From time to time, we all feel lonely, however, people with learning disabilities and/or autism, are more likely to experience feeling of loneliness and isolation – according to Mencap, a total of 34% of adults with learning disabilities have no more than yearly contact with friends, which means that disability and social inclusion is very low. Some people may prefer and enjoy spending time on their own instead of being with others whilst others may wish to socialise but may not know how especially when faced with new groups of people or challenging environments.
Socialising is an important part of life; forming strong connections with friends, family and people in our community is beneficial to both physical and mental health and provides a sense of belonging. It’s also good for the health of the whole community. People with learning difficulties and/or autism may struggle with meeting people and socialising because of a number of reasons. For example, they may feel that they have fewer opportunities to meet new and existing friends, because unfortunately, not all events, leisure activities and facilities are designed with people with learning disabilities and/or autism in mind.
Here at Zetetick we want to improve disability and social inclusion so we have our own events for tenants to get involved in, providing the opportunity to get out and about with their family and/or care providers, as well as meeting other tenants. Keep reading to find out more about how to get involved in what we have coming up very soon and find out about the work and events of some of our partners and other local charities.
Table of Contents
Get Involved – Upcoming ZHC events
In collaboration with Club Soda and Slide we will be holding ‘How is your home?’ – a feedback event with a DJ and Dance for tenants and staff on the 8th June at Fairfield Halls, Croydon from 1pm-3pm. Club Soda is a charity based in Croydon that aims to provide accessible, affordable, social and creative opportunities for people with learning disabilities. They often collaborate with Slide (who will also be joining us), a community of dancers, musicians and creatives in Croydon, who bring their creative expertise to help unite people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. So, grab your dancing shoes and come show us your best dance moves.
We will also hoping to arrange a feedback event for our tenants throughout Sussex later in the year in collaboration with Carousel. They are a charity that enables learning disabled artists to explore, develop and create through a variety of mediums. Carousel brings those people together, giving them a creative platform where they can tell their stories, learn new skills, grow confidence, make friends and succeed as artists.
Carousel celebrated their 40th anniversary last year and over the years they and their artists have achieved many accolades, most notably their Oska Bright Film Festival is now a BAFTA accredited film festival that promotes accessible screenings, provides training for venues and helps develop the skills of aspiring filmmakers. Only 5% of people working in the film industry have a disability and Carousel aims to improve the visibility of people with disabilities in media. We are hoping to collaborate with Carousel on an exciting event later on this year so keep your eyes peeled on our webpages for further information!
Last year at Zetetick we celebrated our 15th anniversary with a Summer Party at Lloyd Park in Croydon. Tenants and their care providers travelled from all over South London and the Southeast to meet Zetetick staff and board members. Hot and cold food was served from the Street Kitchen food van and ‘Mabel’ the retro style ice cream van paid a visit serving guests with Mr Whippy’s and traditional lollies. The spinning cups and inflatable assault course proved a hit with tenants and staff. In the afternoon, tenants enjoyed a raffle hosted by our Director of Housing, Judith. We are looking forward to hosting another summer party this year, please stay tuned for further details.
Disability and social inclusion – support and resources
Alongside ZHC events there are many resources, organisations and other charities that host accessible social events and also aim to improve disability and social inclusion. Club Soda often collaborates with Gig Buddies a charity that pairs up people with and without learning disabilities and/or autism to go to events together such as gigs, concerts, club nights or other cultural events. People with learning disabilities and/or autism might require communication and social skills support to help them understand social cues to help them meet people and make friends. Participants meet with their buddy once a month to make a plan together and then attend the event that they have made plans to attend.
Following the success of Gig Buddies, in July 2021, a new project was started called Sports Buddies, pairing people up to do some regular sporting activities and exercise together. Sports activities range from nature walks to martial arts. Physical activity is known for improving our mood, decreasing our chances of developing depression and anxiety disorders and lead to better and more balanced lifestyles.
But perhaps club nights and fitness aren’t your cup of tea, the Grace Eyre Foundation allotment in Hove hold sessions every Thursday from 1:30pm – 4pm. Volunteers help to grow plants and vegetables and maintain the allotment. Volunteering is a great way to meet people in your local community, learn new skills and give back to your community. The plants and herbs grown on the allotment will be sold in at Grace Eyre Foundation events and in the Montefiore road café, The funds raised from the sale of the allotment produce will go back into other projects such as Purple Club House and the Montefiore Artists.
You’re invited!
We want to help to improve the opportunities for disability and social inclusion, so if you are one of our tenants based in Croydon and you’d be interested in coming along to our ‘How is your home?’ event, then please email us at [email protected]
