MK Snap SEND Skills Project

MK Snap delivered a Skills Project in partnership with the MKCEP during 2017-18.  The aim of this project was for people with learning disabilities to explore 25 years of learning disability heritage at MK Snap, taking part in researching and documenting their personal history for a public exhibition and activities with their peers. 157 young people with learning disabilities from MK Snap took part in this project.

This project has given people with learning disabilities the opportunity to re-live the charity’s history and the role they have played in its growth and change, giving them with a sense of pride and value.

As well as building skills of the learners, this project provided many opportunities to bring our learners, our work and the charity closer to the hearts and minds of our local community.  It also pays tribute to the many generous and visionary people who have supported MK Snap 25, including trustees and volunteers, staff and parents.

This has created a greater understanding and awareness across Milton Keynes of who attends MK Snap, why, and the difference MK Snap makes to their lives, and the valuable contribution people with learning disabilities make to our community.  It is important that this voice continues to be heard through representation of people with disabilities on AHA-MK and other strategic bodies.

Activity Highlights

A total of 11 Discover Arts Awards achieved. Our first six Discover Arts Awards were awarded to our learners by HRH, The Duke of Kent on a visit to celebrate 25 years of MK Snap. This was a real highlight of this project as HRH is Patron of Trinity College London.

A permanent Timeline (1992-2017) of words and pictures today lines the main corridor of MK Snap. Our learners also produced a Scrapbook and a Timecapsule of their memories.

This was a wonderful opportunity for learners relive their own personal journeys of progress, friendships and experiences.

Young people with learning disabilities staged a production ‘Snap to the Future’ at The Venue, Walton High. This provided a fantastic confidence-boosting and skill-developing opportunity for learners. It was the first time MK Snap had put on a public stage production at The Venue.

MK Snap learners produced artwork for the MK Disability Awareness Day art exhibition at Centre:MK celebrating the skills, talents and abilities of people with disabilities in art. The Now you See Me’ was an exhibition of works to raise awareness, challenge perceptions and reduce stigma surrounding both physical disability and mental health, whilst also addressing accessibility within the visual arts. The exhibition ran from Wednesday 21st June until Saturday 15th July 2017 and showcased 50 works from people with disabilities to coincide with the MK50 celebrations.

Heritage Walk May 13 from MK Snap’s first premises to our current centre. We offered a 10 mile or 2.5 mile walk, with cream teas at the end made and served by learners.

Presentation by learners of a Past and Present show of following 25 years of fashion in clothes, music, and TV shows.

 

Creation of our MK Snap Dragon from aluminium wire, mud rock and resin made by learners and volunteers from Marks&Spencer.

Creation of 25th anniversary section on the MK Snap website.

 

Other project/participation/ opportunities

Learner Simon Hellings achieved a dream when he appeared on stage at MK Theatre during a special ‘relaxed’ performance of the Christmas pantomime, Cinderella. It was a truly unforgettable moment that will live long in the memory of Simon and everyone who was in the audience. This story attracted great press coverage and great pride from his family and Simon. In Simon’s words: “It made me really, really happy.”

We would like to thank all at MK Theatre Marketing and Communications Department and production company Qdos, for making Simon’s dream come true.

Learner, Patricia Poole, developed and grew in confidence and ability as she talked about her 25 years at MK Snap. Her ambassador skills have grown so much that we nominated Patricia for a local ‘worthy’ women award as a modern day representation of the Temple of British Worthies voted by the Stowe and Community panel. Patricia won the vote and is one of six local worthies and her display will be in the modern day representation of the Temple of British Worthies later in the year.

It was wonderful to hold so many different celebratory events to mark the success of MK Snap and 25 years of progress, change and growth. It was empowering for our learners to have so many opportunities to share different events with members of the local community.

With thanks to: