Job Opportunity- Peer to Peer Engagement Officer
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UCAN is seeking a competent creative individual who enjoys a challenge and ideally possesses a knowledge of working within the VI Sector.
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UCAN Productions: Activities and Updates for April 2024
/Hello everyone,
Hope you’ve had a lovely start to the Easter holidays!
March has been fairly busy as usual for us here at UCAN, from our regular workshop program to organising and running extra activities. We also have a major Save the Date announcement for the festival this year. You’ll find the info below in the Updates section.
We’ve also completed our pilot project within Cardiff - UCAN Arts Award. The group were amazing and we felt privileged to witness their growth in confidence over the weeks working with them.
This month we are continuing our workshop program as usual. Along with this we will be running more creative workshops for the second half of the Easter Holidays. You can find information on this below in the Updates section.
As always a big thank you to everyone who supports UCAN and the work we do. Also a big thank you to our funders!
All the best
UCAN Productions
UPDATES
We are going to be holding several more workshops over Easter!
This week come and join Hannah and Alys for lots of drama games, storytelling and making new friends - we’d love to invite UCAN Participants to join us.
When: Wednesday 3rd, Thursday 4th April – 10am-3pm
Where: Sight Life, Jones Court, Womanby Street, Cardiff, CF10 1BR
Who: UCAN Participants aged 7-18
It’s not too late to sign up! Just contact Hannah, our Peer to Peer Engagement Officer, via email hannah@ucanproductions.org or phone 07393365531.
SAVE THE DATE!!!!!
UCAN Perform Festival is Back
Join our UCAN Leaders for our FREE annual UCAN Perform Festival. We will have a celebtration of drama and sound activities and even a chance to showcase your talent!
To book your place and for more information please contact Enireth via email at enireth@ucanproductions.org
When: Saturday 27th July 2024 - 2pm til 4:30pm
Where: School of Optometry and Vision Science, Maindy Rd, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
Who: All UCAN Participants welcome
FACE TO FACE WORKSHOPS
UCAN Friday Nights
We're still running our creative sound and music sessions, drama and games every Friday evening. If you are aged 7-25 there are opportunities to work towards an Arts Award with Alex, Alys and Hannah. This weekly session is a great chance to catch up with friends old and new while having fun.
Please contact Hannah - hannah@ucanproductions.org / 07393365531 if you want more information on attending, or you can check our social media for updates.
When: Every Friday 5:00pm-7:00pm. (starting 12th April)
Where: School of Optometry and Vision Science, Cardiff University, Maindy Rd, Cardiff CF24 4HQ.
Who: All UCAN participants welcome.
Maggie’s Club
Founded in honour of UCAN Board Member, Dr Margaret Woodhouse OBE, known to everyone as Maggie. This is held one Saturday a month. With fun, creative activities for sight impaired children and young people with additional needs. These workshops are led by the UCAN team and involve fun games, sound, music and tactile art.
When: Saturday 27th April 2024 2:00pm-3:30pm
Where: School of Optometry and Vision Science, Cardiff University, Maindy Rd, Cardiff CF24 4HQ.
Who: Children and young people who are vision impaired with additional needs.
UCAN After School
We will be running after-school drama activities with a group of participants based in the South Wales Valleys. The sessions use our creative arts methods to continue to build physical and vocal confidence in young vision impaired people, and there are opportunities to work towards different Arts Awards levels. The location changes, so please contact hannah@ucanproductions.org to find out where we will be running these sessions.
When: Wednesday 24th April 2024
Who: ages 7-17.
SASI
Come and join Alys every fortnight at the wonderful Sight Life Centre, Cardiff, CF10 1BR. Sessions aim to develop confidence, vocal and self-advocacy skills whilst making friends and having fun.
When: Wednesday 10th and 24th April 11:30am-2:15pm.
Where: Sight Life Centre, Jones Court, Womanby Street, Cardiff, CF10 1BR.
Who: 18+ years old.
Then and Now Project: Exploring the Lives of Blind People in Wales
Funded by the Heritage Lottery, this is an inter-generational project that explores the history of blind and partially sighted people, and the people and organisations who have been instrumental in improving the lives of blind people in Wales from the early 1800's to the present. The aim of the Then & Now Project is to build a collection of recorded stories, plays, discussions and interviews that will document people's oral history and historical stories.
If you would like to find out more information, or would like to get involved please contact Alys on alys@ucanproductions.org
When: Wednesday 17th April 2024
Where: Sight Life Centre, Jones Court, Womanby Street, Cardiff, CF10 1BR.
