We chatted with Adam, about what inclusion and being part of the Include community means to him. When Adam joined, he felt a bit anxious, taking those first, tentative steps into something new.
Since joining, Adam has taken on new responsibilities at choir rehearsals, like directing and filming the sign of the week videos and it’s been wonderful to see his confidence grow week after week.
Adam tell us what inclusion means to him
Question: “What does inclusion mean to you?”
Answer: “Inclusion to me means knowing that I feel welcome at Include and feel happy to be a part of it”
Empowering Adam during Choir sessions
Question: “What do you do at Include?”
Answer: “Each week at the break I video people who are taking part in doing the sign of the week and I direct them. I also, after the break, help with the slides on the computer.”
Overcoming anxiety and building confidence
Question: “What was it like when you first started coming to Include and has it changed since then?”
Answer: “I felt a bit anxious joining Include because I hadn’t been to something like this before. It has changed in that I’m doing more tasks than I used to do. I also feel more confident.”
Learning new skills
Question:“What do you like about Include and what have you learned?”
Answer: “I like having a sense of achievement afterwards. I have learnt how to do some signs, I have also learned about how to do the video for the sign of the week.”
Adam’s words remind us how important it is to build those communication bridges, to give everyone a voice and a place to belong 💙
Most people know about the people with Include who are up on stage and in public. We want to shine a light on the wonderful people who make a huge difference to Include from behind the scenes, remote working, or with us for a short-term project.
Eglantine is in her third year studying English literature at the University of Brighton and hopes to work in the publishing industry when she graduates. She admires the work Include does and spent her summer break here as an intern.
Exciting prospect
“I first heard of the summer internship through my university and the careers team helped me with my CV and interview skills. There were many things that made the prospect of interning with Include very exciting, but the primary attraction was the opportunity to make a difference.
I have multiple family members with autism, including my younger sister Maddison. I know the importance of community support and I was excited to help Include in their goal to deliver this to those who need it. It was also a great opportunity to gain work experience and develop skills like researching and working as a part of a team.
Gathering feedback
Many of my tasks were research-based, such as collecting and comprehensively writing up data that could help Include in developing its *case for support (see below). I also had the opportunity to talk to and get opinions from members, carers and volunteers, which I really enjoyed.
Click arrow for an description of ‘case for support’
Case for support refers to a well evidenced written document detailing the problems in society that Include helps with, related data, research and facts, solutions the charity offers, the impact of the projects that Include runs, and an explanation of what’s needed to sustain and grow the work and impact.
One of the highlights was having a chance to speak to so many different people and realising the level of consideration and collaboration that goes into supporting people with communication needs, and the real difference Include makes in people’s lives. Each person stressed what a significant difference the choir sessions made for those attending.
Rewarding experience
My internship with Include was an incredibly rewarding experience. Everyone I worked with was kind, welcoming and generous with their time. The team created such a supportive environment that I always felt comfortable asking questions or seeking feedback. It was clear just how passionate everyone is about Include’s goals and the positive impact it has on the community.
Looking back, my time at Include was both a professional and personal learning journey. I developed valuable skills in communication, researching and teamwork, as well as a stronger sense of understanding for those with communication needs and the people who love them.
I am incredibly grateful for the experience and would recommend Include as a charity to anyone in a heartbeat.“
If you are interested in discussing Internship opportunities with Include, please email info@include.org or to apply for a volunteering role you can use this form .
As we approach 2026 – the year Include will turn ten, we wanted to hear from Ellie, one of our founding members.
She reflects on the people and experiences that have been a big part of the last 9 years, and her ideas for 2026.
“It’s important for people to know Include and the choir.
I am the longest member of the choir!” says Ellie.
“Ellie enjoyed coming to the choir right from the outset. She had learnt Makaton signs when she was a toddler and they had helped her speak. She took to singing with signing straight away,” adds Sue, Ellie’s Mum.
Ellie continues; “one of my favourite memories is when it was my birthday and I was with my Mum at Redhill train station the choir was there to sing Christmas carols for people to hear. They all stopped and sang Happy Birthday to me!”
Sue says; “Ellie enjoys the social side of the choir and being part of a group. She likes to help and become involved. They enjoy performing in many settings but we always enjoy Christmas at the Belfry.”
“I am busy, but I always want to go to Include, says Ellie.
