Who We Are

Stand North Wales was formed by Yvonne Brookes and Sarah McCulloch as a not for profit Community Interest Company in response to the closure of organisations representing families of children and young adults with SLCN, Additional Needs and Disabilities in North Wales.

The definition of stand is:

“Stronger Together for Additional Needs and Disabilities” in North Wales.

Meet the team at STAND North Wales CIC:

Yvonne Brookes: Director STAND North Wales CIC and family worker

I set up STAND North Wales CIC with Sarah McCulloch in April 2018.  STAND is a parent-led organisation that recognises that families with children with additional needs and disabilities need to have a voice in their community, feel supported and empowered to be able to support their child to reach their true potential.
I have been working with families for over 15 years.  My previous role was as the North Wales development officer for AFASIC Cymru, a National charity working with families of children with developmental language disorders.  I have experience of supporting families and managing projects that offer families support and enhance the skills of the professionals supporting them. I am married with 3 children, 2 dogs, and 2 cats and enjoy walking and traveling.

Samantha Inglis: Administrator

I’m Sam. I’ve worked for STAND North Wales CIC since 2018; initially hosting the Board Games club but now working in an administration role.
In previous roles I have been a content writer, support tutor and Civil Servant.
Being able to help people makes me happy, which is why I love working for STAND; I know what we do to support our families makes a difference to them and their lives.

In my spare time you can usually find me doing something creative like drawing, baking or writing.

Ann Smith: Lead Sessional and Youth Worker and Advisory Board member

My name is Ann and I am a lead part time sessional worker for STAND NW CIC. I plan and deliver social sessions for our adult members with learning disabilities and also work with young people on our online Youth Zone.
I also sit on the advisory board.
Through the sessions I deliver with my colleagues I like to promote wellbeing and a sense of warmth and welcome to the groups. I want people to feel safe and comfortable at our sessions.
I have kept in touch with my Youth Worker roots and if time allows I also work as a Quality Mark Assessor for Youth Work in Wales and Youth Work Tutor.
I have lived most of my life in Wales and this is where the majority of my family live.  Family keeps me busy and I love spending time with everyone.

Sophy Davies-Jarvis: Early Years Sessional Worker and Advisory Board Member

Hello my name is Sophy Davies-Jarvis and I live in Denbighshire with my son, husband and cat. I am the Early Years Sessional Worker supporting the Early Years work within STAND North Wales CIC. I’ve been involved with STAND North Wales CIC as a parent since they formed and have been lucky enough to attend numerous training and courses that STAND have organised which have been highly beneficial to myself and my family.
I feel very passionate about the values that STAND represents for families of children and young adults with additional needs, SCLN and disabilities. I hope that I can make a positive impact within my role on the advisory board representing parents / carers of children with additional needs and or disabilities as well as within the Early Years work that we carry out.

Ceri Rowett: Sessional Worker

I am a sessional worker for STAND North Wales CIC doing the adult sessions and others when needed. I have a background and passion in singing and dancing and also love to bake, I find all of these good for wellbeing. I love sharing my hobbies with whoever I’m around within my work and have previously worked in nurseries and play roles. Meeting and working with all of the adults is lovely and sharing and learning from them makes the job so rewarding. 

Jenni Griffin: Advisory Board member

My name is Jenni and I live in Denbighshire.  I’m a mum of one.  My son is 13 years old, non verbal, has learning disabilities and is on the ASD spectrum.  He attends the county ALN school, where I am on the PTA.  Everyday has a challenge or two!  But I wouldn’t swap it.
As a family we were introduced to Afasic, through a speech therapist.  Afasic helped our family in so many ways, advocacy, socializing with similar families, attending their training sessions and seminars etc.  So when Afasic finished and Yvonne and Sarah started STAND North Wales CIC, my family and myself wanted to support their amazing work, so that other families and our own can still access this invaluable service.  

Kara Monkiewicz : Advisory Board member

Hi, my name is Kara and I’m a parent carer for my son who has ASD and dyspraxia.
STAND have been a huge support to me and my family. I felt I could give something back by becoming a board member, utilising my skills from personal experience and my professional background in nursing.

Sarah McCulloch: Director of STAND North Wales CIC and family worker

I have worked supporting families for many years.  My past role was working as the Family Learning Coordinator for Flintshire County Council before becoming self employed supporting families as a Peep (Parent Early Education Partnership) Practitioner developing early language skills through play.
I am passionate in supporting families. especially families with children with additional needs and disabilities.

I am married and have two children, one of which has autism, a chromosome disorder and speech and language difficulties.  I like trying new crafts, walking and spending time with my family and friends.

Mel Davies: Family support worker for Conwy and Denbighshire, Learning Disabilities and Complex Needs

My name is Mel Davies and I’m a Youth and Community worker. I’ve worked for 23 years with families, children and young people in a variety of roles for charities and local authorities. My posts have covered welfare rights, participation, children’s rights, managing and coordinating support services and criminal justice. I am a firm believer in advocating and supporting families to have their voices and needs heard across services and empowering families to do this. I love spending time with my family and friends and I’m a massive music fan I love walking and I love animals with 2 cats that own me! I am really excited to join STAND NW and am looking forward to meeting you all and getting to know you. 

