Robbie’s goodbye - and introducing Kate!
Posted by
Josie Barnshaw
on 1st September 2010
at 12:59
Hi Robbie
It will be so sad to "see" you go, but I do hope you enjoy your next challenge. Hope you can manage to pop in and out and visit us here and see what we are getting up to!!!
Look forward to meeting Kate as well.
Josie - Community Champion
Posted by
Elena - former Community Manager
on 1st September 2010
at 13:00
Hi Robbie, what sad news for us - but what an awesome new opportunity you will be having! I hope you will enjoy the new role at Shelter. We will really miss you here - thanks for all the opporunities you've given us to feed into important research and for keeping us all updated on new developments.
We'll look forward to meeting Kate! From the sound of things she's going to be a fab addition to our community.
Robbie, best of luck to you and hope we'll hear from you again before you go! : )
Elena
Posted by
Kate Williams
on 1st September 2010
at 13:58
Hello,
I thought I’d say ‘Hi’ on the back of Robbie’s post. I’m Kate – the new Policy and Parliamentary Manager here at TreeHouse.
I’m really looking forward to being involved in the forum! I can’t wait to hear your views about what we should be campaigning for, and find out about your experiences so that we can tell decision makers what needs to change for young people with autism and their families.
Most of all, I look forward to keeping you updated about how your views are helping to change decision-makers’ minds, and influence policy for the better.
I know Robbie will be hugely missed, and I can assure you I’m trying to absorb as much of his knowledge as possible whilst he’s still here!
I’ll be back in touch soon to ask what you think we should be saying to politicians at the upcoming political Party Conferences, but in the meantime feel free to get in touch.
All best wishes,
Kate
Kate Williams
Policy and Parliamentary Manager
TreeHouse
Posted by
Elena - former Community Manager
on 1st September 2010
at 14:29
A warm welcome to you, Kate! Let us know if there's anything we can help you find around here! Looking forward to seeing you around.
Posted by
Josie Barnshaw
on 1st September 2010
at 15:06
Hi Kate
Welcome to the forum (and to Treehouse). Hope you are settling in OK and look forward to hearing more from you later.
:)
Josie - Community Champion
Posted by
bumblebee
on 1st September 2010
at 18:44
Hi Robbie,
Its so sad you are leaving...I wish you all the best in your new role and hope to bump into you somewhere in the future...maybe parliament again when Hollie is an MP!
Hi Kate,
Welcome! I hope you settle in ok and please let us know if we can help at all....
Claire - Community Champion
Posted by
Snowdrop
on 1st September 2010
at 20:00
Hi Robbie - good luck in your new job, Im sure it will work out well for you even though its sad to see you go!
Hi Kate & welcome, I look forward to hearing more from you in the future.
Tracy - Community Champion
Posted by
Kate Williams
on 2nd September 2010
at 08:47
Thanks Elena, Josie, Claire and Tracy - I look forward to hearing from you all too!
Kate
Kate Williams
Policy and Parliamentary Manager
TreeHouse
Posted by
Robbie de Santos
on 2nd September 2010
at 08:57
Hello all,
Thank you for your kind words - I will try to pop in from time to time, and I'm sure my colleagues at TreeHouse will give me a prod if any housing issues come up!
Claire - if Hollie stands for Parliament, I'd love to help out on her campaign! Let me know when and where and I'll be there!
Robbie
Policy and Parliamentary Officer
TreeHouse
Posted by
bumblebee
on 2nd September 2010
at 15:48
Great news, thank you Robbie! I'll let her know :0)
Claire - Community Champion
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Posted by
Robbie de Santos
on 1st September 2010
at 11:04
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to let you all know that I am going to be leaving my job at TreeHouse and my last day will be Friday 10 September. I will be taking up a job in the policy team at Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity.
Although I am excited about new challenges at Shelter, I will be sad to leave TreeHouse. It has been amazing working here and I have met so many inspiring people - but especially the children and young people with autism and their parents and all of you on the forum. You have taught me some really important lessons about understanding autism, the barriers that a lack of understanding of autism can present, and the significant contribution that all members of society can make with the right support and the right opportunities.
I’ve also learned about the power of the internet as a way of bringing people together, but also to inform Government policy – the ideas and insights that I have gained from you have helped to make our responses to Government policy so much stronger. I hope that I will always be able to reflect on the experiences that you have shared and in future policy roles think “well, how will this work for people with autism and their families?”.
The good news is that Kate Williams has joined TreeHouse as Policy and Parliamentary Manager and will be introducing herself to the forum shortly and is looking forward to getting to know you, finding out about your experiences and what you want to see improve in autism education. Kate has previously worked for the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign and the Council for Disabled Children and has lots of experience campaigning for a better future for disabled children and their families.
Kate and I have been working really hard to make sure that she has all the information she needs from me about autism and policy issues and about the invaluable relationships we have with children and young people with autism their parents and members of the forum. I’ll be around for the next two weeks so please do ask any questions while I am still here!
Best wishes,
Robbie