I do Bloomin’ Arts in the day on Wednesdays and then Include Choir in the evening. Tuesdays I do Bloomin’ Arts all day, then Include Champions on Zoom in the evening.”
Choir best bits
“I like the month song – I remind Alix to do the month song at choir. It’s a tradition I like.
I also like it when we have a choir dress-up theme at rehearsals for something like Halloween.
We used to do a choir newsletter with everyone’s news- I liked that.
One year Alix had song dice – and the sides of the dice had pictures representing different songs on. Like “Make your own kind of music”.
Also, the paperchain song – I like that one and I enjoyed making the giant paperchain in The Belfry shopping Centre. I took my friend and family to see the paperchain in the Belfry.
I like performing with the choir. I like Run Reigate – that’s a good one.
I have got loads of memories with Include.”
Sue adds; “Once the Include Choir sang in a concert with two other choirs and I joined the Bletchingley Community choir as a result.”
Never forget
Some choir members can’t come anymore as they have sadly passed away.
“I knew Sai from East Surrey College – we went to college together.
I would sit next to Sai at Choir sometimes. We would talk together sometimes, me and Sai. His parents gave me cuddles, they did, when they came to the choir Big Sing.
One of the ways that we remember Sai is The Sunshine Award in his memory – (an award presented to support staff who join-in and best demonstrate Include’s values), I was proud of the winners of the Sunshine Award for Sai.
Michael passed away too. I used to live with him as well. He asked me out once, and I said yes. Alix put a picture of him on the screen at choir.
It feels like a good thing that Include has had new people join – and seeing people from the Grange at choir as I used to live there.
I like helping people with Champions and I like Easy Reading.
Other information that isn’t Easy Read can be too small – it’s better with big words.
Champions is very good giving ideas how the wider world can be more inclusive.
I like working with people in the Champions group like Philip and Simon. I knew them a bit already from the Mencap committee. I know Josh as well – and we both have nephews. Also, Beth, and there used to be Hannah too.
We do different subjects at Champions – and we have made fun Easy Read stuff too like Halloween and Christmas quizzes, that kind of thing.
I have a folder with Champions Easy Read information in it at choir.
I like going through the folder and putting things in the right places.
People are able to look at it and sometimes I talk to people at choir about Champions.”
More to be proud of
“I have done so many shows with Bloomin’ Arts – I am the longest member there too.
We are doing Jack and the Beanstalk Panto at the moment. I have also done signing in a play so the audience could see. I did it with Giles (who also goes to Include) on stage too.
I am feeling a bit nervous about doing the G-Live performance coming up because Bloomin’ Arts will be there too and they have never seen me sing with Include before. It’s a first!
I was proud of Include winning the recent Nasen award that I saw in the emails. And the Champions award. And the Queen’s award for volunteers. And the Learning Disability & Autism awards.”
Looking Forward
“When Include is 10 years old next year – I think we should have a party!
And we need to make sure it’s not difficult for people who can’t see (Include has some members who are visually impaired or blind). We’d need space to have a party. And there would need to be cake!
Champions can help involve the wider community too. I did a speech for Alix’s birthday…I could do a speech for the 10th birthday of Include.
Nigel (our Treasurer) is very good on the money side and will have more ideas for the party.
We could do a “Thank you” song for staff too – something like that.”
Sue gets in with an early thank you:
“Thank you Alix for your vision and hard work. Ellie is very committed to both Include and The Champions, and her confidence and communication skills have benefitted.
Although the venues Include uses have changed, the essence of the choir has stayed the same, although it has grown in size.”
This feedback is something we hope to take into the next decade of Include…some things change, but the essence remains solid and valued.
Now retired, Anne spent her long career as a youth worker and teacher bringing the joy of music to hospitals and schools in Epsom, south London and Uganda. Two years ago Anne joined Include.
Now retired, Anne spent her long career as a youth worker and teacher bringing the joy of music to hospitals and schools in Epsom, south London and Uganda. Two years ago Anne joined Include.
Volunteering in inclusive communication
When I heard about Include I was so pleased to see music combined with Makaton back in Epsom. I believe so much in the power of music for mental wellbeing. Because I enjoyed previous experiences so much, I wanted to know more about this initiative. I’ve done some performances with The Include Choir, including the Ashley Centre and train station in Epsom and Bourne Hall in Ewell, and I go on Stroll and Sign walks most months.
Communication is a basic human need that enables self-expression and the ability to relate to others and make sense of experiences.
