For the last two years, Bexley Mencap’s Respect Group have been working with The National Archive on a special online project called My Home.
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/outreach/my-home/
https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/my-home-and-our-partnership-with-arts-in-care-homes/
The aim of the project is so that care services can use multi-sensory activities and resources associated with the home as a way of engaging with care centre residents and service users with a learning disability. It also serves as an aid for discussion as part of a person-centred care approach.
Now their work is being used in care homes and as part of the annual campaign which was launched at the end of September 2024, having been initially trialled in SEND schools in Westminster.
Jane Menzies, Respect’s Support Worker and Facilitator, says that Respect members were actively involved in several stages of the project and showed great enthusiasm throughout the process. Contact was via Zoom and face to face meetings as well as regular group work as the project progressed.
As well as helping test out and use the resources and materials on offer, members also provided feedback on how users could best navigate across the website. They made a number of suggestions to ensure that it was more user friendly and easy to use.
Staff at Bexley Mencap and another organisation, (Share Wandsworth) helped to write a Guide for Helpers to assist carers and those taking part in the activities.
Photographs, artwork and textiles were used to make up household items and the resource also includes quizzes, games and videos.
As part of the project, Respect member Nimisha, made a model house with interiors using upcycled materials for all of the furniture –photographs of which was included in the project. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/outreach/my-home/part-3-get-creative/my-little-house-of-treasures/
‘I’ve always enjoyed being creative – drawing, colouring and making models from box sets. It was quite a challenge to make all of the tables and chairs from bits of left over, packaging, cardboard and plastic we collected. I liked painting all the items and putting them all together.’
‘I am blown away by Nimisha’s work. When you next have the chance to tell her, please do tell her what a talented and creative artist I think she is. All that she has created has been impressive but my absolute favourites are the lift and the postbox. What an inspiration she is.’
As well as being creative, Nimisha is also very organised and planned the interior of the house down to the last detail. Before she began, she drew a map of where all the furniture would go. This helped her work out how much space she would have and the size of each piece she was making.
Empowering, raising awareness and changing people’s attitudes to learning disabilities is very much the watchword of the Respect group.
Earlier this year, the Respect Group was a National Winner 2024 at O2 London: National Learning Disabilities & Autism Leaders List. This was in the Category: Advocacy, Policy & Media. https://www.bexleymencap.org.uk/leaders-list/
