• Hire staff and artists experienced in facilitating integrated work.
• Source good care staff. Use schools to provide contacts and recommendations, care agencies can be expensive but are useful for emergency cover.
• Staff for personal care and medical needs should be almost invisible so young people with disabilities don’t feel different in front of their peers.
• Support staff for those with learning difficulties should be fully involved in helping young people to access the work, and only step out during performances.
• Ask for help from those who know. Check with parents, consult integrated companies and, better still, ask the young people themselves.
• Enrol on a disability awareness course – ask your local Arts Development Officer if there is one running near you. A lot of anxiety stems from knowing what language is acceptable and a course like this is essential.
• Recruiting cold is difficult – many young people have preconceptions and fears preventing involvement. We solved this by bringing a mixed ability group of members to recruitment workshops in schools. This broke down barriers and recruitment was very successful.
• Eat together, play together. Eating lunch and socialising together has helped our group to form a great bond. We go on backstage tours and see performances regularly.
• Budget appropriately. Costs are higher, be sure to budget for care staff, support workers, training, access, transport and any overnight care during residencies.
Jenny Gordon is a Freelance Project Manager for Activate Performing Arts, the Dance and Theatre Development Agency for Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole.
w: http://www.activateperformingarts.org.uk