Inclusion key in Circle of Friends group
Fresh off the back of its debut show, a mixed abilities theatre group in Silverdale is proving the value of inclusion.
Circle of Friends, hosted at holistic health organisation The Connection, is made up of 11 children of typical and different abilities.
Group founder and chiropractor Lorene Dennis founded the group earlier this year as a ‘‘social bridge’’, to promote inclusiveness for children of mixed abilities.
Her 16-year-old daughter Molly - who has Down’s Syndrome - is a member of the group.
She enjoyed acting, singing and dancing to ABBA tunes in the group’s first show My! My! Mama Mia! on October 13.
‘‘Children with special needs like Molly are included a lot more when they’re younger in the primary school years,’’ Dennis said.
‘‘But when they get older, and teens get more sophisticated in their play and social groups, they can become very isolated.’’
Childrens with different needs can find themselves in exclusive groups, ‘‘which is great, but we need to build a bigger bridge for inclusion in mainstream society’’, Dennis said.
Circle of Friends practices weekly at The Connection under the guidance of actress Tera Only.
‘‘From her perspective, [Circle of Friends] is a way for the community to have a window into knowing who these kids are,’’ Dennis said.
It also provides typical kids with the opportunity to work with children of different abilities.
‘‘There are a lot of people who aren’t exposed to that, and kids miss out,’’ Dennis said.
The use of neutral language is important to those at Circle of Friends, Dennis said, as a means to change perceptions.
The word ‘disability’ is replaced by ‘different ability’, while ‘normal’ becomes ‘typical’.
The approach is about recognising potential, instead of a lack, Dennis said.
Circle of Friends is free for those who want to be involved as Dennis doesn’t want ‘‘finance to be a barrier’’ for families who often have many other expenses.
To continue to provide a space for expression, and to grow the group, however, Dennis is on the lookout for volunteers and sponsors.
Visit theconnection.co.nz for more information or to get in touch.