Arts, Sport & Wellbeing Archives

Q&A with our National Sport Manager

How did the Sport England funding come about?

Our sport & physical activity programme started in 2014 and has been growing ever since. We have worked with Sport England over the last five years supporting more people with complex needs to be active. This recent funding has come about following our work to date and our ambition to reach more people with complex disabilities who currently aren’t able to access opportunities due to a number of limitations with provision, society, and perception to name a few.

Football for everyone

A woman giving a ball to a young man who is holding his hands out.

Time for a game of footie!

For some time now, as part of our Sporting Sense project, we have been developing all sorts of sport and physical activities for people with complex disabilities – everything from swimming and cycling to yoga and dance. These are great because individuals can do these at their own pace, in their own way, and experience how their body feels in a sensory way.

We’ve also built up good partnerships with local sports clubs and providers to deliver these activities and had a lot of positive interest.

‘Sense, Active Together’ – New funding to expand our Sense Sports Programme.

According to research carried out by Sport England, almost half (42%) of disabled people are classed as inactive, which means they do less than thirty minutes of exercise a week. This rises to over half (51%) among people with complex disabilities.

At Sense, we are familiar with the disparities that exist and are working towards ensuring that no one is left out of life. There are so many physical, mental and social benefits to being active but unfortunately there aren’t the same opportunities available to people with more complex disabilities.

That’s why we’re excited to be launching a new three-year project, ‘Sense, Active Together’ building on our foundations of supporting people who are deafblind or have complex disabilities to be active, and aiming to reach another 2,500 people.

Re-fuse, re-made into art with RE-STORE.

A selection of toys that are laid out on a table. From books to noisy play toys, they are all brightly coloured.

Do you have any unwanted bric-a-brac taking up space? At Sense, we are taking those items that have been gathering dust and giving them a new lease of life by turning them into unique works of art.

We are very excited to once again, collaborate with RBSA on a mentoring programme connecting professional artists with the people we support. This brilliant new programme of activities is called Making Together, which is supported using funding by Arts Council England.

Making Together involves several different mentoring and art workshops between artists and Sense art-makers with complex disabilities. The aim of the mentoring and making workshops is to help Sense art-makers develop their own artwork for display.

Space to be different: How we plan to make arts accessible to everyone, no matter how complex their disabilities

Man and woman reaching up performing art

We are delighted to be launching our new inclusive arts plan Space to be Different 2019- 2022. The plan sets out how we want to bring art and social care closer together and support disabled artists and art-makers to be leaders in their field. Space to be Different sets out our vision for creating a national arts programme with Sense TouchBase Pears in Birmingham as the centre of excellence in inclusive arts.

See below for the first steps towards making the plan a reality.

Piloting inclusive arts consultation at Sense Arts.

Young boy sat in a wheelchair being supported by a woman who is supporting him working on a Sense Arts project.

What’s it all about?

In late 2018, Sense Arts were delighted to get funding from Arts Council of England to develop a strategic arts plan for the next phase of inclusive arts at TouchBase Pears.

They want the strategy to reference the ethos and practice that they’re passionate about and showcase to the fullest, the talents of those they’re nurturing through this programme.

Band of brothers and sisters

Little girl climbing up frame

Children who have a disabled sibling may have to learn to put their own needs on hold to some extent – but the Sense Siblings Weekend was just for them.When the children and young people arrive for the siblings’ weekend some look a little wary and there are even a few tears; others give barely a backward glance and get stuck right in away, rushing over to the painting activity and making instant new friends in the way that only children can.

They have all come away for a weekend of fun, friendship and adventure at a PGL centre near Swindon – and what they have in common is that they all have a brother or sister who has a disability. Having a sibling with special needs can be a mixed role, and whilst Sense’s experience is that many will grow up to be particularly kind, thoughtful and mature people – and love their disabled sibling to bits – they can face challenges too.

Continue reading “Band of brothers and sisters”

Let’s Dance! Supporting people with complex disabilities to be active, develop communication skills and explore their creative sides

A woman holding on to a colourful parachute

I work as a Dance Practitioner at Step Change Studios, which is an inclusive dance company that provides opportunities for people with multiple disabilities to dance. Sense and Step Change Studios have been working together to support people of different ages and abilities to be active and explore their creative, communication and social skills through dance.

The benefits of dance are widely evidenced – not just in terms of physical health but also mental health and wellbeing. For the past few months I have been working with adults with complex disabilities in a Sense residential care home in Walthamstow, London, using music and movement to engage their senses, and promoting social interaction and physical activity through fun, play-based sessions.
Continue reading “Let’s Dance! Supporting people with complex disabilities to be active, develop communication skills and explore their creative sides”

The voluntary sector can’t tackle loneliness in isolation from one another

Two men in conversation outside — CEO Richard Kramer discusses how Sense services can tackle loneliness

Loneliness is a serious public issue deserving of public funds and national attention. It’s well publicised that the issue disproportionately affects older people, with half a million older people in this country going 5 or 6 days a week without speaking to anyone at all.

What is less well known, is its affect on disabled people who may never have the opportunity to establish friendships in the first place. Continue reading “The voluntary sector can’t tackle loneliness in isolation from one another”

I make art that stimulates the senses

A woman holding a cup to the lips of another woman who is sitting in a wheelchair

I’m an artist who focuses on creating concerts that stimulate the senses, particularly sound, taste, touch and movement. I manage Bittersuite, a company that’s pioneering new ways to experience music through all the senses, and the Open Senses Festival.

I’ve always enjoyed making works for all the senses, so I was keen to start working with the charity Sense and their Arts team, when I learned that my work could be used to stimulate and inspire people with complex disabilities and sensory impairments. Continue reading “I make art that stimulates the senses”