New courses and fantastic new leadership opportunities!
It’s a great time to get involved and try something new at DIY!! As well as new weekly sessions and courses for people with learning disabilities we have fantastic new leadership opportunities as well!
Click to quickly find out more about :
Launching our new leadership and community engagement programmes
DIY is very excited to announce two new fantastic inter-linked leadership programmes called ‘Gamechangers’ and ‘Leading Edge’!
Lots of learning has come through DIY’s Friday Leadership Group, Passing the Baton Programme and our Digital Leaders projects. DIY will ensure that both programmes continue to be shaped by disabled leaders as the programmes develop over the next three years. (Passing the Baton was a 3 year programme, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, which ended in 2022 – click to see the report.)
Key points from recent learning that the programmes are based on:
The importance of Lived Experience Leadership:
We’ve got disabilities so we can relate to stories people without disabilities might not relate to”
People without disabilities might not understand the fear we feel – I think about people’s needs because I have different needs”
The barriers members experience in accessing training and being taken seriously as leaders:
Most of the time people get the word as ‘no’ if you’ve got a disability or you’re in a wheelchair or you’ve got to use a walking frame or something. Whereas a normal person who doesn’t have a disability will get the word ‘yes’.”
The value of working with a range of industry professionals:
Working with someone who’s been in the industry for ages and who can push you even more.”
Then we get to experience what it’s like doing someone else’s job. So our dreams and minds can go wild for a little bit.”
The importance of volunteering opportunities in schools / colleges:
colleges and schools are going to be the first education before going out into the big wide world, so if you can get it in their brains right away then they’re going to have a different opinion when they go out into the big wide world.”
Aspirations for paid employment:
It’s important that people are getting paid for it. …I think other people might just fancy doing it voluntary still. But because we do more with DIY I think it would be better for us to get paid.”
We are now in our Consultation and Recruitment Phase
This term we will be discussing ideas with people with lived experience of learning disability to ensure both our Gamechangers and Leading Edge programmes are shaped by people with learning disabilities.
Gamechangers
We are very grateful for the support of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation for DIY’s brand new Gamechangers programme.
Gamechangers is an innovative Leadership Development programme for people with lived experience of learning disability.
If you are an aspiring leader with lived experience of learning disability then this programme is for you!
- Leadership Development will include project planning, communication, presentation skills, safeguarding, equality and diversity and creative evaluation. Participants will be trained to become Arts Award Advisers and will develop individual portfolios and CVs.
- Artistic Development will enable emerging artists to work with a mentor to plan, resource and produce their own artistic pieces, based on their own lived experiences.
Weekly sessions will take place at DIY’s base at The Angel Centre in Salford. We will be recruiting to this exciting new programme during the Autumn so if you are interested in developing your theatre, leadership and facilitation skills or just want to find out more, please get in touch! diytheatre@gmail.com
Leading Edge
We are very grateful for the support of the National Lottery Community Fund for DIY’s ambitious Leading Edge programme.
Leading Edge is an ambitious Employability and Community Engagement programme for leaders with lived experience of learning disability. Disabled leaders will develop their employability skills and access volunteering and supported employment opportunities in schools, community settings and cultural organisations.
By Year Three of our Leading Edge Programme DIY will be setting up a Community Engagement Team of established drama leaders with lived experience of learning disability who will be paid for running outreach projects in education and cultural organisations.
If you are an adult with a learning disability who is interested in developing your leadership and employability skills please email diytheatre@gmail.com to find out more about Gamechangers and Leading Edge.
If you are a young person with a learning disability
why not join DIY Young Leaders or Youth Drama Sessions:
DIY Young Leaders, now Gamechangers Emerging Leaders
DIY’s Young Leaders Group is open to young people with learning disabilities who want to develop their facilitation and leadership skills.
We will be developing our music leadership skills as part of an exciting 4 x 8 project being funded by Youth Music.
DIY’s Young Leaders sessions will start back on Monday 19th September. Sessions take place at Langworthy Cornerstone on Mondays 5:30pm – 7pm
Contact Molly to find out more – molly.stedman@diytheatre.org.uk
DIY Youth Drama Sessions
DIY’s Youth Drama is looking for new members!
The group develops confidence through drama, music and other art-forms. This term we will be learning new drama games, taking part in lots of fun creative activities, exploring our imaginations and creating a performance.
Youth Drama Sessions start on Tuesday 20th September at Langworthy Cornerstone. Sessions run from 6-15 to 7-15 pm
To find out more contact Molly : molly.stedman@diytheatre.org.uk
If you are an adult with a learning disability
we have courses in theatre and visual arts for you starting this September:
This term we have two new courses for adults with learning disabilities that will help learners to develop creative skills. Both courses start on Thursday 22nd September and will take place at Langworthy Cornerstone.
Sessions are free to Salford residents and everyone is welcome!
Making Stories – Visual Arts Sessions
Join us on Thursday mornings to make stories using pictures and words. It’s going to be colourful! We will be using a range of skills including drawing, collage and sewing.
Thursday mornings 9.45 – 12.00, at Langworthy Cornerstone.
Funded by: Community Learning at Salford City College
Making Theatre Inspired by Movies
Join DIY BUD’s on Thursday afternoons as we make theatre based on different film genres.
We will be exploring lots of different styles including Romance, Comedy & Horror!
During the sessions we will be using drama, music and technical elements like sound and lighting.
Thursday afternoons 1–3pm at Langworthy Cornerstone.
Funded by: Community Learning at Salford City College and The National Lottery Community Fund through its Awards for All Fund.
Contact DIY by emailing diytheatre@gmail.com for more information and to register your place.