Gathering together in circles is a vital part of ongoing community development. This is an essential and ancient part of our shared humanity. Creative Arts Programs can help communities gain the capacity to successfully integrate and value people with different abilities.
Twenty-five years ago a group of families who had young children with special needs was gathering monthly to discuss the present and future of our children. Community Inclusion and Education were pretty much at the top of the list.
As a result of these group discussions, some of us were inspired to spearhead a Creative Arts program for our children as a way to have them more socially engaged with each other and to support new learning modalities. Out of that was formed the Alexander Society for Special Needs. Over the next 15 years we realized that we were in fact satisfying a Community Need! In 2016 we changed our name to The Alexander Society for Inclusive Arts. It is through the multi-sensory nature of the arts that people of all ages and abilities can learn and grow together.
The Creative Arts programs have always relied upon volunteers to provide one-on-one support to those with challenges to fully engage in the activities. Volunteers go on to become teachers, support workers, speech language pathologists, etc. One volunteer noted:
“I learned not only about people with special needs, but also about myself. I learned that there are new ways to communicate with people with special needs.”
These relationships radiate out into the broader community when we see each other on the street, at other events, at friends’ gatherings. The more we join together in groups, the safer we are in community. Finally our government is catching up to us and has invited us all to help build community capacity!
The group, the circle, is key – where we can all see each other and be part of the whole. It is a profoundly powerful way for communities to include everyone as valued members of society. Please click watch this video to see the Creative Arts Program in action.
Together we can create stronger more inclusive communities one circle at a time. Follow us in The Grapevine too. Click on the cover below.
