Rix Centre Newsletter 2012/2013
Contents 1
The Rix Centre – new media innovation for the learning disability community!
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Welcome
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PART 1 – STORIES
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George & Keven’s Story – Special Olympics Champions sharing their experiences with Wiki Websites
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The Story of Colin & the Klikin project
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Samantha’s story: Shane’s Wiki – One Year On
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Emily’s story: “My multimedia Person Centred Plan helped me to achieve my dreams”
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Cascading Multimedia Advocacy with Get Connected
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Sparking Change
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PART 2 – NEWS IN BRIEF
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Contact details
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Acknowledgements
F Front cover images (clockwise from top): Special Olympics Champions at the London
2012 Olympic site; Special Olympics Champions Keven & George at work on a Wiki presentation in Romania; Students at Action For Kids make podcasts for the Sparking Change project; Shane and his Wiki Website.
Rix Centre Newsletter 2012/ 2013
The Rix Centre – new media innovation for the learning disability community! The Rix Centre is a recognised leader in the
in their communities. This is Multimedia Advocacy
research and development of innovative new media
and the Rix Centre is committed to making this
technologies that enhance the lives of people with
way of transforming the lives of people with
learning disabilities.
disabilities as accessible and achievable as possible.
The Centre was established as a Charity in 2004 and is based at the Docklands Campus of the
We do this through the development of new
University of East London.
multimedia tools which, with training and support can be used in innovative and effective ways.
The Rix Centre explores and develops the potential
We work with people of all abilities, families and
for the latest web and social media technologies
professionals using the latest technologies in
to help the most excluded members of our society
the heart of the communities where people live,
to improve their lives and realise their goals.
learn and work. We trial and evaluate new ways to
The Centre promotes new ways to transform
support people and encourage their independence
the experiences of people with disabilities and
and self-advocacy with multimedia. We provide
their families through a range of project activity,
training in Multimedia Advocacy for Local
teaching and training.
Authorities, Housing Associations, schools, colleges and health and social care providers. The Rix Centre
Our special focus is on encouraging the use of new
believes Multimedia Advocacy can enable people
media and Web tools to help people to organise
with learning disabilities to transform their lives for
their thoughts, plan and communicate their
the better, promote their social inclusion and help
aspirations and participate more fully and actively
achieve their human rights.
Welcome The Rix Centre’s work is made
across the UK and Europe to explore and develop
possible through generous
new media in a rich variety of projects. I hope that
grant support from a variety of
you enjoy this sample of our recent work shared
sources, coupled with the help
here through stories, photos and quotations from
and assistance of our Trustees
our project participants.
and a team of committed volunteers. I would like to extend a big thank you to all for their contribution to what has been a busy and exciting year of activity! Andy Minnion MBE The Rix Centre’s work in 2012 has brought us
Director
together with groups and organisations from
The Rix Centre
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Rix Centre Newsletter 2012/ 2013
Part One: Stories George & Keven’s Story – Special Olympics Champions sharing their experiences with Wiki Websites George Holt (17) and Keven Shard (15) are from Liverpool. As competitive athletes for Special Olympics GB they have been champions in their respective sports, Football and Bocce. As young people involved with the Special Olympics global movement, they are also champions for the organisation and its mission to use the power of sport to create a better world by fostering the acceptance and inclusion of all people. These young men were perfect recruits for the Special Olympic Wiki World project as ‘Wiki World Champions’ – multimedia journalists
and experts in building websites to share their Special Olympics experiences. The project brought the Rix Centre together with Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia to run from February 2011 to July 2012. Keven and George were involved from the start. In March 2011 they attended a Wiki World workshop in Brussels. This kicked off an eighteen month programme of website building workshops and events. Young people with and without disabilities from across Europe were brought together to learn from each other and create their own network of websites, sharing views and experiences in multimedia format. George and Keven were at the heart of the project, training other young people and cascading their new skills. “We put videos,
