Blog
Volunteering : The unexpected benefits Posted in: Blog, Inclusive Communication, The Include Choir, Volunteering 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....But... Continue Reading
A lot of miles for Include Posted in: Blog, fundraising, half marathon, JustGiving, mental health, physical wellbeing, run reigate, singing, Stroll and Sign, wellbeing Amelia travels over 2 hours to join Include each week, and is now running a half marathon for the charity! But why? Continue Reading![[Image description: Folusho smiles at the camera. She has brown skin, shoulder length brown hair and glasses. She’s wearing a dark green turtleneck. End of image description.]](https://i0.wp.com/include.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Profile-picture.jpg?fit=300%2C300&ssl=1)
Human rights are for everyone! Posted in: Blog, Breaking Down Barriers, Co-production, Easy Read, equality, Resources, rights, self advocacy 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. Continue Reading
Why run for Include? Posted in: Blog, Breaking Down Barriers, fundraising, run reigate, self advocacy "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 the blog), 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… Continue Reading
May 4th means a lot to us… Posted in: birthday donation, Blog, Breaking Down Barriers, Inclusive Communication Partner, Star Wars, The Include Choir May the Fourth is the Include Choir’s 8th Birthday. And the Star Wars phrase "May the Fourth be with you" is also very relevant...here's why... Continue Reading
Stress Awareness Month Posted in: Blog, carers, Co-production, Easy Read, mental health, Mindfulness, physical wellbeing, Resources, stress, wellbeing April is stress awareness month. Our blog shares the ideas of carers and people with communication needs - how can stress be reduced? Plus Easy Reads on Physical and Mental Health. Continue Reading
How helping others helps you… Posted in: Blog, Covid-19, Easy Read, Resources, wellbeing What inspires us to help will vary, but there is a common side-effect of helping; you get a boost and feel good yourself! Continue Reading
Gratitude Posted in: Covid-19 Wishing you a Happy, Helpful and Thankful Christmas In our Champions group at Include. We have been looking at the topic of wellbeing this term. For me, running a small charity at this busiest time of the year, it can feel like my own wellbeing is a long way from the top of my agenda.… Continue Reading
Breaking Down Barriers – there’s an app for that! Posted in: Blog, Co-production, Covid-19, Easy Read, equality, healthcare, Inclusive Communication, reasonable adjustments, rights, self advocacy, Speech and Language Therapist When healthcare information is accessible and understandable for all, it can literally save lives. Alix Lewer, Founder and CEO of Include and The Include Champions helped to develop an accessible version of the CardMedic app...a tool that breaks down barriers to good communication in healthcare settings. Continue Reading
Adjusting for Sensory Needs Posted in: Autism, Blog, Co-production, Covid-19, equality, Inclusive Communication, reasonable adjustments We had the founder of The Sensory Projects Joanna Grace as a special guest at one of our Champions sessions. She talked with us about the reasonable adjustments that autistic people may need to help communication in a healthcare setting. Continue Reading
Meet Beth Posted in: Blog, Breaking Down Barriers, Inclusive Communication, Inclusive interviews, Members-Stories, reasonable adjustments, self advocacy, Stroll and Sign, Supported Volunteering, The Include Champions, The Include Choir, Volunteering I want the world to know that there is no place anywhere that makes you feel so included, safe, comfortable, happy and purposeful as Include does. Continue Reading
Reasonable Adjustments Posted in: Autism, Blog, Easy Read, learning disability, reasonable adjustments, Resources, rights, self advocacy By sharing this blog and FREE Easy Read about reasonable adjustments, we hope more people with communication needs and disabilities will have better experiences when they go to work, interact with services or are customers in shops and restaurants. Continue Reading
