Articulating Success

Shape Articulate Event

Young people with learning difficulties  from Camden and Islington in London met with potential employers thanks to the first of two ‘Articulate’ conferences organised by disabled arts charity Shape.

The conference at the Camden Centre focused on employment issues, allowing young people with learning difficulties to articulate their ideas and thoughts about employment through lively, creative expression – and for an audience of employers and agencies to hear their voices.

The conference began with a performance by young learning disabled people working with Mind the Gap Theatre, through which they expressed their dreams and career aspirations in a charming, humorous and creative way. By using theatre, where audience members were invited to join the actors on stage to act out an idea, young people with learning difficulties were able to express the barriers they face to employment, and positive ways of overcoming them.

Employers, agencies and service providers had the chance to interact with young learning disabled people by participating in workshops where they talked to them directly about their ambitions and the support needed to achieve them.

One employer commented: “I thought today was fantastic, I’ve taken a lot from it which I’ll take back to my organisation and talk to key decision-makers about.”

The keynote speakers were Maz Bello and Nigel Prince, two young learning disabled people who had successfully gained employment and so offered inspirational, positive examples for the young learning disabled people and employers to engage in alike.

The next Articulate events will take place in the first week of March 2011 and will be open to young learning disabled people and employers in Tower Hamlets and Wandsworth, with future events happening in boroughs including Bromley, Lewisham and Southwark.

More: If you’d like to be involved, or would like any further information, please get in touch by emailing joanna@shapearts.org.uk.