Who: 18+ years old.
ZOOM WORKSHOPS
UCAN with Alys
Have fun and learn new skills through drama. A popular group with lots of drama games, creative and storytelling activities. Alys is one of our trained workshop leaders and has worked with UCAN for many years. Her workshops are all about making new friends and having tons of fun through activities including storytelling and improvisation.These workshops are particularly beneficial for those who cannot attend face to face workshops or are keen to learn more about UCAN.
When: Every Tuesday 5:00pm-6:30pm.
Who: ages 13-18.
HOW TO JOIN
If you’ve previously filled out the registration form you won’t need to do it again.
If you are a parent who would like your child to join some free and fun workshops, please complete our online registration form by clicking here!
If you are 18 years and older please complete the form by clicking here
Once completed, you will then be contacted by a member of the team, who can talk you through how to get on Zoom either by audio using a mobile or landline, or by using a tablet or computer.
Alternatively call or text Hannah on 07393 365531 or email hannah@ucanproductions.org
UCAN'S ARTS AWARDS PILOT PROJECT IS COMPLETE!
/UCAN have completed the final day of our confidence-building Arts Award activity course for VI pupils in Cardiff.
We had a wonderful time meeting the young people, and they all did so well taking part in imaginative physical drama games, creating a 7 minute sound story as a group, generally getting stuck in and being very creative - and most importantly, becoming more confident and making friends. Participants have earned themselves an 'Explore' level Arts Award, to be presented by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff in May!
Delivered in partnership with the Cardiff Vision Impairment Team
Learners are roaming around the space, smiling and playing a drama game with Hannah
The camera looks down on a circle of learners (and Hannah) who are lying face down on the floor and forming a circle with their hands as part of a focus game
2 learners are sat facing each other and recording an interview on microphones, while another learner looks on smiling
learners are sat in front of the sound technology station, using microphones and sound effect equipment
2 learners are sat chatting with Allie, who is working with UCAN
A group of learners are sat in a small circle passing a ticking toy bomb around as part of a word game. One is sat apart - she's out!
Learners are standing, sitting or kneeling, facing Hannah, as part of a game - some have their hands up
A learner is playing with the Maschine music device and smiling at the camera while others play a drama game behind her
UCAN’s Arts Award Pilot Project continues
/Back at Ysgol Gynradd Groes-wen this week with our wonderful Arts Award group of creative learners, working on sound stories, physical games and confidence building. Time flies when you're having fun (and learning at the same time)...
learners are smiling and playing drama games with UCAN trainers, with teachers and 1-to-1's laughing and smiling in the background
More circle game action
pupils are sat smiling and listening as Alex tells them about sound technology
A learner is triggering musical sounds on the 'Maschine' music production hardware
UCAN's School Arts Awards Pilot Project at Ysgol Gynradd Groes-wen
/Creative Learning for Vision Impaired pupils
UCAN are currently engaged in a 6-session pilot project, delivering creative learning activities to a group of VI pupils from Cardiff schools. Each week we are going into the amazing new-build school of Ysgol Gynradd Groes-wen, to develop confidence and provide rich creative learning activities, while enabling the participants to acquire an accredited Explore level Arts Award, moderated by Trinity College London.
We’ve done loads already! Lots of collaborative drama games and exercises which encourage collaboration and imagination, followed by our trademark workshops based around stimulating imaginative engagement with music and sound technology. The pupils have been experiencing the amazing creative potential of voice recording and sound manipulation, as well as working collaboratively and expressively in creating their own ‘Sound Story’ - which is currently shaping up to be a spooky but funny ghost story!
Feedback so far has been tremendous, with observers and 1-to-1’s noticing significant and rapid improvements in confidence, engagement and collaboration, in EVERY participant.
"I can't believe the change. I've seen her open up in a way I've never seen before. I'm going back and signing her up for drama club - she loves it!"
"When F came to us, we thought he was going to be permanently non-verbal. To see him collaborating, sharing his ideas and even recording and performing for others today is incredible. He's so lucky to have this opportunity to show what he can really do."
There’s a lot more to come in the remaining sessions, and we’re excited to continue this work with the participants, and prove the amazing power and potential of creative learning - plus, we’re having great fun too!
Please enjoy some images from the sessions.
A pupil is sat, smiling and holding a microphone, ready to record
VI pupils are in various poses lying, crawling or standing - some are laughing
Pupils are sat in chairs in a circle with Alex from UCAN - everyone is laughing AND SMILING
ONE pupil watches another pupil as she plays a musical keyboard on an iPad app