PART OF OUR RESOURCE 2024 SERIES: Expanding your options and your community
Featuring guest blogger, mum, and CEO of Learn and Thrive, Jo Aiyathurai. with Laura Powell of Learn and Thrive, UK
As a mum to a fifteen-year-old with Down syndrome I can’t ever shake that feeling of dread knowing disabled children are over 3 times more likely to be abused or neglected than non-disabled children. Knowing that she is growing up and entering the wider world as a vulnerable adult keeps me awake at night! But I have always believed that you can’t let the world roll on by and just accept your lot.
So, we have built Learning for Life! While it isn’t the perfect one-stop shop to protect every disabled person, it does begin that journey by giving our young people the tools they can use to keep themselves safe. While we can work as hard as possible building systems that protect them. The first step must be empowering them to protect themselves. That’s why we have taken the foundations of understanding relationships,
appropriate behaviour, their bodies, and the unwritten social rules of society and turned them into short easy-to-follow video lessons with resources to support the learning. Before someone can identify an abusive relationship, they need to understand what a healthy one looks like, they need to understand emotions, their changing bodies, appropriate touch, appropriate behaviour, and who to go to for help. That’s where we step in.
Our resources are designed around the learning profile of young people with Down syndrome, and our young people also feature in many of our resources. Ensuring our children can see their peers reflected in the media and in their own learning resources; thus, promoting self-esteem, confidence, and belonging in their community.
The childhood and teenage years are crucial for setting our young people up to join the adult world as safe, secure, and independent people. Having access to support services and high-quality education is critical toward helping our children reach their potential. This will look different for everyone, but let’s start with the assumption that they can achieve. Helping them find the best version of themselves, no matter what level of support that may require, is our number one priority.
And this shouldn’t be restrictive; anywhere in the world, no matter your location, income, race, or access to in-person services. At the charity Learn and Thrive, we feel this from the Down syndrome community across the UK. That’s why we exist – to provide free educational resources to help children and young people with Down syndrome to thrive!
Our projects are constantly growing, as we expand what we offer to encompass a wide range of specialist support based around what these individuals need. The projects are exclusively online, consisting of free videos, as well as downloadable resources and workbooks.
They can be used:
· At home,
· In school,
· In support or community groups,
· Anywhere they can access the online resources.
The resources are designed for a parent/caregiver, teacher, or supporter and can work alongside the learner or with a group of students, following along with the videos and using the resources in the session to support their learning, making it super simple to pick it up and get going no matter what your background or expertise. We walk you through it step-by-step. It’s all specifically designed to meet the learning needs of our community. The activities mean you can differentiate the subjects to meet your learners' needs, culture, and expectations.
So what’s available?
1. Teach Me Too, which provides support up to around age 5, covering mathematics, literacy, wider skills, and speech and language development. With 70 videos, of which 40 cover speech and language, and over 100 resources, these resources have already supported over 4000 children across the world, including Ada-Grace. Her mum attributes much of her progress to the use of the Teach Me Too resources.
2. Learning for Life explores key life skills, social and emotional wellbeing, and safety, taught to be used all the way from 11 through to 18, and even to 25. The topics cover areas including, appropriate touch, dealing with puberty, identifying unhealthy friendships, and developing healthy lifestyles. So far, the video series includes:
§ Growing Up and Keeping Safe
§ Emotions
§ Caring Friendships
§ The Changing Adolescent Body
§ Being Healthy
§ How To… Be Healthy
§ Families (coming soon)
§ Understanding Health and Prevention (coming soon)
§ Respectful Relationships (coming soon)
Inclusion of young people with Down syndrome within the videos gives our learners content which represents them. Meet our participants in the How To… Be Healthy series, including Blythe, who explains what it means to her to be a part of what we do. In just under three years, we’ve supported almost 3000 teenagers and young adults through Learning for Life.
We are so proud of our collaboration with the Down syndrome community for the creation of our recent resources. Not only do our resources represent your learner, but they are also made with expert speech and language therapists, specialist teachers, education professionals, and counselors.
Want to learn more? Visit our website or contact the team to find out how Learn and Thrive supports you.
Guest Bio: Jo Aiyathurai
Jo Aiyathurai is the CEO of Learn and Thrive, but most importantly is mum to a teenager with Down syndrome. She has almost 10 years of experience in running in-person and online support for the Down syndrome community, both in Kent, England, and across the UK. For Jo, this work isn't just a job - it's a lifestyle!
Website: https://www.learnandthrive.org.uk/
Want to Learn More?
Check out our diverse blogs split out by age ranges
Consider picking up The Essential Guide for Families with Down Syndrome to help fill in the blanks and provide you with the resources you'll need.
Utilize other website resources including an Independence Assessment Quiz, our 10x10 YouTube series, and a fabulous Resource Directory.
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The Essential Guide was honored with the Gold Award by the Nonfiction Authors Association!
The Essential Guide provides step-by-step support to:
Inspire mindset shifts toward one of independence and possibilities
Foster independence building blocks from the earliest age
Highlight health risks and financial resources every family must know
Detail education and work options to promote community inclusion
Evaluate family- and community-based home options including the search process
The Guide presents action items and worksheets to equip you with a clear timeline and path. The resources and references sections will save you time and money in your search for information and organizations that support your family’s journey.
“As parents, we are the experts of our loved ones, and this is an excellent resource in navigating our own decisions to better support the goals and dreams of those we love.” Tara Goodwin, D.O., Adult Down Syndrome Clinic, QuestCare Dallas
Friedman intersperses relatable and inspiring stories from a wide array of families. Insights from many experts in the fields of communications, education, health, and financial planning provide the confidence and guidance for you to navigate your family’s path toward independence.
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