Callum's Promise and new adventures for disabled children
With a leg
in plaster, a friend of mine was not able to play at hide and seek during break
time when we were attending elementary school. Not that she was an enthusiast
of running and shouting the name of our classmates, but, once the knee joint
would had been working as usual, she could run at her pleasure.
What is the
most likely scenario when the child cannot move his legs properly, not just for
the six weeks of a plaster, but for his entire life? And what if he or she
moves around on a wheelchair, need the support of a crutch, or a carer hand to
walk with more confidence in a room?
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| Picture Credit: Include Me TOO |
Disabled
children risk often to be excluded from games and activities with their peers,
because in need of special assistance or adapted sets. It can be easier – and less
expensive – to leave them apart: they wouldn’t be able anyway to be like the
others.
Games and
fun are ways to start new friendships too among children. So, once excluded
disabled kids from them, what else are we taking out? Friends, a supportive
community, self-acceptance, confidence, well-being, and lots and lots of
smiles.
From the
side of the abled children, however,
we are also depriving them of important elements: the beauty of a more varied
group, friends, the chances to become more sensitive, and lots and lots of
smiles.
Include Me TOO is a national charity born in 2002 with the aim of supporting disabled
children, young people and their families, promoting their rights, social
justice, and equality.
And Callum’s Promise is its new project. On the 13th October, Parmi Dheensa - Include Me TOO
Founder and Executive – welcomed partners and supporters at the official
launched hosted by Irwin Mitchell at its headquarters in London.
(You can see these pictures in the Photo Gallery or on Flickr)
It all started from the promise Parmi made to her son, Callum. Why not to extend the possibility to have fun and join adventures to all disabled children?
As mentioned,
this resolution is not always as easy as writing about it in a blog post. The
structures or tools may need to be readapted, used by qualified staff, and all
of it needs resources.
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| Picture Credit: Callum's Promise |
In the analysis
of the Households Below Average Income prepared by the Department of Work and
Pensions in June 2015, we read that “children in families containing one or
more disabled member were more than twice as likely to live in households in
combined low income and material deprivation than those in families with no
disabled member, 22 per cent compared to 10 per cent Before Housing Cost.”
(p83)
The
consequences of having a disability in the family are cuts on different
expenditures – especially leisure activities -, and, thus, risks of lower
levels of well-being (as also reported by The Children’s Society).
But what
could have appeared an unlikely request years ago, nowadays it looks more than
possible. Technologies, advanced techniques, and a stronger desire to have a
space for disabled children are leading to more accessible solutions.
Surfability
(providing disability friendly surfing board – yes, surfing is possible also
for wheelchair users!), Department of Ability (born from the vision of Dan White, creator and writer of the very first comic featuring superheroes with
disabilities), Sals Shoes (collaborating to increase adapted footwear for
disabled children), and Parallel London (that delivered the largest disability
inclusive push/run in London this September).
Among the guests
at the launch event, there were also Adam Pearson, Samantha Renke, Sophie Walker, AJ Joshi.
‘We are
looking forward to working with our amazing partners – said Parmi Dheensa - and
anyone who wishes to join us to support and increase opportunities for fun,
friendships and adventures to disabled children and young people ensuring they
too can leave a mark on this world’.
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