Inclusion Summer Institute 2008
June 4-6th
Full Slideshow for viewing and downloading pictures
Video Testimonials from participants
What a fantastic time was had...
World changing and personal!
'Amazing, inspirational and thoughtful '
The Trent Vineyard- a great community venue- Nottingham, UK
Co- hosted by Inclusion UK -Alliance for Inclusive Education-Inclusive Solutions-Disability Education and Equality-Nottingham Trent University
'Powerful'
Our Shared Vision for Inclusion
Themes:
Person Centred Planning
MAPS PATHS CIRCLES
International perspectives on Inclusive Education
Love is all it takes
Restorative Practices in Schools: Far Reaching
Implications
Supported Living - Real Lives and Support
Brokering that works
Creating Inclusive Schools and Early Years Settings
Inclusion and Leadership: Developing Children’s
Services and Centres
Creating Effective Teams for 'Behaviour' - Theirs
and Ours
Citizen Advocacy and Intentional Invitation
Transitions from School/College
Educational and Community Leadership - Reaching
out to the hard to hear
Engaging your Wider Community beyond Services
Asset Based Community Partnerships
Just to say thanks for coming to the Inclusion Institute with me
yesterday and today .
So far I have found the whole thing inspirational. Just to meet and talk
to all those like-minded people has been a great privilege and very
humbling. Despite the difficulties I've had with my own disability in
the past, I feel as though my problems have only been the very tip of
the iceberg and the bulk of that iceberg is made up of all those other
disabled people who shared their experiences and skills with us at the
Inclusion institute.
My eyes have been widely opened and I feel so included. I spoke to
different people in both formal and informal settings and learnt so much
about so many different things. Some of the things I thought about and
wanted to question were mirrored by other people there. Before I
attended I was worried I would be out of place or possibly even out of
my depth, But so many of the things I learnt can easily be adapted for
my work for NCHA especially certain skills which would be invaluable as
a peer advocate.
When I told people I was an advocate they were immediately interested
and wanted to know more. In fact regardless of what I said people
listened with real interest and this left me feeling valued and with
something to offer others.
It's all been run at an easy going pace that I could cope with and I've
felt relaxed, welcomed and valued. It's boosted my confidence and self
esteem and I'm very happy to have been a part of it. I'm looking forward
to Friday although I'll be saddened at the end of the day because the
event would have come to an end. I wished it could just go on and on.
Thanks for your support
Social Scene... for some this was the best bit....
Sit Down Comedy with Laurence Clark 
"A brilliant observational comedian... I would not only recommend this show but urge everyone to go out and buy a ticket immediately."
Edinburgh Festival Guide
Dukes of Jazz did their bit with songs from those keen to participate...
Speakers included
Camila Batmanghelidjh
Love is not a Surveillance Camera!
Camila is now Director of Kids Company. Kids Company supports children with severe behavioural, emotional and social difficulties resulting from significant levels of trauma and neglect. The children often suffer from abuse, mental health problems, substance misuse and homelessness. Kids Company aims to restore their trust and provide an environment in which they can begin the healing process, using a carefully designed support system that includes psychotherapy, counselling, education, arts, sports, hot meals and various other practical interventions.
Kids Company currently delivers services to 11,925 clients through - 33 inner-city schools in London, - a drop-in centre at street-level in Camberwell and - a new, post-fourteen educational institute, the Urban Academy in Southwark.
For ten years Kids Company has survived due to the support of charitable trusts and businesses. Camila has taken on and exceeded the challenge of funding the organisation. It has been a ‘hand to mouth’ existence for the organisation and Camila has kept united a staff team who accept that the future is always uncertain. On two occasions she has re-mortgaged her flat to see Kids Company through its lack of funding.
Camila won the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2005. She has written Shattered Lives: Children Who Live with Courage and Dignity, Iand other papers.
She was also nominated in The Good List 2006, of exceptional people.
Camila never fails to recognise and reflect young people's courage and honesty in the face of what has and continues to happen to them. She is also very clear that the responsibility for what happened is society’s not the child’s – and that they should know this truth – as she says “The truth is precious. It has energy and, despite the depletion, it bears gifts”
Tom Kohler - Citizen Advocacy Organiser, Savannah,
Georgia
Tom Kohler is a native of Savannah Georgia USA. His visit to the UK is a unique and rare event. Do not miss it! He has spent the last 30 years inviting people from all walks of life into many different kinds of personal relationships with one another using the citizen advocacy model. Tom is married to Betsy Kohler, they have 2 enjoyable daughters, Alice and Lucy. Tom is active in a variety of informal and formal civic and social groups as well. He and Ms. Susan Earl are the authors of the award winning book 'Waddie Welcome and the Beloved Community'.
