Jane Friswell explores our commitment to improving how people experience key changes in their lives, such as moving between services or life stages.
Our new three year strategy explains how we will deliver this promise.
Jane is an NDTi board member, parent carer, independent education consultant and advocate.
NDTi knows that services and supports work best when they are built on people’s rights, relationships, and lived experience, supported by good evidence and a clear understanding of value.
Change is one of the few constants in life. People move between services, enter new life stages, and navigate transitions that can feel exciting, overwhelming, or deeply personal. These moments shape who we are becoming, and they deserve care, clarity, and compassion.
Our commitment is simple but powerful, to make every transition feel supported, human, and full of possibility.
How we show our commitment
- Putting people at the centre.
- Building confidence.
- Being present, not just available.
- Designing for real lives.
- Helping people see possibility.
Example:
At NDTi, we created Time to Talk Next Steps because too many young people and their family carers were facing big moments of transition alone.
Our supporters work online with young people and their families, offering flexible, creative sessions based on what matters most to the young person. They combine practical tools with rights‑based, relational approaches to help young people prepare for adulthood in a way that builds confidence, self‑esteem, and resilience.
Our purpose is simple: To inspire hope, build confidence and help young people take steps toward the future they choose.
At the heart of every transition is a person with hopes, worries, questions, and goals. We listen deeply, seek to understand lived experiences, and codesign with empathy rather than assumptions.
Transitions are emotional as well as practical.
- Change can feel daunting, but it can also be empowering. Our approach focuses on offering clear, practical guidance.
- Designing thoughtful, seamless transitions.
- Providing supportive touchpoints so people never feel alone.
- Respecting personal choice.
When people feel informed and supported, they move forward with confidence and ownership of their next chapter.
People’s lives are complex, busy, and beautifully varied. Our commitment includes designing experiences that flex around real circumstances, not perfect scenarios.
We consider:
- Different levels of digital confidence.
- Cultural and personal differences.
- Emotional realities behind major life changes.
- Accessibility needs and inclusive design principles.
By honouring the full spectrum of human experience, we create transitions that feel respectful, dignified, and genuinely supportive.
Example:
Over a period of eight years, NDTi has collected a growing body of evidence that shows the value of Community Led Support (CLS).
Community Led Support is based on a set of values and principles that are based on the simple ambition to ‘do the right thing’ for those of us who need support to live well, as independently as possible, with purpose and connection.
Community Led Support achieves results, but it is more than a change programme. It is a cultural shift that unleashes capacity and opportunity by working differently.
We want people to feel hopeful. Every transition, even the difficult ones, carries the potential for growth, renewal, and new beginnings. Our role is to help people recognise those possibilities by celebrating progress, building on strengths, and encouraging people to see change as a step forward.
Our promise
We are committed to making life’s transitions feel lighter, clearer, and more human.
Because every transition is more than a process.
It is a moment that shapes a life.
And people deserve to feel supported every step of the way.
NDTi wants a world where everyone matters, where all people, regardless of age or disability feel valued and included. Our work helps create opportunities for independence and choice for everyone.