Acting differently unlocks potential
Inclusion is complex and touches every part of our lives.
This is Sue's mindmap from her own family experience when you put inclusion at the heart of everything
What does inclusion mean to you,
your family, your school, business or organisation?
Have you ever felt left out?
Have you looked on helplessly whilst others are excluded?
How do we embrace and value every person?
When we embed inclusion in all our lives, you matter, I matter, he/she matters - equally.
An inclusive world is a happier world
Jen is a dancer. Yet so often in her life she has been labelled as her disability.
We have been defined as a disabled family and all the challenges and assumptions that go with that.
We believe it's possible to embrace every person for who they are no matter the label or perception, by society.
Together, we can break down barriers and ensure inclusion is at the heart of everything we do.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), have become the buzz words every organization wants to be able to sign up to, but how many are truly inclusive?
When we unlock potential people thrive. None of us know what’s possible when we truly show people they matter, embrace them whatever their label or perceived ability. We’ve learnt that when we give people the right opportunities and the right support they are enabled to live purposeful, joyous and fulfilling lives. We believe this is possible for everyone.
When Inclusion is the starting point, everyone belongs. Equity exists when every person contributes what they can, taking what they need to be their best self and to nourish their soul. Diversity is a given when your leaders have learning disabilities.
We know it’s possible to build inclusion at the heart of families and organisations. We’ve done it and the results are immense for all of us, our extended families and the communities that are witnessing people with learning disabilities as role models for what’s possible.
We yearn for a society where inclusion doesn’t need to be spoken about because every person is already included. The model already exists within DanceSyndrome and it is joyous and impacts and ripples in so many ways, with no barriers to what’s possible for each person who engages.
Articles and thoughts around inclusion and our experience of inclusive practice
Is this the single largest inexcusable travesty of the 21st Century?
Inclusion, Learning Disability, Thinking DifferentlyDear Jo Public Is this the single largest inexcusable travesty of the 21st Century? What do you know, or choose to know? Do you care? I live in a world where injustices are metered out as commonplace where inequalities are the accepted...
Championing social change
Art of the Possible, Awards, Inclusion, Thinking Differently, award, inclusion in action, social changeI’m honoured to be recognised as a finalist for “20 years a Social Enterprise Champion” in Selnet Ltd awards, and to have been nominated for the SMK Lifetime Achievement award. I have always championed social change, challenging assumpti...
Humanity rising – the power of love
Art of the Possible, Inclusion, Learning Disability, Living life, Opportunity, Thinking Differently, dance, dominica, encounter, humanity rising, loveThese past couple of weeks have been amazing, a microcosm of our world in theory and in practice. We have embraced risk and opportunity, we have committed to each other and travelled the miles, inspired and impacted unsuspecting others...
DanceSyndrome 17 years on
Art of the Possible, Inclusion, Jen, Learning Disability, Living life, Thinking Differently, award winning, belonging, dancesyndrome, living lifeThank you for noticing and for your congratulations! Can it really be 17 years since we took those first faltering steps towards the birth of DanceSyndrome? Like so many decisions it was driven by necessity. Jen’s world was crumbli...
Choosing your path
Art of the Possible, Inclusion, Learning Disability, Living life, Thinking Differently, choice, choose your path, learning disabilityI shall always remember the very first time we visited and fell in love with Guernsey. Aft clambering over rocks we were resting and admiring the view from the alluring coast path, Jen gurgling happily in a kangaroo carrier as Malcolm ...
Exclusion or Inclusion?
Inclusion, Learning Disability, Thinking Differently, exclusion, inclusion, inclusion matters, learning disability, living life with learning disabilityWe all have choices in life. But sometimes society, our community or situations are created unequal. Sometimes, people are excluded, or included, because of the colour of their skin, their gender, their finances, where they were born or ...
Jen’s summer months – in her own words
Art of the Possible, Carers, in her words, Inclusion, Jen, Learning Disability, Living life, family life, inclusion matters, living life with learning disabilityI hope you had a lovely summer. I did. I’m loving my life, just being me. I’m having a blast! The July community showcase of my charity DanceSyndrome was just amazing. All my dancers were together in one space. Everyone shone in ...
Sharing and impacting in Europe
Art of the Possible, Inclusion, Jen, Learning Disability, Opportunity, Thinking Differently, EAMHID, empower, inclusion, inclusion in action, learning disability, the power of danceWe’ve just returned back to the UK buoyed up by a fabulous experience at #EAMHID25 in Ghent where Jen and the DanceSyndrome dancers made a significant contribution. Not only did they have an opportunity to deliver a solicited symposium...
Inclusion Awareness Week – Now is the time
Art of the Possible, Inclusion, Opportunity, Thinking Differently, inclusion, inclusion matters, thinking differentlyInclusion rocks! Inclusion is key to happiness. Most of us have experienced exclusion at some time in our lives. Just imagine if that was the norm, if you were routinely left out. How would you feel? What would you have to live for? Why ...
A ‘service user’ summer
Art of the Possible, Carers, Inclusion, Learning Disability, Living life, Thinking Differently, carers, holiday, learning disability, thinking differentlyHow was it for you? Your summer holiday that is. Hopefully you’re restored, refreshed, relaxed, reinvigorated. It’s important isn’t it. That break we all value so much, plan ahead of time, secure the dates in the work calenda...