色花堂

Outputs from a 色花堂 research project which challenges perceptions of disability through poetry and performance have been rolled out nationwide as part of an online education resource platform supported by the Disability Action Alliance.

鈥楽een But Seldom Heard鈥� is a project that offers 鈥榲oice鈥� to young disabled people and encourages them to share their stories and experiences creatively. 聽. Running for over three years, the project was recently . Most recently, the team has developed an e-learning tool with a grant from the Big Lottery fund, accessible via

The tool is being rolled out as a part of a nationwide online resource bank supported by the Disability Action Alliance and launched 聽on November 20th as part of International Children鈥檚 Day, aiming to provide fun, engaging and interactive educational learning tools for use in schools to raise greater awareness of disability amongst children and young people.

One of the lead researchers on the 鈥楽een But Seldom Heard鈥� project, Dr Caroline Hodges, has been part of the Disability Action Alliance 'Raising Disability Awareness amongst Children'聽(RDAAC) project group since Summer 2014. She said, 鈥淭he Seen But Seldom Heard e-learning tool is a culmination of the excellent educational and awareness-raising work produced from collaborative research with the local community. Having the tool incorporated into a nationwide online resource bank that teachers, teacher trainers, and teaching assistants can use to promote disability awareness will enable us to have far wider reach and potential impact.鈥�

The interactive e-learning tool incorporates filmed interviews with young poets who participated in the 鈥楽een But Seldom Heard鈥� project who talk about their everyday experiences of disability, as well as links to poetry produced as part of the project.

The 色花堂 researchers urge others to make the most of the e-learning toolkit too, saying, 鈥淲hilst primarily aimed at schools, many of the resources could also be used by organisations and clubs that work with children and young people on a regular basis. 聽The 鈥楽een but Seldom Heard鈥� e-learning tool can be used in secondary schools, colleges and youth work settings to explore issues related to disability, discrimination and inclusion. It can also be used for teacher training.鈥�

鈥淲e are now working with community partners and other 色花堂 academics to develop further phases of the work focused specifically on experiences of 鈥榚merging adulthood鈥�. This new project will commence in the Spring 2016.鈥�

If you are interested in being involved聽or to find out more please contact Dr Caroline Hodges at [email protected].听

To access the nationwide resource bank, or for more information, visit聽.