F Keven cascading his new skills H Keven and George with fellow Champions
at the London 2012 Olympic site
G Wiki Champion George gets to grips with
a camera
text, sound, links, pictures – all of them into the Wikis” Keven said about the project, “Meeting people from different countries was really interesting because you learn about their language and culture. I like spreading the word of the Special Olympics and making new friends!” The young men used their new skills and the project’s online Wikis to share their views on an international scale. In November 2011 they did this at the highest level by presenting a Wiki to a meeting of politicians at the European Parliament in Brussels. They made the special ‘Celebrating Inclusion’ Wiki with participants from six other EU nations and together delivered a powerful message to MEPs. You can view the Wiki by visiting www.klikin.eu/ celebratinginclusion. The project covered an exceptional period for the Olympic family, which included the Athens 2011 Special Olympics World Games and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. During the build up to London 2012 George and Keven, with his brother Keegan, took part
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Rix Centre Newsletter 2012/ 2013
F Keven’s Wiki
the Wiki World initiative continues to grow and benefit the Special Olympics community. This project was funded by the European Commission’s Youth in Action Programme and delivered by the University of East London (UEL) with The Rix Centre. Find out more about the project and view the Champions’ Wikis by visiting www.sowikiworld.eu. in a special workshop in the UK. They visited the Olympics site in Stratford as Wiki journalists, making websites to record their thoughts and impressions. “It was very exciting to go the Olympic site and to experience the culture of it and what is going to be going on… you can feel like an aura about it!” said George. The project has created a dynamic European community resource, supported by a network of young people. Keven and George are part of the team of 40 young people and youth workers from eleven EU member states that have been trained as Wiki building ‘Champions’. Their role now is to ensure that
G Keven & George at work on a Wiki presentation in Romania
The Story of Colin & the Klikin project Colin Johnson is 50 years old. He attends the Spartans Club in Dagenham, East London and is very engaged in his community, sitting on the Advisory Partners group. He helps people with disabilities learn how to be safe out in the community. He is Co-Chair of the Learning Disability Partnership Board, one of the team of ‘Tomorrow’s Leaders’ in Dagenham and a community volunteer with the Metropolitan Police.
In spring 2012 Colin took part in the Klikin pilot on the W2ID project at The Rix Centre. W2ID stands for Web 2.0 for People with Intellectual Disabilities. It is a two-year European partnership project led by UEL with The Rix Centre and funded by the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme. The project has developed, piloted and
E Colin is a community volunteer with the
Metropolitan Police
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Rix Centre Newsletter 2012/ 2013
G Some of the Klikin Web pages Colin made during the project
evaluated a Web 2.0 system called Klikin – which combines an easybuild website platform, resource hub and structured learning package themed on employability, inclusion and active citizenship. Colin came to every pilot training session with his friend Tim. He had used a camera before but was inexperienced with using computers. When asked in the questionnaire to identify what he wished to learn on the project, Colin ticked every box. Colin was pleased with how his confidence with cameras built up on the project, “I am taking better pictures!” he told the Rix Centre
Trainer “I think we share with each other the knowledge. We can share stuff that others are doing and we show people that we are all part of a big family!” He says he is now feeling more confident about going out, talking to people, working in groups and doing things for other people. Colin was able to take part in ‘Training for Trainers’ and subsequently share the leadership of the workshops himself. His main suggestion for making Klikin better is to ‘Get more people involved!’ Over a ten week period 380 learners with disabilities like Colin in Austria, Portugal, Finland and the UK took
part in the W2ID Klikin pilot. The results of the evaluation showed that users enjoyed the project and would like to continue working with the package. The biggest learning impacts were related to ICT skills, self-confidence and communication – 90% of participants observed changes in their ICT skills and almost 100% of participants felt their communication improved as a result of taking part. Feedback also showed that participants improved their active citizenship and their sense of digital inclusion. To find out more about W2ID visit www.klikin.eu/w2idprojectwiki
Samantha’s story: Shane’s Wiki – One Year On “I cannot believe it is one year since I shared Shane’s wiki with colleagues and guests at the Rix Centre’s Seminar at the House of Lords. Since then Shane’s wiki website has been further developed to include all necessary documentation from his Year 9 Transition Review as well as new videos demonstrating Shane’s new skills.
