Educating on Inclusion

Written by Rachel Bell, Interim Head of Programmes – Education at ELBA

This month we mark UK Disability History Month (UKDHM, 16th November -16th December 2022. This is ELBA’s first year celebrating UKDHM – standing in solidarity with other community partners and corporate partners. ELBA is using this opportunity to learn how we can be more aware and inclusive to everyone around us. Disabilities come in many different forms, some are visible, while others can remain hidden. It is important that we consider all disabilities in the work we do.

Neurodivergence is an example of a ‘hidden disability’. The term relates to when someone’s brain processes, learns and/or behaves differently from what is considered ‘typical’ by society. It is also important to recognise the inequality within diagnosis. There appears to be a pattern of late diagnosis, or even lack of diagnosis within women. Conditions such as ADD and ADHD present itself in different ways in males and females. As a result, males (presenting/biological) are often diagnosed in primary school, therefore, allowing more time for intervention and support. Whereas, females (presenting/biological) are diagnosed at a later stage in their lives as the disability manifests in different ways.

The education team takes different learning needs into consideration when developing workshops for students. Our aim is to ensure students are included and learn in a productive way that suits their style of learning. We include different methods of information sharing in the workshops, for example, visuals, colours, speaking, video and group work. This may also involve an element of public speaking to expand student boundaries in a safe environment. By being diverse in our methods, as well as feedback from our education partners, we aim for all interactions to be as inclusive as possible.

We are thinking of new ways to host programmes specifically for Special Education Needs (SEN) students. This includes bespoke workshops and mentoring programmes to accommodate the needs of every student to enable their full potential.

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