‘Let’s go fly a kite’ for Volunteering! Posted in: Blog, Volunteering, Volunteers Week It is Volunteers' Week 1 - 7 June and we're delighted to share a blog from our fabulous Volunteer Kim who joined us this year. This is her story... Continue Reading
Vote like a Champion! Posted in: Autism, Blog, Co-production, Easy Read, elections, equality, Resources, self advocacy, voting Ahead of the local elections on Thursday 4th May, The Include Champions Group has created a FREE Easy Read guide to voting for people with communication difficulties. Continue Reading
Meet Sarah… Posted in: Blog, Breaking Down Barriers, Co-production, Inclusive Communication I am Choir Rep for our new Epsom Include Choir. I would say to anyone; “come along – there is cake, it is fun and everyone is helpful.” Continue Reading
How do you run an Inclusive Quiz? Posted in: Blog, Breaking Down Barriers, Co-production, Easy Read, fundraising, fundraising quiz, Inclusive Communication, Inclusive quiz, Resources Find out more about our multi-sensory quiz format and download the Easy Read TV Quiz round for free! Continue Reading
What is Co-production, and is it important? Posted in: Blog, Co-production, Easy Read, Resources, self advocacy Ensuring everyone has a clear idea of what Co-production is, and why it is important is such a valuable piece of work. We hope many organisations and individuals will make use of this FREE Easy Read explainer. Continue Reading
Hello…we are the Champions! Posted in: Autism, Blog, Easy Read, equality, Inclusive Communication, kind communication, learning disability, mental health, Resources, self advocacy Our latest FREE Easy Read resource is made by the Include Champions about the Include Champions! It explains what the group does, why and how - all presented in an Easy Read format. Continue Reading
Claudia and the Easy Read Christmas Quiz Posted in: ADHD, Blog, Christmas Quiz, Easy Read, equality, Inclusive interviews, quiz, Resources, Speech and Language Therapist At about the same time shops started selling Christmas items, Claudia joined the Include staff team. Here she introduces herself and our free Easy Read Christmas Quiz. Continue Reading
Easy Read Halloween QUIZ Posted in: Autism, Blog, Easy Read, equality, halloween quiz, quiz, Resources, values You may well download our FREE quiz and find out lots of things about Halloween traditions and how it all started...but our Champions Group decided that these days Halloween is actually an opportunity to demonstrate some more up-to-date values! Find out why... Continue Reading
There is no magic wand! Posted in: Autism, Blog, Breaking Down Barriers, equality, fundraising, run reigate, The Include Choir, training Include Choir member Martin helped raise nearly £4000 for Include.org at #RunReigate 2022! Here he shares his personal journey...and talks about why he did it Continue Reading
The Run Reigate Journey Posted in: Blog, Breaking Down Barriers, equality, run reigate, sensory race, The Include Choir It's not that everyone wants to aim for the longest distance, or the fastest time that makes events like Run Reigate or Parallel London truly bonding for the community. It’s creating a space for all the personal magic moments that happen along the way... Continue Reading
How has life changed for people with learning disabilities? Posted in: Blog, Breaking Down Barriers, Easy Read, equality, Jubilee, Learning Disability Week, Resources This month, between the Diamond Jubilee and Learning Disability Week 2022, our Champions Group has been reflecting on how life has changed for people with learning disabilities during the Queen’s reign... Continue Reading
Something about The Include Choir Posted in: Blog, Inclusive Communication, The Include Choir As we start to introduce a whole new group of people to The Include Choir, we’ve been thinking about how we explain who we are and what we do to people who don’t know Include.org Continue Reading
Not just a Choir Posted in: Blog, Breaking Down Barriers, equality, Members-Stories, rights "I have been part of other choirs, and they tried and were nice – but it wasn’t like coming to Include. They weren’t doing anything particularly offensive, Include is just better!" Continue Reading
Bumper Easter Easy Read Posted in: Blog, Easter, Easy Read, Inclusive Communication, quiz, Resources The Include Champions were so inspired by spring and Easter, that the group’s ideas and have resulted in a whole pack of Free Easy Read resources! Continue Reading
