Welcome!

Grace Eyre celebrates the voices, capabilities and potential of people with learning disabilities and autistic people.

However, we know from our own experiences and The Equality Act 2010 that inclusion and the celebration of diversity are far greater than simply one or two aspects of a person.

For example, as an organisation how much do we know about and celebrate pronouns and gender or build bridges with diverse communities beyond the learning disability sector?

How can we get better at supporting people’s rights to have and talk about relationships? To choose what their week will look like? To explore their intersectionality as complex and interconnected persons?

The Inclusion Conference will explore these matters and more so that we all have the tools and understanding to be inclusive of all aspects of a person and grow as a Grace Eyre family.

And in so doing connect, value and engage deeper than we have before, both together and with people and communities we have yet to build those bridges with.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Sessions

The Inclusion Conference will take place over one week from 9th to 13th May 2022. Some sessions are online and others are in-person at venues in Brighton & Hove and Worthing.

Click on the dates below to find out more about each session. If you would like to book your place at a session, just click the ‘Book now’ button and then fill out the form.

Please note: you need to book separately for each session that you want to attend.

If you have any questions or would like support booking onto a session, please contact Chris Bland on 07584 706 010 or Nathaniel on 07743 885 459.

Monday 9th May

ReThinking Disability

10:30 am to 12:00 pm

Grace Eyre Café
36 Montefiore Road
Hove
BN3 6EP

A presentation about the theories and models used when talking about learning disabilities and autism and how that informs our thinking and cultural attitudes to people with learning disabilities.

The aim of the session is to understand how models and theories of disability can stop people from being included and beginning a discussion on how we change this.

Book your place

Achieving Inclusive Communication in Times of Change*

*Please note that this session has been cancelled but the content will be made available online in due course.

12:30 pm to 1:30 pm

Online – Zoom

A workshop exploring the challenges of change and ways to share your voice during these times.

The aim of the session is to look at these challenges in a workshop and break out rooms and explore; what are your hopes for these changes? How do we ensure people’s voices are heard during these times of change? From these questions, we will explore; how we can move forward with these changes in an inclusive way.

Book your place

Relationship and Sex Education, Your Say

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Online – Zoom

A presentation and discussion exploring 3 key areas:

  1. to help people gain an understanding of their rights within relationship and sex education
  2. to explore a person’s rights under guidelines and policies for relationship and sex education
  3. to understand what Grace Eyre is doing to respect these rights and in what places can we do more

Book your place

Tuesday 10th May

Beyond Boxes – Seeing and Celebrating Who You Are

10:00 am to 12:30 pm

Friends Meeting House – Lecture Room
Ship Street
Brighton
BN1 1AF

A fun arts based session where you can express who you are, and the many parts that make you, you. For example, religion, ethnicity, learning disability, autism or gender. In exploring how many parts there are to any person, we can recognise that a learning disability and autism is not all that makes you, you, but simply may be part of a greater whole.

This session will increase our awareness and understanding of the range of aspects those attending Grace Eyre have, and produce a creative work or works that can represent and celebrate this.

Book your place

NDTi Direct Payments – Your Money, Your Choice

1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Online – Zoom

A session exploring your understanding of where the money comes and how it is organized, to provide day time activities within active lives. The session will also look at the benefits of using direct payments and any worries you might have.

Book your place

Wednesday 11th May

What is Inclusive Communication?

10:00 am to 11:00 am

Online – Zoom

A session to celebrate the many ways in which we communicate. And to explore what types of communication you prefer.

The aim of this session is to help Grace Eyre understand your communication needs, which will help Grace Eyre to reach and involve more people in their communication for the future.

Book your place

Inclusion – Everyone’s Opportunity

11:30 am to 12:30 pm

Friends Meeting House – Lecture Room
Ship Street
Brighton
BN1 1AF

A workshop with Paul Richards from Stay Up Late, exploring what inclusion means in his charity, and the ways it is different, or the same as Grace Eyre’s understanding of inclusion; looking at ways we can adopt some of the different ideas from Stay Up Late. And exploring how we can be inclusive in our daily lives, as individuals.

The aim of this session is to reflect on your understanding of inclusion, and how can we promote this concept in Grace Eyre and our daily lives.

Book your place

Inclusion in the Workplace

1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Online – Zoom

A session to talk about the opportunities the Employment Project provides for people looking into volunteering and employment. And how reasonable adjustments and the Travel Buddy Project (through independent travel) support these opportunities. And discover the barriers to these opportunities that people have come across.

The aim of this session is to support Grace Eyre to look at the connection between the different projects, which will impact the inclusion strategy. As well as gain an understanding of where the barriers are to people being included within these opportunities.

Book your place

Thursday 12th May

Inclusion within Community Spaces

10:00 am to 12:30 pm

Grace Eyre Café and Exeter Street Hall

A session which will explore how you feel included, and relate to new environments.  There will be a discussion, a performance to showcase the community and confidence that new environments can foster. As well as a film celebrating community spaces.

This session will begin with an open discussion from 10:00 am to 11:00 am  at the Grace Eyre Café followed by a short walk to Exeter Street Hall and a performance from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.

The aim of this session is to understand your relationship with your environment, so that any new spaces are accessible and celebrate your passions.

Book your place

Friday 13th May

Montefiore – Your Environment, Your Voice

10:00 am to 11:00 am

Grace Eyre Café
36 Montefiore Road
Hove
BN3 6EP

A talk focusing on the Big Build. We will explore how you can be involved and listened to, in the design of the buildings and spaces we use.

The aim of this session is to ensure that the Big Build includes your needs and wishes.

Book your place

How Accessible are Leadership Roles at Grace Eyre?

11:30 am to 12:00 pm

Heene Community Centre – Tennyson Room
122 Heene Road
Worthing
BN11 4PL

A session looking at the challenges of forming leadership and management roles and structures, that are accessible. And to celebrate the voice of people with learning disabilities and autism.

The aim of this session is to see the gaps, barriers, and any issues around transparency, in Grace Eyre’s plans towards inclusive leadership.

Book your place

Exploring Identity – Gender and Pronouns Matter

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Online – Zoom

A session which will explore the different pronouns and their meanings, as gender and its many aspects. And why this matters.

The aim of this session is to give Grace Eyre the information and tools to use and respect this diversity across the organisation so Grace Eyre celebrates and respects your identity and individuality.

Book your place

Celebration at the Purple Clubhouse

6:30 pm to 9:30 pm

Grace Eyre
36 Montefiore Road
Hove
BN3 6EP

A celebration with outside space and pizza! Free to those who have attended the conference. But others coming to the event will be charged £5.

Email Ben Doehren at bdoehren@grace-eyre.org to book your place. Be sure to let Ben know that you have attended the Inclusion Conference.

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