Sound Therapy

Here’s the first of what we hope will be many videos answering questions put to us by you the readers (This is of course dependant on our readers asking questions).
Continue reading ‘Unlocking Music and Arkaos (A Music Gym Tutorial)’

Paper Jamz, a Valuable Inclusion Tool?

Paper Jamz produce a range of musical toys using the latest capacitive touch-sensitive technology. Destined to be one of the hot toys this Christmas, they may well have the potential to be a valuable tool for inclusion.

Continue reading ‘Paper Jamz a Multi Sensory Musical Tool?’

Every now and again you come across a news story that reminds you that no matter how far we’ve come over the years, we still have a long way to go… Continue reading ‘The Cage’

Here’s a roundup of games, sites and activities we’ve stumbled across on the web in the past month which we believe could play a part in enriching and engaging those with disabilites and complex needs. Continue reading ‘Some interesting things’

Had a really interesting conversation with Tom in the office regarding a recent article in The Daily Telegraph http://bit.ly/cVjLfN, that I’ve been intending to post for some time now.
Continue reading ‘A Second Opinion on Learning Disabilities?’

Here’s part two of my guide to writing third sector (charity, not for profit or social enterprise) online press releases.
Part one handled why you’d want to publish online, this week we’ll be detailing how you go about it.
As an added bonus I’ll provide a free Social Media Press Release Template for use in Facebook, which should get you well on the way to publishing online.

Continue reading ‘Writing Social Media Press Releases: Part two’

I’m guessing my experience of writing press releases is fairly typical.
I started my job in the third sector and within the first few weeks was required to write a press release, so I jumped straight in at the deep end. Having a vague idea of what I thought a press release should look like I read a few online guides that confirmed my suppositions and started writing straight away.
After getting a few people to proof-read it I found the appropriate journalists and sent it out as an email post-haste.

Continue reading ‘Writing Social Media Press Releases: Part one’

Angela Lane is the local Intensive Interaction Project Manager and last Friday she visited the Music Gym to see how it fits into what she’s doing.

If someone with severe learning disabilities and/or autism is still at an early stage of communication this is a valuable approach to passing on the pre-speech fundamentals of communication. It’s what we see happening all the time with many very good support staff who bring members to the Music Gym who may not use that term for what they’re doing.

These fundamentals would include such things as

• learning to give attention to another person
• developing shared attention into activities
• taking turns
• having fun, playing together
• using and understanding facial expressions
• using and understanding eye contact
• using and understanding non-verbal communication such as body language

Increasingly we’ve come to realise that the growing relationship between carer and member is the most important aspect of the Music Gym. We’re there to make sure the equipment works and to encourage people to get the most out of it but it’s the opportunity for those who come to have fun together that’s crucial.

It was encouraging that Angela agreed with this. If the funding for her post continues then we hope she’ll be on hand sometimes to talk to staff about Intensive Interaction. In the meantime you can contact her about the East Sussex network she’s setting up on angelslake@btinternet.com

If you’d like to know more about the Music Gym you can contact us by phoning 01424 439192, by emailing info@musicgym.org or by filling in the contact form.

I only discovered this publication recently and it’s a mine of useful information. It describes itself as “the bulletin of news and information for everyone working with people with profound and multiple learning difficulties”. It’s an informal journal aimed at carers and practitioners working with people with PMLD of all ages and in all situations. Continue reading ‘PMLD Link’

This is Twilight – one of the stunning works of digital artist, Sunny Chana, that we’re projecting in the Music Gym in Hastings.

Sunny, who’s based in Birmingham, contacted us about displaying his work in the Music Gym. As we set up and dismantle the equipment each week that wasn’t feasible so we offered instead to use the images IN the Music Gym. They can be seen on the wall adjoining the “chill-out” gazebo where members can relax, watching the images and changing them as they wish with the use of switches and sensors. Continue reading ‘Sunny Chana’s work on display in the Music Gym’