Life Vital Academy LTD

Understanding Human Experience: What Does It Take for a Human to Truly Reach Out? is a fully CPD-accredited summit held at the world-renowned Durham University, exploring the psychological, social and biological factors that influence whether people seek help, speak up, connect with others or remain silent. With contributions from Professor Fuschia Sirois, Dr Michael Priestley and Dr Marco Bocchio, the event will explore common humanity, self-compassion, procrastination, gender norms, wellbeing, help-seeking, and emerging research into psychedelic and non-psychedelic treatments for depression, anxiety and mental health conditions. Alongside academic insight, the summit will include lived experience of living with a mental health condition, offering a powerful human perspective on what it means to struggle, delay, withdraw, reach out and recover. This event is designed for professionals who work with, lead, care for or support people, offering a deeper understanding of the experiences that sit behind behaviour and the conditions that make genuine connection possible. Hosted at Durham University, the summit is easily accessible for delegates travelling from across North East England, including Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, Gateshead, Teesside and the wider County Durham area, and is a fully accredited CPD conference North East England and surrounding areas.

The conference provides a structured programme of evidence-informed learning, focusing on contemporary challenges in safeguarding, care delivery, and multi-agency working. Central to the event is a keynote address from Professor Carlene Firmin MBE, a leading academic and the originator of Contextual Safeguarding, whose work has significantly influenced safeguarding practice across the UK. Her session will explore how harm can occur beyond the family home, and how services can adapt their approaches to better reflect the realities faced by young people. In addition to the keynote, the summit will feature a series of expert-led sessions delivered by experienced professionals and subject matter specialists. These sessions are designed to translate theory into practice, equipping attendees with practical tools, frameworks, and approaches that can be implemented within their own organisational contexts. The event has been developed to support cross-sector collaboration, recognising that complex social issues require coordinated, multi-disciplinary responses. Attendees will have opportunities to engage with peers, share experiences, and reflect on current practice, strengthening both individual capability and collective understanding. Participants will gain up to 6 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD), with clear learning outcomes aligned to improving professional knowledge, critical thinking, and applied practice. The Vital Skills Summit aims not only to enhance individual competence, but also to contribute to the ongoing development of safer, more responsive systems of care within Jersey.