SEASONS GREETINGS!
/MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR! from everyone at UCAN. Please enjoy a lovely short video showcasing some of the fun we’ve had this year, as well as a message from Santa!
UCAN Receives ATSAIN funding
/
UCAN is thrilled to announce that we have been awarded an £8,400 'Atsain' grant by Anthem Music Fund Wales.
This project will develop and expand UCAN’s music participation work with vision impaired members (aged 25 and under). It will enable us to develop new best practice guidelines and techniques to share with partners and networks, explore new ground in music technology accessibility, and deliver accredited Arts Awards to participants.
We are indebted to our partners:
Cardiff School of Optometry and Vision Sciences - for providing us with invaluable activity space for our workshops
SightLife Wales - for supporting us and providing us with dedicated recording rooms
Focusrite - for donating high quality recording equipment to us
Trinity College London for granting us Arts Award Champion Centre Status, and supporting us in delivering accredited Arts Awards to our members.
Members will have full choice and control over the direction of their musical projects and development. We will also support members in collaborating on each others’ projects and sharing skills.
If you’d like to get involved, or just find out more, please contact Alex Rees - alex@ucanproductions.org
Seasons Greetings!
/Seasons Greeting Everyone,
The holiday season is upon us and UCAN Productions are wishing you all a very Merry Christmas. Whatever your plans are this year, we hope you all have a wonderful time and stay safe.
UCAN will be running workshops up until the 17th December this year. A list of all our workshops can be found below. As we’ve been continuously running workshops since March 2020, we have decided to take a much needed break.
We will be closing the office for two weeks on the 23rd December 2021 and will return on the 5th January 2022. But don’t worry, we’ll be keeping you updated and sending our workshop plan for next year on January 1st 2022, so don’t forget to check your emails as we will have some very exciting news to announce!
We want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us this year, those who have participated in our workshops and activities, all our workshop leaders and volunteers who help to make each workshop fun and engaging - you’ve all done an amazing job this year. Also thank you to our funders - BBC Children in Need, Wales Council for Voluntary Action, The National Lottery Community Fund - without your support we would not be able to engage and work with children and young people with visual impairments. Finally, a massive thank you to those in UCAN Productions who work behind the scenes to make all our activities and opportunities possible.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
UCAN Productions
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What Workshops are We Running?
Face to Face:
SASI Face to Face (Self Advocacy for Sight Impaired) Age 18 +
1st and 15th December
Come and join Alys every fortnight on a Wednesday at the wonderful SightLife Centre, Cardiff. Come along and improve your confidence, learn new improvisation skills, but most importantly, have fun and make new friends.
Online:
UCAN with Alys (Age 13 -18 years)
Tuesdays: 5:00pm - 6:30pm
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 all through fun activities including storytelling and improvisation.
UCAN with Jake and Taylor (Age 13 and under)
Wednesdays and Fridays: 4:00pm - 5:00pm
On a Wednesday have fun and games with the legend that is Jake! Registered blind, Jake is a professional Actor, Filmmaker and Comedian. Always popular, these twice weekly workshops are great fun. Activities include games, treasure hunts, drama, and lots of laughing! Join Taylor for a Friday funday workshop with even more fun games, tongue twisters and special activities like scavenger hunts, and quizzes. Taylor has worked as a trainer for UCAN for many years and is working his way to stardom as an actor.
SASI (Age 18+)
Wednesdays and Fridays: (11:00am - 12:30pm)
SASI stands for Self-Advocacy for the Sight Impaired. These workshops aim to help young people grow in confidence and learn transferable skills that they can use in their everyday lives. We do this through drama games and showcasing developed work around improvisation, storytelling, and creativity. Our young people really enjoy these workshops and have created some great work in the past. The sessions on a Friday also involve consultations from organisations that approach us, regarding topics such as accessibility/inclusivity, theatre, and sight impairment.
_________________________________________________________
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 07825 468384 or email hannah@ucanproductions.org
NOVEMBER Workshop SChedule
/Hello Everyone,
November has arrived and here at UCAN Productions we’ve had a busy month. We’re looking forward to what November has to offer us.
As you all know we ran some face to face activities for October half term and it was so much FUN!!!
Thank you to all our young people who attended our events.
A massive thank you to our volunteers who came along to the Wales Millennium Centre for our Halloween party.
We want to give a ‘shout out’ to The SenCom Centre in Cwmbran and Wales Millennium Centre for hosting our activities, and as always a HUGE thank you to our workshop leaders who made the events so special for everyone.
For November we are continuing to run our regular workshop programme. You’ll be able to find all the details below. We hope you all have a lovely month and we look forward to getting together in person again soon.
All the best
UCAN Productions
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What Workshops are We Running?
Face to Face:
SASI Face to Face (Self Advocacy for Sight Impaired) Age 18 +
Come and join Alys every fortnight on a Wednesday at the wonderful SightLife Centre, Cardiff. Come along and improve your confidence, learn new improvisation skills, but most importantly have fun and make new friends.
Online:
UCAN with Alys (Age 13 -18 years)
Tuesdays: 5:00pm - 6:30pm
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 all through fun activities including storytelling and improvisation.