Internet Safety Posted in: Covid-19, Easy Read, Internet safety, Resources When you’re online, how do you stay safe and protect your rights, especially if it is hard to understand the risks? The Include Champions' share their top tips in a FREE Easy Read and quiz... Continue Reading
Mindfulness Posted in: Blog, Easy Read, Mindfulness, Resources Our Champions sessions are where Include members get together on Zoom to discuss and share ideas about important topics like The Mental Capacity Act, or in this case Mindfulness... We've made a new FREE Easy Read resource about it. Continue Reading
Feeling Thankful Posted in: Blog, Easy Read, Inclusive Communication, Resources To help express our gratitude for the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2021 donations to include.org we’ve dedicated our next Free Easy Read resource to the theme of festive thankfulness. Continue Reading
Friends United Posted in: Blog, Covid-19, Members-Stories, Social Communication Simon and Philip are based a long way from Include’s HQ in Surrey…but have become a big part of the Include family... Continue Reading
Shared Lives – Singing and Signing together Posted in: Blog, Covid-19, equality, Inclusive Communication Michelle and Mandy joined The Include Choir over two years ago. Before the pandemic... Continue Reading
Welcome to our World Posted in: Blog, Easy Read, equality, Inclusive Communication, Resources For World Kindness Day 2021 (13th November) we’re giving away a FREE Easy Read resource that explains how to be a Kind (Inclusive) Communicator...and there's more... Continue Reading
What is Racism? Posted in: Blog, Easy Read, equality, Inclusive Communication, racism, Resources, rights, Volunteering Our volunteers Hannah and Sofia worked together to create an Easy Read resource about racism. “Who knew at the beginning of making this resource that John Barnes would be holding it?” says Hannah! Continue Reading
Designing a way through Covid19 Posted in: Blog, Covid-19, Inclusive Communication, training, Volunteering How do you integrate with a new community and learn a new language when the world is in lockdown? Our very talented graphic design volunteer Christian was trying to settle in a new country at the same time. Continue Reading
Award-winning volunteer – Sofia Posted in: #studentvolunteeringweek, Blog, Covid-19, Easy Read, Hi, I'm a volunteer for The Include Choir, Inclusive Communication, Volunteering What does it take to be recognised as The Mayor’s Young Volunteer of the year? Please meet one of our most generous, energetic and versatile volunteers… Continue Reading
Improve your listening skills… Posted in: Blog, Easy Read, Inclusive Communication, Resources Include is well know for Makaton signing and singing – another important skill that we try to teach and enhance is listening. Get our FREE Easy Read resource... Continue Reading
Sometimes we have cake…but we try to be healthy Posted in: Blog, Easy Read, Healthy Eating Week, Inclusive Communication, Resources During Healthy Eating Week quite a few of our members have been paying special attention to what they eat. Our Choir Rep Hannah has worked alongside our volunteer Sofia to produce a free Easy Read resource about being healthy. Continue Reading
Free Easy Read Resources from Include Posted in: Blog, Covid-19, Easy Read, Inclusive Communication, Resources To celebrate our 5th birthday year as a charity, we’re producing and gifting the world some Easy Read resources! Continue Reading
Happy 5th Birthday to us! Posted in: Blog, Covid-19 On our 5th birthday (4th May) we can’t physically get together to celebrate - instead we’ve gathered a few of our choir’s best bits from the last 5 years! The Include Choir has not stopped making brilliant memories, no matter what comes our way - global pandemic included. And there is plenty more planned for… Continue Reading
A Square Peg in a Pandemic-shaped hole Posted in: Blog, Covid-19 Reflections of a Small Charity CEO after an unprecedented year ‘Oh crumbs’ (or words to that effect), ‘this Covid-19 situation really is serious’ was roughly the thought crossing my mind as I arranged an emergency meeting of Trustees on Sunday 15th March 2020. What were we going to do? We’d already put some measures in… Continue Reading