In January of this year Shane’s class teacher changed, which as you can imagine for a young person with complex needs can be quite daunting. However as we shared Shane’s wiki with his new teacher she immediately got a very good insight into Shane as a person and not just his disability. It gave her the tools to create lesson
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Rix Centre Newsletter 2012/ 2013
plans appropriate for Shane and most importantly understand his unique means of communication. When young people with complex needs are not supported by individuals who understand their way of communicating they can become frustrated and this can lead to challenging behaviour. Personally I do not like the term ‘challenging behaviour’ as to me it is a form of communication and if the young person is understood and supported appropriately, inappropriate behaviour tends to be much less. During the course of this year Shane has returned home from school on a couple of occasions with his foot splints incorrectly adjusted. I immediately was able to email his class teacher and ask her to show a video clip on Shane’s wiki, which highlights the correct way to put on his splints. The staff were trained in less than 2 minutes!
G Shane with his brother Daniel
Previously Shane had never tolerated being at his Annual Review. However his Year 9 review had his full participation. He loved showing his wiki to all who attended. I must admit there was not a dry eye in the room and I was very proud of his achievement. Unfortunately Shane’s physiotherapist was unable to attend the meeting but as she had already created a video for Shane’s wiki this was shown at the meeting. This was a good example of creative ways for professionals to contribute.
When I created Shane’s wiki it was with the intention of using it at his Year 9 Annual Review. This is a very important review in a young person’s life as it covers all aspects of Transition. As Shane’s Annual Review was approaching I still was not completely satisfied and decided to try to teach Shane how to operate the wiki with my support. Initially I was a little apprehensive as I was concerned that Shane would get upset, for example listening to himself having fun in the hydro pool. To my sheer amazement and utmost joy Shane fully embraced the experience and especially loved accessing all the videos of having fun with his family. It has opened up a whole new world for Shane. It is like it is helping him remember good times.
As a parent Representative on Greenwich’s Transition Board I was very keen to share this experience with everyone. As Greenwich is a pathfinder borough I was delighted when they, after some persuasion, decided to embrace technology and are now in the process of piloting the use of wiki’s in Person Centred Planning at Shane’s school. It is great to think that other young people like Shane will also have the opportunity to have their voices heard. I know Shane’s school have plans for all the young people who attend to have their own personal wikis. The Rix Centre is also undertaking an academic study on the impact of using the wikis for Person Centred Planning in Greenwich. I hope the outcomes, which I am sure will be achieved, will enable this approach to become more commonplace in other Local Authorities around the country and offer more young people with learning disabilities the opportunity to benefit from this wonderful tool.” Sam Bergin Goncalves Parent of Shane
G Shane loved showing his Wiki Website at his Annual Review
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Rix Centre Newsletter 2012/ 2013
Emily’s story: “My multimedia Person Centred Plan helped me to achieve my dreams”
G Emily with her multimedia portfolio
G Emily & her
supporter Sam work together on Emily’s Multimedia Portfolio
“My name is Emily Ann Bridge. I enjoy writing, talking, meeting people, art, dancing and music. My routine, being on time, my home, my family and friends are all very important to me.
F Emily has used
multimedia to help her make choices and achieve her dreams
I lived with my family all my life. Just over a year ago, I decided that I would like to move out. I asked someone at the day centre and they helped me to get an advocate and a social worker. They arranged for me to visit a supported living home and I really liked it. It was difficult for me to tell my parents. When my parents found out they were upset. They did not want me to go. I was upset that my parents didn’t want me to go – but I wanted to move out so I did.
was to travel abroad. I was invited by the Rix Centre to share my story at one of the international project seminars. I really enjoyed sharing my story with other people. The next thing I knew I was being invited to come to Greece and share my story there. I was very excited, so I applied for a passport and went to Athens. This was a good year for me as I managed to achieve a few of my dreams including travelling, meeting new people and experiencing new things.”