Thanks to groups like the Include Choir, progress is being made towards a more inclusive society and the Include leadership is inspirational.
A passion for music
I didn’t have the opportunity to learn how to play a band instrument as a child although I always enjoyed listening to live music. While teaching at a secondary school I supported the concert band and was inspired by a couple of teachers who were learning how to play the saxophone. It made me realise it’s never too late to learn and I decided to have clarinet lessons. I also play the ukulele and since retiring I really enjoy playing with a concert band.
A couple of years after doing teacher training at University of Wales Trinity St David I was teaching at a primary school in Lambeth, where I was also deputy head. While there I had the opportunity to study the Orff method of teaching music for a year on day release at the University of Roehampton. This method uses speech, dance, singing, drama, movement and using percussion instruments and is an inclusive approach to music education that is good for all ages and musical abilities.
Communication and self-expression
Pupils in my school were very responsive to the Orff method of learning music and a highlight was performing at the Royal Festival Hall in London. Some years later I taught basic skills and music at St Ebba’s and the Manor in the Epsom hospital cluster (a group of hospitals) and the community. They had high quality instruments and lessons were very popular. The students were enthusiastic and the community was very supportive. Using the Orff method in my music classes allowed students to communicate and express themselves, gain confidence, explore emotions, build self-esteem and have an enjoyable and fun time.
Using Makaton
I first learnt Makaton when I attended a day course led by Margaret Walker, a founder of Makaton. I was then able to integrate this method of communication into my teaching. I also taught key vocabulary to staff and support workers so they were able to communicate with the learners. I taught Makaton while teacher training in primary schools and supporting staff at Elizabeth House, an amazing residential centre for children and young people in Mukono, Uganda, with wonderful dedicated and inspirational staff.
Include highlights
The Include Choir performances are always a highlight, seeing the audience’s reaction. Also seeing the enjoyment, confidence, sense of belonging and increased communication skills that members get from taking part in Include activities. Include is a great group to belong to for those with and without communication difficulties. I’d encourage everyone to challenge themselves to learn Makaton and enjoy the benefits of music and walking with a group of such kind and understanding people.
My name is Charlotte, and earlier in 2024 I was nominated for a Community Pride award for the volunteering I do at work and outside of work too.
As a result, I was asked to share my experiences with other civil servants. This blog for Include has been put together using the notes I made for the talk I gave to 4,000 people at work.
I volunteer with The Include Choir, a sing and sign choir for people with communication disabilities.
How it started
So, how did I end up doing that, well when my youngest child started high school, I suddenly found for the first time in many years, I had space, not just in a practical or physical way, but also in my head and thoughts. In my adult life I was missing a sense of belonging that seemed so easy to come by in childhood. I also had the realisation that even though I love my job, if I could do life again, I would like to explore a career in Speech and Language Therapy.
I researched volunteering in my community, which led me to complete a form on the Surrey County Council website. 2 days later a lady from the council phoned me and said they had found me an opportunity. I was to turn up at 6pm on a Tuesday at a local venue to help with a sing and sign choir. Alright I said.
Zero Experience!
Sometimes you just have to throw yourself in the deep end – I have no musical ability, I can’t sing, and have zero experience of assisting adults with learning disabilities, and just to top it off, at that point, I had never heard of the word Makaton.
Volunteering in Inclusive Communication
My volunteering opportunity was for the charity, Include.org – it was set up by a speech therapist who realised that just because people had communication needs, that should not limit their self-expression.
Inclusive Communication means recognising, respecting and using all forms of communication – not just the written and spoken word.
Lots of people find it very difficult to understand the spoken word alone. This includes the majority of people with a learning disability, dementia, and people who have had a stroke or a brain injury.
About the project I help to run
I help with the charity’s Include Choir project – and it is so much more than a choir. We have physical props, so if a member is non-verbal, they can hold one of our props, or use an instrument. We also use Makaton sign language for all the songs, they are projected up onto the wall with all the individual signs, so choir members are able to sign and sign, or just sign, whatever they feel comfortable with.
For those of you who don’t know Makaton its different from British sign language, Makaton does have elements of mime and it is much simpler and more descriptive for the users, so is a very good communication tool for those who have learning or communication disabilities.
Unexpected benefits
I have been volunteering with Include for 2 years, and I’d like to share the unexpected benefits of doing so.
Firstly, and most importantly, it is fun!! I am wanted, I am needed and I contribute. The sense of belonging and value this creates to me personally is indescribable.