Tom will be explored the theme of intentional invitation -- offering people ways to see themselves in one anothers lives....... The presention was developed around stories of people in Savannah Georgia.
Tom presented a moving slide show "Waddie Welcome and the Beloved Community' as a way to explore the idea of valued social roles and community building'
Tara Flood - Director, The Alliance for Inclusive Education
'I have been a member of Alliance's National Council since 2004. I am a disabled person and a special school survivor and therefore an energetic member of the 2020 Campaign.
My background is in disability rights activism at a local, national and international level and I hope I bring with me to the Alliance, my passion for an inclusive future for all of us.
One of the things that excites me most about working for the Alliance is its 100% commitment to building the capacity at the grassroots, to support local campaigning on inclusion issues.
The Alliance's success will be determined by our ability to create a bigger, stronger and more unified force of disabled children, young people and adults and our allies, all committed to our shared struggle for the kind of social and political change that will deliver real and lasting inclusion for all our children.
I look forward to sharing the challenge with you!'
Richard Rieser - Director, Disability Equality in Education
'The disabled people's movement believes the 'cure' to the problem of disability lies in the restructuring of society. Unlike medically based 'cures', which focus on the individual and their impairment, this is an achievable goal and to the benefit of everyone. This approach, referred to as the 'social model', suggests those disabled people's individual and collective disadvantage is due to a complex form of institutional discrimination as fundamental to our society as sexism, racism or heterosexism.
In addition to this, the obsession with finding medically based cures distracts us from looking at causes of either impairment or disablement. In a worldwide sense, most impairments are created by oppressive systems - hunger, lack of clean water, exploitation of labour, lack of safety, child abuse and wars. Clearly, this thinking has important implications for our education system, particularly with reference to primary and secondary schools. Prejudicial attitudes toward disabled people and, indeed, against all minority groups, are not inherited. They are learned through contact with the prejudice and ignorance of others. Therefore, to challenge discrimination against disabled people, we must begin in our schools.
Our fight for the inclusion of all children, however 'severely' disabled, in one, mainstream, education system, will not make sense unless the difference between the 'social' and the 'medical' or individual model of disability is understood.'
Micheline Mason - Artist, Writer and Consultant on
Inclusive Education
'I have a wide experience of working with voluntary and statutory organisations, including many Local Education Authorities. In 2006 my work has ranged from leading workshops on education at a Human Rights conference organized by the Social Care Institute of Excellence, to speaking to a group of teachers from Beslan, Russia, for the British Council.
I am particularly interested in promoting the philosophy and practice of Inclusive Education and the Social Model of Disability through public lectures, talks at conferences, and training events for all those who are interested in understanding the issues at more than a superficial level. I am keen to develop work which explores the relationship between social class and exclusion.'
Helen Edge - Kindred Spirits, Walsall Childrends Services
Kindred Spirits (Walsall)
This is a course for people who are working towards desirable futures for disabiled children in Walsall.
Participants on the course will be taken from Education, Health, Social Care, Parents, and Voluntary Agencies – all people who are concerned about children’s futures. The participants are mostly senior managers of their organisations who are able to influence change in their establishment and also to be champions for children with disabilities in Walsall.
Kindred Spirits is about building powerful new alliances to influence and make a difference in Walsall. Kindred Spirits is a journey taken with like minded people through the experiences of disabled families and looks at the new challenges for our communities.
Nigel Utton- Headteacher:
Nigel Utton is a primary Headteacher and Chair of Heading for Inclusion. He has been a passionate supporter of education ever since his primary school flooded when he was nine (not his fault - although he did put a match to the pavillion in the park when he was five - the big boys made him do it). His 'mainstream' school was sent to share the local 'special' school building for a few weeks. He could not understand why the children had been kept separate - and he still can't!
What would an inclusive school look like?
What was my inclusion life story?
Using Re-evaluation Counselling in schools.
