebrating individual personalities of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, featuring portraits by Katie Seymour exhibited at Ikon Gallery.
- Common Ground A community connecting project funded by Co-op Foundation tackling youth loneliness among young disabled people and those with mental health difficulties through arts and the 'Your new normal. My normal.' campaign.
- Windrush Through the Senses Sensory storytelling workshops for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities exploring Windrush history, funded by MHCLG Windrush Day Grant Scheme.
- Chai, Mithai and Challenging Myths Project using translated resources in Urdu and Punjabi and community conversations to break down barriers and open conversations about disability rights in South Asian communities.
- Beyond the Stigma Ongoing work challenging mental health taboos in South Asian communities through poetry and personal narratives.
Quantifiable outcome
- Achieved release of Kasibba after 45 years hospital detention including 25 years in Long Term Segregation
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Changing Our Lives
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Changing Our Lives technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Changing Our Lives partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, minor and major.
- University of BirminghamcoreLong-term research partnership on multiple studies including 'Why are we stuck in hospital?' funded by NIHR and 'What Happens Next?' exploring post-discharge support. Partnership involves joint working with University of Birmingham Law School on rights of people with learning disabilities in hospital.
- Manchester Metropolitan University Centre for Disability ResearchcorePartnership on 200 Lives research examining quality and costs of supported living and residential care for adults with learning disabilities. Also partner on Minority Interest study exploring cultural competency in services for people with learning disabilities from minority ethnic communities.
- Ikon Gallery BirminghamflagshipLongstanding partnership on arts projects including 'Why are we stuck in hospital?' installation by Foka Wolf (2023) and 'Front and Centre' photography exhibition (2025). Installation also toured to SITE Gallery Sheffield and Fabrica Brighton.
- National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi)corePartner in 200 Lives research and Minority Interest study. Jackie and Siraaj featured in NDTi's 'Talking Inclusion' podcast discussing research findings.
- London School of EconomicscoreResearch partner on 200 Lives project examining quality and costs of supported living and residential care for adults with learning disabilities.
- Foka WolfflagshipBirmingham-based artist and activist commissioned to produce art installation 'Why are we stuck in hospital?' responding to research findings. Installation at Ikon Gallery March 2023, toured to Sheffield and Brighton.
- Camden Integrated Learning Disability Service (CLDS)flagshipSix-year partnership working to achieve Kasibba's release from hospital after 45 years detention. Team won Overall Social Work Team of the Year 2022. Partnership demonstrates organization's approach to working with individuals others deem 'too complex'.
- Saxon Hill AcademyminorSpecialist school for disabled young people collaborated on development of digital Postural Care Passport with input from students and families.
- Black Cultural ArchivesmajorHouses archive of publications and photographs relating to intersection between disability and ethnicity. Venue for Colour Between the Lines launch in 2022.
- Wolverhampton Art GalleryminorHosted online gallery exhibition of Common Ground 'Your New Normal. My Normal' art campaign by young disabled people.
- Katie SeymourmajorPhotographer and Associate of Changing Our Lives who created portrait series for 'Front and Centre' project celebrating people with profound and multiple learning disabilities.
- Dr Vanley BurkeminorCelebrated photographer who opened 'Front and Centre' exhibition at Ikon Gallery in April 2025, renowned for capturing diverse communities.
- SITE Gallery SheffieldminorTour venue for 'Why are we stuck in hospital?' art installation following Ikon Gallery Birmingham.
- Fabrica BrightonminorTour venue for 'Why are we stuck in hospital?' art installation.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Changing Our Lives competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Inclusion London: London-based Deaf and Disabled people's organisation providing advocacy, policy and rights-based services. Comparable rights-based, coproduction-led advocacy model in the disability space.
- National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi): UK charity focused on rights, inclusion and independence for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. Direct peer — partnered with Changing Our Lives on the 200 Lives and Minority Interest studies, and featured its staff on the NDTi 'Talking Inclusion' podcast.
- Values into Action: Small UK rights-based charity advocating for people with learning disabilities and their families to live ordinary lives — the closest direct counterpart to Changing Our Lives in mission and approach.
- British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD): UK charity working to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities through training, publications and policy. Overlap with Changing Our Lives' training, publications and quality-of-life frameworks.
- Disability Rights UK: National UK charity led by disabled people that campaigns for equality, rights and inclusion through policy, research and advocacy. Comparable mission and methods, with broader disability scope rather than a learning-disability specialism.
- Learning Disability England: A national membership organisation of people with learning disabilities, families and allies advocating for rights, inclusion and policy change in England. Directly comparable rights-based advocacy remit and target population.
Broad incumbents
- United Response: Larger national charity providing supported living, advocacy and community-based services for people with learning disabilities and mental health needs. Broader service portfolio but overlapping target population and advocacy components.
- Sense: Major UK disability charity supporting people with complex disabilities including learning disabilities and autism. Comparable rights-based advocacy and research outputs but with much broader disability scope.
- Hft (Home Farm Trust): Established national charity supporting people with learning disabilities through housing, support services and policy advocacy. Operates at greater scale and a more service-delivery orientation than Changing Our Lives.
Emerging players
- Respond: UK charity supporting people with learning disabilities and autism who have experienced abuse, trauma or placed-at-risk situations — adjacent rights-based advocacy space with overlapping beneficiary group.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Changing Our Lives social profiles
Digital presenceChanging Our Lives financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Changing Our Lives leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Changing Our Lives funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Changing Our Lives M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Changing Our Lives
What does Changing Our Lives do?
Changing Our Lives is a rights-based charity that provides person-centred planning, advocacy, and facilitation services for people with learning disabilities and autistic people trapped in hospital settings, supporting them to move into their own homes. It also delivers commissioned national frameworks (notably the Acute Liaison Nursing competency framework 'A Uniform Approach'), partnered university research on hospital detentions and supported living, anti-racism training programmes, publications such as Ordinary Life Stories and Hospital to Home, and arts projects influencing national policy and practice.
Is Changing Our Lives a public or private company?
Changing Our Lives is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Changing Our Lives founded?
Changing Our Lives was founded in 2002. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Changing Our Lives based?
Changing Our Lives is headquartered in Sheffield, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Changing Our Lives make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government/Public Funding is the primary driver. The others are charitable Foundation Grants and research Partnership Funding.
Who are Changing Our Lives's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Inclusion London, National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi), Values into Action, British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD), Disability Rights UK and Learning Disability England. Broad incumbents are United Response, Sense and Hft (Home Farm Trust). Respond is listed as an emerging player.
Does Changing Our Lives have an API?
No public API is recorded for Changing Our Lives.
What industry is Changing Our Lives in?
Changing Our Lives's product category is Disability Advocacy and Social Care Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLADALAD, Transitions of Care Management (Hospital/SNF/Home), with a secondary code of HSABAIAC, Care Transitions Management (Hospital/SNF-to-Home). Its NAICS code is 62412 and its SIC code is 8300.