It is incredibly liberating to be involved with a group of people who have no interest in your day job, your fashion sense, what you watched on telly last night, or if someone liked you on Facebook. The choir members require so very little from you, eye contact, a smile and occupying the space next to them whilst you belt out a tune on a tambourine makes them feel seen and heard.
Real impact – not just on the day
I have made loads of new friends, other volunteers, care workers and choir members. When I am at choir, that is the realist version of me.
Coming into work on a Wednesday, having been at choir on the Tuesday, I am happier, calmer and more positive.
On many occasions the choir members have brought me to tears, seeing them grow and develop in self-confidence, blossoming into their own very best potential is extremely moving.
I have noticed that over the last 2 years, my leadership style has changed, I am a much more compassionate empathetic leader, bringing with me all the knowledge of communication and how it impacts others into the workplace. I’ve always known, but now it is so apparent to me, that not all disabilities are revealed or visible, so when communicating with others, the most important first step is connection – then communicate.
Top Highlight
I have a few highlights over the last 2 years, my biggest one was when we performed with the Choir at Kew Gardens in the glass house for the Wedding Planner annual awards show. It was a black-tie event, and we totally smashed it, up on stage, singing and signing our hearts out – we got a standing ovation and raised so much money for our charity, a brilliant night.
We were there to let all the wedding industry leads know that people with disabilities fall in love like everyone else, and have ambitions of marriage – so not to forget them.
Final Word
By volunteering it gives you a chance to explore and lean into the good stuff – you have nothing to lose.
Penny Sims
Communications, Fundraising and Partnerships Lead
“I found out about Include from a leaflet I took when I was at The Grange. I wanted to meet new people and I already liked singing and I did Makaton signing too.”
“I’ve found lots of good things to do with Include. I do the Stroll and Sign walks, and nearly all the choir events. Singing and signing and volunteering as Deputy Choir Rep for The Include Choir in Epsom,” says Amelia.
How far would you go for Include?
Maria (Amelia’s Mum) says; “It’s over an hour to go to Include sessions (and over an hour back!), but Amelia loves it so much that we travel from where we live to go to Include. We wait until it’s finished and then drive home again. We are looking to move house and one of the factors in our decision of where to live is access to Include. We want to be closer!”
Amelia is taking part in Run Reigate on 22nd September to raise funds for Include. Maria says; “She loves that kind of stuff – and she is doing this mainly because she wants to raise money for Include.” She will be doing a Half Marathon – 13 miles. “She is quite fit and athletic – she is always running about with football, cricket all sorts. She has all the stamina and energy she needs!”
Ameila says; “I am looking forward to running the half marathon.”
That’s a lot of miles for Include in one way or another.
Why does Include matter to Ameila?
“She always tells everyone about Include – “please come along, or please sponsor me” – she tells everyone how wonderful it is – she loves it basically,” says Maria.
“My favourite thing so far was going to Wisley for a Stroll and Sign walk. I like nature, everything about it – and walking – being active with other people. I like the exercise and it’s good for my wellbeing and mental health,” says Amelia.
Maria adds; “There is generally less on in the holidays, so to go on an Include Zoom or walk at Wisley in the holidays means a lot. In term-time too, when she comes home from Choir on Tuesday nights or from one of the weekend walks – she is always really happy. She is quite inquisitive and comes afterwards and says I saw this and I saw that.
Amelia sums it up; “Include makes me happy – I’m excited for Tuesdays to go to choir. I can’t wait to go back after the holidays.”
Making us blush!
“The Stroll and Signs are great – and the singing and signing it’s the unique mix that Include offers – it’s quite diverse,” Maria says.
“Alix is a nice person, she talks to me. And the volunteers help a lot too,” says Amelia.
Mum adds; “Alix is amazing. She wants to always help people – she is so giving – an amazing person. And thank you to the volunteers too for supporting Amelia – everyone is so amazing – it’s a big friendly lovely environment.”
The fun and learning keeps going…
“I sing the songs and sign sometimes and teach them to my mum.”
“Yes, Ameila never forgets about what she does with Include – it’s always on her mind.”
Sponsor Ameila for her Half Marathon:
Help Amelia and Include to keep going! Here is the link to her fundraising page if you can donate anything at all, it will be hugely appreciated:
The Include Champions group worked with Folusho from Liberty – the human rights organisation – to make Easy Read information available to all.
