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Half Term SEND Community Offer |
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Free Sensory Rooms
SEND families have free use of the Sensory Room at Benchill Community Centre in Wythenshawe during half term. It has a waterbed, interactive sound wall, infinity tunnel, bubble tubes, animated projections - and more. Each slot is for 45 minutes and on the hour, Monday 30th May to Wednesday 1st June, 10am–7pm. Up to five family/group members per session. Call 0161 946 9520 to book, using the code ‘SEND Community Offer’ – Manchester families only. There’s free parking at the venue and the 103 bus stops just outside. The Sensory Room is upstairs but there's a lift.
The popular Sensory Rooms at Redbank House in Cheetham Hill are back for half term. Free slots are available at various times from Monday 30th May to Wednesday 1st June. Manchester SEND families only and booking essential – call 0161 214 5959 or email info@redbankhouse.com.
Cartoonify Your Social Media
This fun SENDCode activity is a chance to learn how to add cartoon special effects to improve videos. Perfect for TikToks! It’s for young people living in Manchester and is every Thursday 4.30-6pm, from 9th to 30th June at Holyoake House, M60 0AS, in the city centre. Visit the SENDCode website to sign up.
Music Centre Open Days
As part of the SEND Community offer, we would like to invite your family to visit a music centre. Listen to some music & have a go at playing an instrument.
East, June 15th, 4-6pm, 8+; North, June 16th, 4-6 pm, 8+; South, June 18th, 9-11.45am 5+. Find out more about the city's Music Centres and their free activities on their website.
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There are some free places for ShadowGirl Origins, a playful and adventurous show about friendship, growing up and the power of being seen. It’s suitable for families and children aged 8 and up – please phone to book:
Beswick Library, Monday 30th May, 1.30pm - 0161 245 7241 / Manchester Central Library, Wednesday 1st June 1.30pm - 0161 234 1983
The story is by Chrissy Jones, a Manchester-based artist living with a learning disability label. She wants to provoke a positive discussion about learning disability with a wider public audience, especially young people.
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Sunday Inclusion Sessions Are Back
The Inclusion Sessions at Manchester Youth Zone are moving back to Sundays from 5th June. They’re from 12-3pm and offer a wide range of activities for young people with disabilities and additional needs aged 8-25 years old. Membership is £5 per year, 50p per session. Young people need to be members at Manchester Youth Zone and attend a new members’ meeting and induction. They can do this by contacting Corrina on 161 203 5333 or corrina.aitchison-hayles@manchesteryz.org.
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Family Fun Day
There’s a free Z-Access Family Fun Day on the 12th June at Z-arts in Hulme. Drop in any time between 11am-2pm. It’s specially designed for families with disabilities and additional requirements. There’ll be drama, music, arts and crafts, and creative play sessions, as well as a sensory space and a time-out space. Alongside trained staff and facilitators, there’ll also be a BSL interpreter. See the Z-arts event page to find out more.
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Festival Of Libraries
There will be a whole range of inspiring and exciting events and activities for all ranges, including children and families, in libraries across Greater Manchester between 15th and 19th June as part of the Festival of Libraries. There will be family fun days in three libraries on Saturday 18th June and a Sunday Funday at Central Library on 19th June as part of Manchester Day.
Stuff To Do In The City
This year’s Manchester Flower Show is over the Queen’s Jubilee Weekend 2nd-5th June. Follow the fabulous floral trail of gardens and green installations around Manchester city centre. Here’s more information on the flower show and there’s a webpage where you can find Jubilee events near you.
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Manchester Day is back for 2022 and promises to be bigger and better than ever before. The countdown is now officially on for the day-long celebration of Manchester, its people, and all things Mancunian. It’s on Sunday 19th June with times and the parade route being announced soon. More on the Manchester Day website.
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For more in the city and your local area, check out Loads to do.
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Young Aviator Days
There is a free Bader Braves Young Aviators Day on Saturday 30th July at the City Airport & Heliport in Eccles. It offers young people from 6-18 with limb deficiency and other disabilities the opportunity of experiencing flight in a light aircraft. Find out more about Young Aviator Days on the Douglas Bader Foundation website and how to register for this event.
Christmas Lights Competition
It may feel too early to be thinking about Christmas, but as part of the Our Year Campaign for the city’s children, there’s an exciting competition to design a new seasonal motif. In partnership with Blachere Illumnation, winners’ drawings will become illuminated motifs on Cathedral Walk. There are various age categories and you can find out how to enter on the Our Year website. Closing date: Friday 13th June.