'The experience is truly worldwide'
Patti Scott - Neighbors Inc. New Jersey, USA
Patti Scott is Co-Founder of Neighbours In, which she established in collaboration with Kenn Jupp. She has been CEO since 1995, and leads a growing management team in implementing the organization's vision. In 2001 Neighbours Inc. received national and international recognition for its innovative work for Full Community Inclusion from AAMR.
Patti is known for her work as an advocate of inclusion, a facilitator of community living, and as someone who has developed respectful and positive ways in which to help support people with challenging behavior. She is an established speaker and workshop presenter, statewide, nationally and internationally.
Patti has delivered staff training and consultations for people who provide support to people with developmental disabilities throughout the USA, India, Englland, and Malta.
David Sahr: Beyond Welfare, Iowa, USA
Beyond Welfare states its goal simply: eliminate poverty in Story
County, Iowa by 2020. Ambitious? Maybe. But the manner in which
Beyond Welfare is moving toward that goal makes its attainment seem
possible. To eliminate poverty, Beyond Welfare is reweaving
community; promoting a connected life filled with enough money,
friends and meaning for all.
The Beyond Welfare folks call that their mantra—“we all need money,
friends, and meaning”. But the inclusive implication of that mantra is
startling. Poverty of life and experience can beset those who have
enough money, but little meaning and few friends. So, there is
something for everyone in the community built by Beyond Welfare.
David Sahr: 'I am retired (I think) after having worked in the human services arena for about 40 years. Most of that time I was employed as a therapist in both the mental health field and the substance abuse treatment field. I also was the executive director of an outpatient substance abuse treatment program for the last 16 years of my career.I have done a variety of education programs as well as workshops and seminars on many different issues and methodolgies of changing peoples' perspectives and reponses to these issues. For the past six years I have been a very active volunteer with Beyond Welfare in Ames, Iowa USA. and am presently serving as the administrative executive to cut Lois Smidt's time free for more teaching and training. It has been a good use of the experience gained in those 16 years as an executive director.'
Tina Thordal who delivers training to various UK organisations
including those who provide care services to adults and children.
and Ian Davies a co-trainer who has learning disabilities.
They have been working together for the past 18months delivering training which
has included developing skills for people with learning disabilities who
have the opportunity to become co-trainers. When not training lan works as a
volunteer for ŒPeople First‚ a self advocacy group based in Northamptonshire
which he helped to set up 15 years ago. He now owns his own home in Corby.
Walking the Talk!
Are you interested in becoming a co-trainer? Then find out more by listening to Ian and Tina who have delivered training together for the last two years.
Working on the Thai/Burma Border
- Refugee Camps/Children with Learning Disabilities
- Migrant School – Maehonson
- Le Per Her – Village school under attack from the Burmese Military.
'The whole thing has been inspirational'
Derek Wilson and Colin Newton - Inclusive Solutions
Colin Newton and Derek Wilson are co-founders and Directors of Inclusive Solutions.
Together they have a combined experience of over 50 years experience as educational psychologists working across the UK. Previously as Principal and Senior strategic Educational Psychologists in Nottingham City LEA, they bring a wealth of practical, applied solutions and processes from their work with children and young people with exceptional needs aged between 0-19.
Or remember last June 2007... (Click for link to description and testimonials)
INCLUSION SUMMER INSTITUTE
NOTTINGHAM
JUNE 6 - 8 TH 2007
VIDEO Testimonials
'Stormin’ conference last week! I really appreciated the chance to be with you and share the experience with so many great people. Thank you so much.
Peter Bates
National Development Team'
'Hello Derek and Colin
Just to say I thoroughly enjoyed the Inclusion Summer School. It was such a wonderful environment to be in. Can’t wait for the next one!
Many thanks for all your hard work,
Anne
Emerson
Research Fellow
Division of Psychology
Nottingham Trent University '
What a mind blowing international and inclusive experience for all of us! There was a wealth of themes throughout the 3 days centering around
both the development of fully inclusive education systems and issues of
social and community inclusion. Leaders from within the disability community
in the UK and beyond were presenting and we had a number of young
disabled people also attending.
Delegates from Russia,
India and from around the UK participated with
people working towards inclusive education in other parts of the world.
Joseph and his mum... yes they are definitely coming back in 2008!!
'Thank you very much for inviting me to attend such a wonderful and inspiring conference, it was fantastic and I am very grateful. Thanks again.
Lucy Pitt
Person Centred Planning Co-ordinator
Positive Futures Team'