When I moved in to Mason Way I was supported to make a multimedia Person Centred Plan. I recorded my experience of moving home. I also recorded my likes and wishes for the future. One of my dreams
Emily Ann Bridge
Cascading Multimedia Advocacy with Get Connected In 2012 The Rix Centre completed an ambitious Get Connected project to embed the Multimedia Advocacy approach within social care organisations. We have worked in partnership with six organisations to develop and pilot a new ‘Train the Trainers’ Multimedia Advocacy course.
The project started in November 2011 and has seen 28 trainees, working with the same number of service users, complete the Multimedia Advocacy course. A blended learning ‘Train the Trainers’ course was developed and delivered to 12 care professionals and one service user, who are now responsible for rolling
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out Multimedia Advocacy in their organisations. The project is funded by the Department of Health via ‘Get Connected’, a scheme run by the Social Care Institute for Excellence to improve ICT and new media use in social care across the UK.
Rix Centre Newsletter 2012/ 2013
The organisations taking part; RCHL and Choice Support in London, and the YOU Foundation, CEDA, ROC and VOCAL Advocacy in Devon, have achieved the capability to deliver accredited Multimedia Advocacy as a key part of their service. The Rix Centre has evaluated the operational issues and impact for staff and service users as part of the project research. A set of video case-studies have also been produced to highlight the benefits of this innovative approach to providing personalised and personcentred support. Quotes from the Get Connected participants present an inspiring picture of the benefits of the approach: Yvonne Ellis a Vocal Advocacy ‘Partner’ said of her experience of using Multimedia Advocacy, “When
I had my meeting, I shared my presentation with people, I felt very proud. A shame my mum and dad where not there to see me!”. Sara Denny, Service Manager with CEDA in Devon says that she now uses Multimedia Advocacy not only in person centred planning work but also for planning and recording outcomes and in reviews. “I find that using multimedia creates really tangible ways to get the message across, especially for those with complex communication. Through the multimedia advocacy work with my service user, I connected with Barry in a way that I had not been able to before. I had known him for a very long time – 10 years – but we have been given real tools for Barry to communicate and I was able to find
out a lot of new things about him. He was empowered to make a plan to bring real changes in his life.” CEDA’s Director Renata Colley said “Before we had found people being quite passive about how their lives are being led…We have seen real differences in the short time that we have been doing the multimedia advocacy …people have moved out of places that were not suitable for them and moved into better accommodation.” Simon Tickner, Manager, ROC sums up his view, “Every time I have seen it, Multimedia Advocacy has been a very powerful process!” To find out more about Multimedia Advocacy visit www.multimediaadvocacy.com.
G Sara Denny from CEDA working with a service user
G Sara Denny from CEDA working with Barry
G Vocal Advocacy partner Yvonne Ellis works with a staff member
G Simon Tickner from ROC (right) working with service user Jamie
to record sound
Balforth on his multimedia person centred plan
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Rix Centre Newsletter 2012/ 2013
Sparking Change ‘Sparking Change’ is a recently completed 3-year project to develop a multimedia approach to participation, designed specifically for young people with learning disabilities. The project is led by Action for Kids (AFK) and funded by the Big Lottery. AFK is a charitable organisation based in North London who provide mobility equipment, learning, training and support for people with physical and learning disabilities. The Rix Centre’s role on the project has been to advise on multimedia technology, provide creative input using the Multimedia Advocacy approach and to help AFK create the online ‘Sparking Change Tool Kit’ to assist other organisations to develop the active participation and involvement of young people. Participation ‘sparks’ shared through Sparking Change include the development of the students’ own Websites with young people involved in content development and influencing its design.