The topic was Talking to The Police. We asked Folusho to tell us about this collaboration from her perspective.
What’s your mission?
I work for the Advice and Information Team at Liberty, a human rights organisation. The Advice and Information team’s mission is to help people understand their human rights. We do this by answering questions people send to us about their human rights through our helpline and written advice service. We also publish online articles about people’s rights, and deliver training to community groups.
The law is complex and tricky to understand so we try to break down topics to be as simple as possible.
We realised that we needed to make our information more accessible. Some people find it hard to read and understand things. Some people are still learning English.
We don’t want these people to be missed out. Human rights are for everyone!
Why did you reach out to Include and decide to work with The Champions?
We wanted to create a resource to explain that you don’t always have to speak to the police. This was a tricky topic to explain, because there are many ‘if this, then that’ scenarios in this area of law.
We had written some information, but we felt we had some gaps in our knowledge on accessible writing. We know that many people find it hard to read long blocks of text.
I researched Easy Read, and I learned that it’s a way to use pictures and short sentences to set out information. I wanted to give it a go, but have it checked by professionals to make sure the resource was as useful and accessible as possible.
I really wanted an Easy Read provider who worked with people who use Easy Read – and Include was perfect. The Champions group is made up of people who use Easy Read themselves. They give feedback on drafts and help shape the resource.
I wanted a true collaborative approach through co-production. I knew Include would be a great fit because of their amazing work around accessibility.
What did you discover from meeting The Champions and being part of the Easy Read process?
I met the Champions on Zoom, and we went through what I wrote. They told me their thoughts: what was easy to understand, and what needed rephrasing.
Their questions prompted me to deeply think about the law, which can be unclear sometimes.
The Champions helped me explain this ambiguity as simply as possible, which also made me refine my own understanding.
Claudia, Alix and Penny all taught me things too. I learned about repetition, and working memory, and I use in all my writing going forward.
How is the Easy Read being used? What hopes do you have for it’s impact?
Its only been out for a short time, but we hope to send this resource to many different groups. We didn’t just send it to disability focused groups – but any group that does community organising, across a range of different backgrounds and walks of life.
Easy Read is accessible to a wide range of people. As well as disabled people and non-English speakers, there are lots of people who benefit from this – people who are quickly scrolling on the tube, people who need to remember key information quickly.
I hope Easy Read makes people feel more confident knowing their rights. They might find it easier to remember since the pictures are there too.
I also hope it makes people think, “How can I make this information easier for more people to understand?” and be creative.
What is your personal take-way from this collaboration?
Accessibility is so important and there is always more to learn. People’s brains work in different ways. Instead of looking at this as a difficulty, I now embrace it as a challenge.
I now say to myself, “Can I break this topic down even further? What exactly does this word mean, and can I use a simpler one? Would I remember this in a stressful situation?” If my answer is no, I go back to the drawing board and try to address these issues.
I have become more flexible and open to my ideas changing in light of new information. I’m glad Alix and her team were honest about what didn’t work, because hopefully that means more people find the resource useful!
For people who are considering using Easy Read – do it! The value of these sessions have gone far beyond the initial resource and I am very grateful to Include.
For me this is Run Reigate number 3 and once again I am delighted to be running for the amazing charity, Include. There is one small change though. Having run the 10km race for the last 2 years, this year I have decided to challenge myself to the half marathon distance.
‘Leveling up’ seemed like a good idea at the time, but as I write this the reality is hitting home that a half marathon is precisely 11.1km further than my usual 10km. Hardly an insignificant increase!
Although the increase in distance is significant and will undoubtedly require some extra training, I don’t mind at all. In truth I think it’s a tiny sacrifice to support Include and the important work they do in our local community to ensure people with communication difficulties aren’t excluded from our society.
Personal motivation
For me this is a cause that feels quite personal. As the father of 2 boys, Josh and Ben, who struggle with communication difficulties (more from them in a minute) I see daily the issues they face.
Whether it’s being talked over by people who don’t want to wait for their responses or excluded altogether it’s something you never get used to seeing, and quite simply it’s not something I want for their future.
Here’s the thing. The fact that they can’t communicate in the traditional format as well as others doesn’t mean that what they’re thinking or want to say is any less valid, and the same is true for everyone with a communication difficulty.
Why run for Include again?
