Inclusion
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WestHam06
Community member, Scope Volunteer Posts: 1,396 Pioneering
Hi all,
I hope that everyone is well. Firstly, please can I take the opportunity to thank you for taking the time to read this. If I may, I would please like to share a few thoughts with you on Inclusion, something that I, as I'm sure many of you are, am very passionate about.
I am very fortunate to have been involved in a couple of projects in recent months, which have afforded me the opportunity to really think about inclusion, what it looks like to me and what it feels like to me. I know, as I'm sure many of us do, what it is like not to be included, how it feels, how it stays with you long after everyone else has moved on.
I was recently tasked with explaining what inclusion means to me. Now, please forgive me if you disagree with the following, but to me inclusion means opening to everyone, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate if they wish too. When we do this the possibilities are endless, the learning opportunities we all have, the life-long memories that can be created, the smile that brightens up someone's day, the friendship that lasts a lifetime.
To me, inclusion is not about noticing the difference, it's about celebrating the individual's in the room. We are all unique and we all have something positive to offer, we just need the chance to show this. As I said, I feel privileged to play my part in trying to move thinking forward. It won't be easy, we need to work towards so many things such as making sure there is a diverse range of voices around the table when key decisions are made and that those voices are the right voices. However, I believe when those voices are heard, when inclusion truly exists, the opportunities for everyone to flourish are amazing because I am fortunate to know this first hand and this is what inspires me to keep going.
If we don't open our minds to true inclusion, we risk missing out on so many great things. We all have a part to play and I'll do my best to play mine.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I hope that everyone is well. Firstly, please can I take the opportunity to thank you for taking the time to read this. If I may, I would please like to share a few thoughts with you on Inclusion, something that I, as I'm sure many of you are, am very passionate about.
I am very fortunate to have been involved in a couple of projects in recent months, which have afforded me the opportunity to really think about inclusion, what it looks like to me and what it feels like to me. I know, as I'm sure many of us do, what it is like not to be included, how it feels, how it stays with you long after everyone else has moved on.
I was recently tasked with explaining what inclusion means to me. Now, please forgive me if you disagree with the following, but to me inclusion means opening to everyone, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate if they wish too. When we do this the possibilities are endless, the learning opportunities we all have, the life-long memories that can be created, the smile that brightens up someone's day, the friendship that lasts a lifetime.
To me, inclusion is not about noticing the difference, it's about celebrating the individual's in the room. We are all unique and we all have something positive to offer, we just need the chance to show this. As I said, I feel privileged to play my part in trying to move thinking forward. It won't be easy, we need to work towards so many things such as making sure there is a diverse range of voices around the table when key decisions are made and that those voices are the right voices. However, I believe when those voices are heard, when inclusion truly exists, the opportunities for everyone to flourish are amazing because I am fortunate to know this first hand and this is what inspires me to keep going.
If we don't open our minds to true inclusion, we risk missing out on so many great things. We all have a part to play and I'll do my best to play mine.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Comments
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Thanks for sharing with us
Some great insight and something you are obviously passionate about
In principle I do agree but unfortunately for some it is just physically impossible to join in some activities but I think then you are not invited to attend even though you could maybe be a spectator or a presence -
Thank you for sharing your thoughts @janer1967, as someone with physical limitations myself I can really empathise with what you say regarding some activities being physical difficult for some people to join in with. However, I think it highlights the point for needing more inclusion, as you say people should still be be welcomed and where possible adaptations should be made. I have a learnt a great deal from doing my Level 1 Introduction to Football Coaching, from my early teens football was always a no-go for me in terms of participating, now I help to coach a team. It's about attitudes and the willingness from everyone involved to make it work. We need to give more support to those who find accessing certain activities difficult and ensure that their voices are heard to make it more inclusive. Everyone should have the opportunity to participate if they wish too. Thank you.
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Really good definition @WestHam06
I agree with that but I also try to take some time to ask 'who's missing from this space'? Are there barriers (either access related or cultural) we haven't removed yet? -
Absolutely @Weebles1703, we should always be asking who's missing from the space and why are they missing? If we are able to better understand this, we have a greater chance of creating some really amazing opportunities and the chance to learn from one another to continuingly strive to make sure everyone has access to the things that they wish to access. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
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I used to work in Youth inclusion. I was A YIP. (Youth inclusion Project) for many years. Working in schools and the community with (Troubled) kids
It astounded me that a great deal of people still think that the youth of today should listen and not be heard. That goes back to Victorian days.
I found that most of the kids just wanted to be heard, that was their problem. no-one listened to what they had to say, or included them.
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