Carers & Professionals
Is Nice to Meet Ya just a dating website?
We offer a friendship and relationship matching service and support members to develop those new relationships in a safe way. We are an entire community of events and activities where people with a Learning Disability or a neurodiverse condition can safely connect with others like them.
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How might Nice 2 Meet Ya help my autistic child, friend or loved one?
It can be difficult to support your child, friend or sibling, for instance, in making new friendships or to date – not because you do not want to support them but often because you have probably spent a long time trying hard to have their health or social care needs met and you might not be sure of the best way to help them in this area.
At Nice 2 Meet Ya, your loved one is in good hands! We aim to provide a safe space, promote self-care and increase self-esteem – helping members connect with people who share similar interests and this is merely the first step in helping them develop healthy friendships and relationships.
How much does it cost to become a member at Nice 2 Meet Ya and how can I pay?
We offer different annual subscription-based memberships which last for 12 months. The type of membership we offer to an individual will depend on what the individual hopes to achieve from accessing our service and will be determined during the application process. We offer interest free payment plans to help spread the cost of membership to any members who would find this helpful and we will consider discounts and free membership for individuals who would struggle to pay for their membership.
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The membership fee/ installment must be paid prior to becoming a member. We accept payment for membership by bank card, bank transfer, PayPal and cheque.
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Membership fees cover what is included in the membership packages.
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Sub-group meet ups and 1-1 Introductions will entail an additional cost outside of the membership cost. Members will need to pay for yourself themselves with anything arranged i.e. drink/ cinema, going out for lunch etc – and the other member will pay for themselves too.
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How do you help autistic people find the right match?
Members are matched based on their interests, personality and age, as well as their relationship goals. We work with members to build realistic relationship goals and support members to manage their expectations around meeting new people.
Our friendship and relationship matching process is the same whether someone is looking to make new friends or date as we feel that all good relationships start with friendship 😊
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Once I apply online, what happens next?
Once we have received your membership application, a member of our team will contact you to discuss your application and arrange a consultation with you.
![What Happens Next Nice 2 Meet Ya Process[9389].png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/828705_c5f95382d59f41cea37dd365c1318108~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_49,h_39,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/What%20Happens%20Next%20Nice%202%20Meet%20Ya%20Process%5B9389%5D.png)
What areas do you cover?
We’re currently the only friendship and relationship matching group in Hertfordshire helping adults who are Neurodiverse or those with Learning Disabilities find friendship and romance. We may also be able to help you become a member if you have other medical conditions or live outside of Hertfordshire. Please contact us to get started.
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How can we get started?
Individuals can sign up directly themselves via our website and we also take referrals from professionals via our application form on our website or by email – hello@nice2meetya.co.uk.
What safety and security checks do we carry out?
At Nice 2 Meet Ya, all staff and volunteers are DBS checked. Our staff and many of our volunteers have either personal or professional experience of living with or working with adults who have Learning Disabilities/ Neurodiverse conditions.
We are a non for profit. Our main aim is to reduce the feelings of loneliness and isolation felt by many people who have a learning disability or autism as well as other medical conditions. We believe that everyone has the right to explore new friendships and relationships in a safe and supported way. We believe that healthy relationships contribute to living a happier and more fulfilled life.
Our staff undergo ongoing training around friendships/ relationships and being safe in a sexual relationship to support members to develop and explore healthy and fulfilling connections. We work closely with qualified and reputable charities and organisations who can provide information and advice around sex and relationships to our members.
All new member applications follow the same process which includes meeting all new members, working closely with member families/ support/ medical teams (if appropriate for the person), obtaining a character/ supporting reference and collecting and confirming ID.
We risk assess events and introductions and provide personalised support to members who are working towards their friendship/ relationship goals.
Supported Living/ Care Homes
We are committed to working flexibly with carers and support workers, if there is something that we could do that would make our application process easier for the person you are supporting, please let us know. For example, if you have more than one resident/ service user who is considering signing up – we can arrange to visit them/ your offices if this would be helpful.
Why do we request a reference for each new member?
As part of our application process, we ask for a character/ supporting reference for all new member applications. This is required from a professional who knows the individual such as a doctor, care manager, support worker or social worker. This is to make sure that our group is suitable for them.
As a professional, you can support an application to join by providing a character/ supporting reference for an individual to join our group.
The character/ supporting reference letter needs to be written on headed paper or be sent from a work email address and sent to us at hello@nice2meetya.co.uk. It needs to confirm name and diagnosis, how long you have known the individual and in what capacity and it also needs to confirm that you feel that Nice 2 Meet Ya is an appropriate service for them.
What is the initial Consultation process?
We meet all new members and this can be arranged at a venue that the person can travel to or we can arrange to meet the person where they live if this would be helpful. These usually last about one hour. These are informal and potential members do not need to worry about bringing anything or being required to do anything specific during the consultation meeting.
Additional/ Personalised Support
We are pleased to be able to offer additional 1-1 support to any members who feel that they might benefit from this. This support is an optional extra which can be added to a member’s annual membership package, and it can be personalised to the individual depending on their needs.
We have found that some members benefit from additional support outside of their membership. This can be spent flexibly working together directly covering specific subjects relevant to the individual. For example, discussing and working through issues/ past incidents that might be holding members back or going over any group workshop content directly rather than in a group or just building on their profile, friendship or relationship goals. Additional support is carried out by an assigned member of the N2MY staff and can be arranged remotely over Zoom, or face to face.
Extra 1-1 support is charged at £25 per hour plus venue fee and can be arranged on a one-off, ad-hoc or regular basis. Please get in touch with us if this is something that you or someone you care for might be interested in.