Most of us know that the more we understand others the better life gets, not just for them, but for all of us. And that’s why Include is such an important charity to me and why supporting it means so much. Through their work Include breaks down barriers that are created by communication difficulties and helps to ensure that more people feel included.
What Include also does is bring happiness to peoples lives.
Through initiatives such as their Choir and their Stroll and Sign walks they provide fantastic opportunities for all members of our community to get out, be active, socialise and just have fun.
As a sports coach who works exclusively with people with additional needs at PMActive and East Surrey Hawks Football Club I know how important this is. It gives purpose and a sense of belonging, but most importantly it provides a place where people can just be themselves. It’s sounds really simply but that, in a nutshell, is why I’m running for Include again this year.
I love how they help to ensure there is a place for everyone in our society.
Living with a communication difficulty
I promised earlier to share more from Josh and Ben. When writing this blog I asked them how it felt to live with a communication difficulty and why inclusive organisations like Include are so important. I think their explanations are much better than mine …
Because of my communication difficulty I find it hard talking to people and doing new things, even when I really want to. People like Include, the Hawks and PMActive help me learn new things and get better at sports and other important skills. Josh
Having a communication difficulty makes it hard to explain what I’m thinking and that means things like going to the shops can be hard. Places like Include and My football club the East Surrey Hawks help people with disabilities feel safe, included and happy. Ben
Just Giving
If you can support my run with a donation, no matter how big or small, it really would mean so much to Include. It’s a small charity so every penny counts!
Two years before Include.org registered as a charity, people with and without communication needs were already joining together once a week to sing, sign, include and bring the ‘joy and uplift’ that Include has become famous for.
And as you may know (if you are a person of a certain age or have children obsessed with lightsabers), we share our 4th May birthday with Star Wars Day.
So on behalf of all of us at Include.org ‘May the Fourth be with You’.
Groan. As my son would say.
This salutation is an old joke (and a great excuse for a pre-Bank Holiday celebration) but this year, we’ve decided to reflect more deeply on our connection with Star Wars Day and what Star Wars can teach us all about inclusive communication.
More than 1 in 5 people in the UK will experience difficulties with speaking and understanding in their lifetime – and those people will need Inclusive Communication Partners to help them access services, have their needs met, make choices and live a full life.
Being an Inclusive Communication Partner means recognising, respecting and using all forms of communication that people need to understand and express themselves, not just the spoken or written word. It may mean sharing a smile with someone to reassure them you are listening, using Makaton signs for someone who finds it hard to understand speech, even though their hearing is fine. It could mean getting out a pencil and paper to draw what will happen next for someone who is anxious. It could be recognising what that movement and sound means for someone who doesn’t use words or it might mean taking your time so that someone can say what they need to say, even if speech is hard.
At some time in your life, you will have been an Inclusive Communication Partner, and with a little more awareness, we could all make much more of these skills to make the world better for those 1 in 5 with communication needs.
OK – all well and good. But what does this familiar Include message have to do with Star Wars?
Well, without even straying from the original trilogy, we can find some outstanding examples of inclusive communication.
R2D2. So much going on in that electronic circuitry but no speech to communicate with others without the support of polylingual C3PO. C3P0s words explain R2’s feelings and thoughts to others – but we also still know how R2 feels about things when he does an excited little dance, emits a high-pitched, frightened squeak or droops with a low electronic sigh. We all respect and recognise his non-verbal communication too.
And what about Chewbacca? It’s not easy being a Wookie in a human world. Apart from the amount of time it takes for a blow dry, you are reliant on inclusive communication partner Han Solo to interpret your messages- although we can all tell a great deal about how Chewy is feeling from the pitch and inflection of his utterances (and I suspect we would all recognise and respect the body language of an angry Wookie).
We don’t only need to consider non-verbal communication either (though Ewoks and Jawas provide plenty more examples). Where would the Rebel Alliance have been if young Jedis were not capable of interpreting Yoda’s unique use of grammar to make sense of his wisdom. When we accept communication in all its forms, we can truly connect and grow together as Inclusive Communication Partners.
So to help us celebrate Include’s birthday on 4th May, we are asking you to think about how you could include people with communication needs by recognising, respecting and using all forms of communication – from symbols and pictures, to gestures and signs to body language and facial expression.
After all, it is only at the end of Empire Strikes Back, when we finally see Darth Vader’s face that we truly understand and connect with him.
May the Fourth be with you as an Inclusive Communication Partner, this Star Wars Day.
