Community Inclusion
Our CI team continues to create unique opportunities for people with disability to enjoy a range of activities in the wider community.
Kaleidoscope exhibition leads to more opportunity for artists
Scope’s annual art exhibition Kaleidoscope, now in its eighth year featured 50 artists exhibiting their work at the No Vacancy gallery earlier this year.
The quality of artwork and popularity of the exhibition resulted in many of the pieces being sold on the night.
Adding to the success of the exhibition, artists Caroline Sant and Greg Muir were invited to exhibit at ‘In Concert’, Gertrude Glasshouse, Fitzroy. Caroline was also invited to exhibit at the State Library of Victoria in the Guide Dogs Victoria exhibition.
Troy McConnell will also be participating in ‘Handovers and Translations’ at Gertrude Glasshouse in October, in collaboration with Gertrude studio artist, Fayen d’Evie.
Project officer Catherine Martin is also working on furthering the success of the Kaleidoscope program to pilot with special development schools.
Sugar Bells
There’s a lot of noise coming from Scope’s Ballarat lifestyles options, which is entertaining the residents in a positive way. The Sugar Bells are a group formed through strong partnerships across the centre made up of up to 12 members all various instruments including vocals, guitar, percussion, tambourine and drums.
The group has been well received and their popularity is growing with performances at kindergartens, retirement homes, birthday parties, and at the RSL.
Scope’s annual BFL Allstars match and the BFL Black tie event was a highlight for the group with the chance to perform where they had a captive audience of over 100 people at each event. The group looks forward to entertaining more people including playing at the Main St Fiesta and Live on Lydiard, which is a renowned recording opportunity in Ballarat.
Knit & Chat
Members of Scope’s St Albans Day Centre have recently enjoyed renewed enthusiasm by coming together with members of their community through a ‘knit and chat’social group.
Scope’s Community Inclusion project officer Amy Marie was key to making this happen when she saw an opportunity to link members of the St Albans service to the group at the Melton library.
Meeting other like-minded creative individuals in the knit and chat group over a cuppa has had a positive effect on the group with about 20 to 30 people attending the group every week. As Leonie from St Albans Day Centre mentions, “I am very happy and feel good when I finish making things. We would like to say thank you from the bottom of hearts for making us not feel different and treating us like adults. We feel very welcomed and like how you help us make things.”
The Melton library has supported Scope’s members and has adapted the program to suit the needs of people within the group who have disabilities. The staff at the library have been very supportive taking the extra time needed to help those who need it, providing a knitting loop and making sure the room is accessible to those in wheelchairs.
They all look forward to Thursday mornings, meeting new people and creating various items using crochet, sewing and knitting.
Wheelchair football
At the recent ‘Come Try’ event held at Springers Leisure Centre, the community was given a great opportunity to see what Wheelchair Football (soccer) has to offer, and to have a go. On the day participants were guided through the rules, taught some basic skills and given an opportunity to play. Participants could then decide if they would like to participate further and join the 2017 competition. The season commences April 2017.
Linking in and grooving out
Linking In and Grooving Out brings together six young people most Thursday afternoons for a jam session and other musical fun. The group is comprised of young people with disability (mostly from Scope) get together at a Geelong youth drop in centre, The Fort, to play music and have fun.
They make decisions about which instruments they play and what songs are added to the repertoire. The band has also decided on a name – The Rockheads.
Members of staff are also involved with the group and use social media to connect and communicate through sharing ideas and photos on facebook.
The Rockheads are practising diligently and look forward to upcoming performances at next year’s Having a Say conference in February and then at an all abilities music festival at the Courthouse in Geelong.