Oliver Gittins: Youth Community Engagement Officer

My name’s Oliver, my role within STAND is the Youth Engagement Officer and Adult Sessional Worker. I run our Youth Councils which are led by our young people, who actively want to make change for individuals with ALNs and disabilities within their communities. I also assist with the Adult Social and Wellbeing activities. I’ve always wanted to help people within the community and working alongside the fantastic team at STAND, I have been provided that opportunity.
I like to keep myself active and start my days off in the gym. On weekends I enjoy escaping into the beautiful areas around North Wales and most likely find me up a mountain.  

Julie Meese: Community, Engagement and Participation Officer – Conwy and 
Denbighshire 

My name’s Julie, my role within STAND is the Community, Engagement and participation Officer. My role includes identifying barriers in the community working with parents of children with ALN and disabilities, Adults with ALN or disabilities and various agencies in the community, working together, to make positive change for a more inclusive community. I also run the parent forums: STAND for Change groups in both Denbighshire and Conwy, working with parents who come together to make positive changes within the communities. I also assist in Parent support groups and with the under 5’s group for ALN children.

I am a mother of two and in my spare time I like spending time with my family, going for walks and trying to complete the C25K

Rose Richards: Advisory Board

My name is Rose Richards. I was brought up and live in North Wales. I speak Welsh as my second language. I retired in 2016 after working for 30 years in Social Care, supporting children and parents experiencing difficulties. As a child I experienced what it was like to grow up with a brother who had a lifelong disability. As an adult, both my children were diagnosed with an inherited blood disorder. As parents, we had to learn to manage our son’s disability in order for them to both go on to lead independent, full and active lives. In 2015 I became a grandparent for the first time to my grandson. Unfortunately he was born with an undetected vocal cord disfunction which resulted in him having a tracheostomy at 3 weeks old. It was from this point that I was introduced to a whole new world of living with a child with a speech and language difficulty. STAND offered me the support, advice and Makaton training which enabled me to gain the confidence and skill to help him reach his potential and feel connected to his whole family and community.

Leanne Groves: Advisory Board

Personally and most importantly, I am a proud parent of two children, one of which has complex additional needs. My daughter Isabella (Izzy) has an ultra-rare orphan syndrome and was diagnosed 11 years ago.  At this particularly low point in my life I searched for help, answers and support in what our future as a family may hold with a child with both neurological and physical disabilities and found very little. Being involved with STAND allows me to assist others who maybe in a similar situation.
I believe individuals with additional needs and disabilities should have the same life options as typically developing individuals and will endeavour to strive for public acceptance and valued roles within communities.
Professionally I am a specialist nurse which is very hard work but very rewarding.
I enjoy socialising with my family and friends, I love my garden and animals….. all when time allows!

Nicola Jacovelli: Advisory Board member

Hi my name is Nicola and I live in Denbighshire. 
I have two children, one with ADHD age 9 and one on the ASD Pathway age 3.
I currently work from home for a private GP practise and my children attend mainstream nursery and school. 
I have a Degree in Business & Management and have attended courses with STAND including the Early Bird and Baby Makaton.
I joined STAND towards the end of 2022 and haven’t looked back. 
The support and guidance I’ve had from STAND families has given me the drive to help others. 
In my spare time (very little) I enjoy reading and listening to music. 
I’m very excited to join the STAND family and hope I can be a voice for you all

STAND North Wales CIC TRaining Partners

Nicola Harris: Makaton Tutor

My name is Nicola and I live in Denbighshire with my husband and 2 children. I worked in a school with children and young people with ALN for 20 years. I started as a nursery nurse and then in 2015 became the communication coordinator supporting all things communication. I became a Makaton Tutor in 2010 and have loved teaching staff, pupils and their families to communicate using Makaton signs and symbols.

Jo Price: Behaviour Specialist

Jo qualified from Edge Hill University with a first class degree in Behavioural analysis and intervention (B.Sc)
She has specialised in the field of Autism and Learning Disabilities for 15 years where she has worked in specialist education and residential provisions.
She is passionate about Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) , ensuring the quality of services provided by various organisations to people with a learning disability are maintained to a high standard and the prevention and reduction of restrictive practices in schools.
She works part time as PBS Education Lead for the British Institute of Learning disabilities (Bild) and we are pleased to have her join us at STAND as a Behaviour Specialist where she will be supporting our families on a consultancy basis and providing us with regular bespoke training with themes identified by our parents.
 

Gwenan Roberts: Mindfulness MSc. MA. Dip RCSLT

Gwenan worked in the National Health Service as a highly specialist speech language therapist and manager for 36 years. There she worked with children and adults with intellectual disabilities, autism, complex needs, young offenders and individuals who
exhibited challenging behaviour. Since her retirement from the NHS, she has completed an MA in Mindfulness Based Approaches at Bangor University as well as her certificate of competence in teaching MBSR and MBCT. She has recently taught mindfulness courses to parents of children with additional learning needs, North Wales Police, Welsh Government, Local Government,Natural Resources Wales and provides Mindfulness 8-week courses in Welsh over Zoom.
Together with Dr Steve Noone she has developed a bespoke programme for parents of individuals with additional needs ‘ Living with stress and avoiding burnout’. She is a Board Member of Meddylgarwch Cymru / Mindfulness Wales. Gwenan is a fluent Welsh Speaker and works in Welsh and English, adhering to Best Practice Guidelines for Mindfulness Teachers.