Our birthday hopes and wishes:
A more inclusive world where all forms of communication are welcomed.
People celebrate 8 years with us on Bank Holiday Monday 27th May at Teas on the Green in Brockham, see the choir, sing Happy Birthday to Include and buy tea and cake!
Make a one-off birthday donation to Include.org or set up a regular / monthly donation on 4th of each month to give year-round cheer and help ensure no one is excluded due to communication disabilities or differences.
April is stress awareness month. Many people take this to mean work-related stress – and that is an issue. 1.8 million working people suffering from a work-related illness, of which 875,000 workers suffer work-related stress, depression or anxiety.
The CQC’s state of care report highlights that Social Care Workers are stretched and stressed by lack of resources and high levels of demand.
Meanwhile, among unpaid carers, who are estimated by the UN to meet 75 – 90% of care needs, carer burn out is also real. More than three quarters of all carers (79%) feel stressed or anxious, half (49%) feel depressed, and half (50%) feel lonely.
Communication skills and stress can be related. Sometimes when stressed, our ability to process or produce spoken language is impaired. And if it isn’t easy to communicate or if we are not understood, it is stressful. All of Include’s projects and training aim to build communication bridges, so that this stress is reduced for everyone involved.
We welcome carers and support workers to our projects and they tell us that things like our Stroll and Sign wellbeing walks help them to feel less isolated and less stressed as a carer.
Being in nature with a supportive group boosts everyone’s mental wellbeing.
You can watch our video about How our Stroll and Sign project helps people. Why not come and join us?
Honest Insights
We asked a friend who is a full-time carer to share his experiences of stress and ways to help manage it. Here is what he said:
“I have always used the word stressed and stress for as long as I can remember, I’ve always felt anxiety socially, About everything really, being late, thinking that I need to be doing something better with my life or thinking that something bad might happen. In December 2020 something really bad did happen, my son had a brain tumour removed and then suffered from severe complications that meant that he needed me to be with him all day every day to care and help him to rehabilitate.
So, I learnt that what I was worried about before paled into insignificance compared to this new life. The stress of keeping someone alive 24/7, the stress of making sure they get the right calories, the right water intake, that they don’t have a seizure, they don’t hurt themselves, to try and get them out into social situations when they don’t want to get out of the car, the dread of impending scans and discussions with Drs to know if the tumour comes back, and a million more tiny stress points in the day while trying to operate as a normal family with my wife and daughter as well.
How do I deal with stress? Well, it is there and it won’t go away and most of the time I can handle it with the occasional ‘dummy spit’ where I have to take a few minutes to breathe. I ensure that I exercise at least 3 times a week, playing Football with a team helps as that is a great place to talk to others who are sometimes going through tough times themselves, but also to talk about Football and tactics that our crumbling bodies probably can’t execute come match day. I also go for a walk around the block on evenings where I need to get my thoughts straight.
My son is currently at a Neuro rehab centre in Surrey with a packed schedule of therapy and School sessions, so I am flat out getting him ready, getting tosessions on time, feeding him etc etc, after our first week we reviewed everything with the team here, and one of the key goals of this placement is for me to look after myself. Easier said than done, but very important because if I suffer then everyone suffers. It’s hard to let go, but I’m doing it step by step, and my son is responding well to me taking a step back at times. I’m also finding it really useful to chat to others who are in a similar situation, there is no agenda, we are all in tough situations and can just talk straight to each other. So, another way to manage stress is to speak to others, understand where you can step-back and that you may not be that vital all the time – the World will still turn without you.
It’s difficult to manage stress. Try to find time away from your day to day to do something you enjoy, chat to people wherever you are, walk round the block, maybe get some professional help if you feel ready, listen to your close ones if they say they are worried about you, there’s always some way to solve a part of the problems you are facing.”
Other things that can help
We asked some of our Include Choir members, support workers and volunteers to share how they manage their stress. Here are some examples of what they said:
“I relax by gardening, playing guitar and reading.”
“I like to talk to someone, listen to music or watch a film to cheer me up”
“Headspace and yoga. Listen to music. Exercise.”
“Music”
“Turn off notifications on my phone!”
“Listen to music”
“Go for a drive”
“Deep breathing exercises”
“Take a long bath”
Easy Reads
Our Champions Group (people with lived experience of communication needs) has produced two relevant and helpful Easy Read resources – one about mental wellbeing and the other about physical wellbeing.