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Our next Drop In is on Wednesday 15th June, 10am-12 noon, at the Moss Side Powerhouse. It’s a chance to meet services and ask your SEND-related questions, including education, travel, stuff to do and Early Help. You can also chat with Manchester Parent Carer Forum (MPCF), Manchester Parent Champions and other parent carers. We’ll be sending out more information before the day. Look out for it in your inbox!
FUTURE DATES:
Wednesday 13th July, 10am-12 noon
Woodhouse Park Lifestyle Centre, Wythenshawe
Wednesday 14th September
Manchester Youth Zone, Harpurhey
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SEND Review - Have Your Say |
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Last month, we shared that parents, carers and young people, and those who work with them, are invited to have a say in the government’s green paper on the future of the special educational needs and disabilities and alternative provision system – Right support, right place, right time. The National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF) has launched their parent carer survey on the green paper and would like to hear from you. The survey should take no more than 10-15 minutes and is open until the 30th June. It will be used to inform the NNPCF’s response to the consultation.
You can find out more about Right support, right place, right time on the government website, as well as a range of resources, including easy read and BSL, to help with understanding the proposals. The SEND Review consultation period has been extended by 3 weeks and will now end on 22nd July.
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A Home For Music Lovers
AMP (Accessible Music Productions) is HOME’s project for music lovers, makers and shakers aged 18-25 with different abilities and additional needs. Working in partnership with Venture Arts, AMP includes monthly music workshops that support musicians to write, play and create music from an eclectic mix of sounds, plus House Party, a quarterly club night with open mic, live music, DJs and dancing ‘til late. Please contact youngcreatives@homemcr.orgfor information on how to get involved. Let the AMP team know if you would like to visit your group to tell them a bit more about the project. Picture credit: Shirlaine Forrest
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For music lovers, there is also Drake Music, a national arts charity which has been pioneering the use of accessible music technology for over 20 years. It is a disabled-led organisation, working with disabled people of all ages, from school children to professional musicians.
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Opportunities In The Green Economy
A One Manchester partnership has secured government funding to create 125 part time and flexible jobs to help unemployed people develop skills in the green economy. Lots of job opportunities are lined up with some fantastic employers and these are growing each week. Take a look on the One Manchester website. To apply, register interest, use the link provided and an employment coach will get in touch.
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Carers Week 2022
Carers Week takes place from 6–12th June 2022. This annual campaign raises awareness of caring, highlighting the challenges unpaid carers face and recognising the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. There are lots of activities across the Carers Manchester network, including Singing for the Brain, Tai Chi, massages, treasure hunts, walks, days out and even karaoke! Visit Carers Manchester events page to find out more and download the programme.
Here is Carers Manchester newsletter special for Carers Week
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Anxiety-Based School Avoidance Workshop
On Tuesday 14th June, 10am-12 noon, Manchester Parent Carer Forum are hosting a workshop about Anxiety-Based School Avoidance (ABSA) at St Thomas Centre, Ardwick Green. Some of you may know it as emotionally based school avoidance or school refusal (although we’re trying to avoid this term in Manchester). The training will be delivered by educational psychologists from One Education and is free to Manchester parent carers. Find out more and how to book on the Forum’s website.
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Carers Wellbeing Morning
There is a Carers Wellbeing Morning on Wednesday 29th June, 10am-1pm, in Wythenshawe. Join Buzz Manchester and Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust for breakfast and wellbeing activities at St Andrew’s Manse, Brownley Road, M22 0DW. To book, contact Ben Talbot on 07552 249 937 or ben.talbot@gmmh.nhs.uk.
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Have A Say In Your Local Sure Start
Manchester Sure Start Centres are looking for parents and carers to be part of their parents forum. They want parents to have a voice and a say in the design and delivery of their local children’s centre. If interested, pop in to your local Sure Start Centre to ask at reception or telephone your local centre. Find more information in the Manchester Local Offer directory, including a list of contacts.
Struggling With Rent Arrears?
The best way to deal with rent arrears is to seek help and advice as early possible. There are organisations out there that can help with the debt and money issues and even evictions. They can also check to see if you are eligible for any financial assistance. Please call them today - Citizens advice 08082 787800, Shelter 03445 151681.
The 2nd Greater Manchester Autism Strategy has been launched. You can read a pdf copy of the strategy, as well as an easy read version.
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