“I love our own website…. It makes me feel really happy all that hard work I have done! I feel like want to take my own camera and record my own video on here, I really have to show my school this. I think my school is going to copy your ideas now – lol! ” Another big success has been use of the low cost application Comic Life, an easy to use program for
G Using applications like Comic Life,
students at AFK participate more fully
combining images with text in speech bubbles and captions. The end results have been printed out, turned into videos, published on the student website and used in their presentations. “It boosts your imagination and has given me useful computer skills that will help me find employment” Other multimedia activity as part of Sparking Change has included the creation of an online “Easy Survey” Tool that reads out the questions and provides easy to understand symbols so that young people who cannot read can give feedback on their experience as clients and learners and share their views on the activities that they do with their organisations. To find out more visit www. actionforkids-sparkingchange.org.
F ‘The ‘Sparking Change’ online Toolkit
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Rix Centre Newsletter 2012/ 2013
Part Two: News in Brief Greenwich PCP
Project ICICLE Project ICICLE is a Rix Centre led community learning research project. The project aims to devise a model inclusive approach, using multimedia advocacy, social media and the Web, that can be applied to every Community Learning Trust across the country. We are working with 40 learners and their tutors from 4 London Boroughs, who are supported and mentored by 40 student volunteers from the University of East London’s CASS School of Education. The project involves two specialist software providers and will also work with support staff and tutors to evaluate impact. The project is funded by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education’s Community Learning Innovation Fund and will run to July 2013.
Greenwich PCP is a project that builds on the Centre’s recent Klikin work with the London borough of Royal Greenwich. The project focuses on the use of passwordprotected personal Klikin Wiki websites as a tool for Person Centred Planning in schools. We are working with learners and staff from Charlton Park Academy, alongside parents and local service providers, as part of a trial and impact study that will see each learner develop their own personal website for Person Centred Planning.
Museums, and Collections by engaging all their senses in innovative ways. The project team includes artists, heritage professionals, technologists and academics. The Rix Centre team is using Multimedia Advocacy approaches to develop and support the research input of the projects’ co-researchers with learning disabilities. Interactive Sensory Objects is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and will finish in 2015. Find out more at www.sensoryobjects.com.
Interactive Sensory Objects
Click Start
Interactive Sensory Objects is a creative arts-based research project led by Reading University with co-development from The Rix Centre. Experimental workshops focus on iterative design of art objects that feature digital and interactive technologies. The project aim is to help people with complex disabilities to experience and respond to Heritage sites,
Click Start will see some exciting developments in 2013 as we develop our work with the London Boroughs who have adopted the package. Click Start package been significantly developed and refined as part of The Rix Centre’s European project initiatives and will soon be upgraded to the new ‘Klikin’ version of the software, which is full of new accessible features.
Multimedia Advocacy Workshops in the Basque Country The workshops took place in 2012 as part of ongoing work between The Rix Centre and the Basque Federation of Associations for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (FEVAS). FEVAS are looking at ways of implementing more person centred approaches through the use of Multimedia Advocacy in a largescale ‘Living Lab’ project.
F An illustrated guide to the ICICLE project
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Contact Details If you are interested in finding out more about The Rix Centre or wish to make a donation please contact us or visit our website. THE RIX CENTRE UEL Docklands Campus 4-6 University Way London E16 2RD
Phone: Fax: Email: Website:
0208 223 7561 0208 223 7411 rixadmin@uel.ac.uk www.rixcentre.org
Acknowledgements We thank all of our funders and donors for their continued support of The Rix Centre. Without their help the life changing work that we do would not be possible. We also wish to thank all of the people with learning difficulties and disabilities who have participated in our projects, showing enthusiasm, patience and fantastic creativity. The European Projects run by the University of East London are funded through the European Union Lifelong Learning and Youth in Action Programmes.
The Rix Centre, December 2012