Blog
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
Student volunteers: key to an inclusive future Posted in: #studentvolunteeringweek, Volunteering It’s Student Volunteering Week! About a third of all of Include’s volunteers are student volunteers, so we’d like to take this opportunity to send a massive THANK YOU their way! They help us every day to spread the message of Inclusive Communication. Three of our volunteers have kindly take time to share their experience of… Continue Reading
Helen’s Story Posted in: Covid-19, Inclusive Communication Here’s Helen’s story... “People kept recommending the choir to me because they know I love singing and signing. Eventually, I thought I’m going to give this a try. From the minute I arrived everyone was so friendly; I knew it was something I wanted to stay involved with. I absolutely loved it and I was… Continue Reading
Josh’s Story Posted in: Covid-19, Inclusive Communication Meet Josh... The Include Choir has taught Josh singing and Makaton signing. He says; “The Include Choir makes me feel special because I’m very involved. I help a lot at meetings and rehearsals and keep the choir to time”! He is also a member of the steering group. Josh often takes part in the choir’s… Continue Reading
Sofia’s Story Posted in: Blog, Covid-19, Inclusive Communication Meet Sofia... Sofia is a volunteer for the Include Choir, and helps with a bit of everything! She says “My favourite song is I’m a Believer because I love signing it, and it’s one that makes everyone really happy and gets us dancing!” “Before lockdown, I supported members during choir rehearsals and meetings, helped record… Continue Reading
Hannah’s Story Posted in: Covid-19, Inclusive Communication Meet Hannah... Hannah learnt Makaton in early childhood but she’d forgotten most of it, until she started singing and signing with Include. Hannah and her life-long friend, Ellie joined when Include started in 2016, and have always been a fabulous feature of the choir, right at the center, singing and signing with great passion and… Continue Reading
MaryClare’s Story Posted in: Covid-19, Inclusive Communication Meet MaryClare… “Singing with The Include Choir is a joyful feeling” says choir member MaryClare, who sings and signs with the choir. Her favourite song is the Bicycle Song , because it has a great tune and words which encourage people to enjoy cycling and being outdoors. I ride my bike every day and often… Continue Reading
David’s Story Posted in: Blog, Covid-19, Inclusive Communication David sings and plays percussion with The Include Choir. His favourite song is Somewhere Over the Rainbow. He loves the enthusiasm of the choir and says; “It makes me feel good - the people are what makes The Include Choir special”. His Include story… Since joining The Include Choir David has learnt to play the… Continue Reading
Sarah and Jay’s Story Posted in: Covid-19, Inclusive Communication Meet Sarah and Jay Sarah started as a singer and became a volunteer. Sarah loves the song Help by The Beetles. And Jay’s favourite is Don’t worry by Bob Marley. Jay plays percussion and sings. Sarah said; “I also love our choir’s Kind Communication song as it tells people what we are all about. For… Continue Reading
Meet Danni – super support worker, valued volunteer Posted in: Hi, I'm a volunteer for The Include Choir, Social Communication Hi! My name is Danni, and I’m a volunteer for The Include Choir. The first time I came to the Include Choir, however, wasn’t as a volunteer but as a support worker. I’d been allocated to support a lady one afternoon, and this included taking her to a new activity. I didn’t know much about… Continue Reading
Pandemic – a path to parity? Posted in: Autism, Covid-19, Inclusive Communication How are you? The world feels alien to lots of people right now. Covid 19 affects everyone in some way, no matter who you are, where you live, what you normally do, your beliefs, your status in society – Covid 19 doesn’t care about any of that.And so, in some ways this pandemic brings parity.… Continue Reading