UCAN with Jake and Taylor (Age 13 and under)
Wednesdays and Fridays: 4:00pm - 5:00pm
On a Wednesday have fun and games with the legend that is Jake! Registered blind, Jake is a professional Actor, Filmmaker and Comedian. Always popular, these twice weekly workshops are great fun, activities include games, treasure hunts, drama, and lots of laughing! Join Taylor for a Friday funday workshop with even more fun games, tongue twisters and special activities like scavenger hunts, and quizzes. Taylor has worked as a trainer for UCAN for many years and is working his way to stardom as an actor.
SASI (Age 18+)
Wednesdays and Fridays: (11:00am - 12:30pm)
SASI stands for Self-Advocacy for the Sight Impaired. These workshops aim to help young people grow in confidence and learn transferable skills that they can use in their everyday lives. We do this through drama games and showcasing developed work around improvisation, storytelling, and creativity. Our young people really enjoy these workshops and have created some great work in the past. The sessions on a Friday also involve consultations from organisations that approach us, regarding topics such as accessibility/inclusivity, theatre, and sight impairment.
Maggie’s Club (Age 18 and under)
Saturdays: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Founded in honour of UCAN Board Member, Dr Margaret Woodhouse OBE, known to everyone as Maggie. This is held on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. It is a fun, interactive workshop for sight impaired children and young people with additional needs. These workshops are led by Jake and our wonderful Sound Man, Alex and involves fun games, stories, sounds, music and tactile art. Maggie’s club is very popular and they are currently undertaking a virtual round the world tour, visiting a different country each week.
_________________________________________________________
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 07825 468384 or email hannah@ucanproductions.org
OCTOBER 2021 Workshop Schedule
/Hello Everyone,
BIG DRUM ROLL!!!!!
We are extremely proud to announce that since lockdown began in March 2020, the UCAN team have delivered over 500 Zoom workshops. A MASSIVE thank you to our wonderful UCAN team and all our wonderful members for the fun, laughs and support.
Can’t believe it is October already, where has this year gone? UCAN has had an extremely busy September, and we’re delighted to say that we have successfully tried out some face to face events.
We have decided for October that we are going to do a mixture of face to face and Zoom sessions. If attending a face to face event you will be expected to comply with all of UCAN’s safety policies and procedures.
Please see our face to face workshop details below.
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NEW FACE TO FACE WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS
ALL UCAN ACTIVITIES ARE FREE.
To attend any of the events below please contact our Peer to Peer Support Officer Hannah Matthews at hannah@ucanproductions.org or by phone 07825 468384.
WHAT
UCAN with Jake and Taylor
Come along and have lots of fun with the ever popular Jake and Taylor. All workshops are free, no experience is required and all are welcome.
WHEN
1pm until 3pm. Tuesday 26th and Thursday 28th October
WHERE
Sencom Centre, Brecon House, William Brown Close, Llantarnam Business Park, William Brown Cl, Cwmbran NP44 3AB
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WHAT
UCAN Halloween Fun
WHEN
Wales Millennium Centre, Bute Pl, Cardiff CF10 5AL
WHERE
Wednesday 27th October
10.30 - 12.30: Halloween Sound Stories and activities
1pm - 3pm: Maggie’s Club Halloween Party.
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WHAT
SASI Face to Face (Self Advocacy for Sight Impaired) Age 18 +
Come and join Alys every fortnight on a Wednesday at the wonderful SightLife Centre, Cardiff. Come along and improve your confidence, learn new improvisation skills, but most importantly have fun and make new friends.
WHEN
Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month.
WHERE
Sightlife Centre, Jones Court, Womanby St, Cardiff CF10 1BR
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UCAN ZOOM WORKSHOPS
UCAN with Alys (Age 13 -18 years)
Tuesdays: 5:00pm - 6:30pm
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 all through fun activities including storytelling and improvisation.
UCAN with Jake and Taylor (Age 13 and under)
Wednesdays and Fridays: 4:00pm - 5:00pm
On a Wednesday have fun and games with the legend that is Jake! Registered blind, Jake is a professional Actor, Filmmaker and Comedian. Always popular, these twice weekly workshops are great fun, activities include games, treasure hunts, drama, and lots of laughing! Join Taylor for a Friday funday workshop with even more fun games, tongue twisters and special activities like scavenger hunts, and quizzes. Taylor has worked as a trainer for UCAN for many years and is working his way to stardom as an actor.
SASI (Age 18+)
Wednesdays and Fridays: (11:00am - 12:30pm)
SASI stands for Self-Advocacy for the Sight Impaired. These workshops aim to help young people grow in confidence and learn transferable skills that they can use in their everyday lives. We do this through drama games and showcasing developed work around improvisation, storytelling, and creativity. Our young people really enjoy these workshops and have created some great work in the past. The sessions on a Friday also involve consultations from organisations that approach us, regarding topics such as accessibility/inclusivity, theatre, and sight impairment.
Maggie’s Club (Age 18 and under)
Saturdays: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Founded in honour of UCAN Board Member, Dr Margaret Woodhouse OBE, known to everyone as Maggie. This is held on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. It is a fun, interactive workshop for sight impaired children and young people with additional needs. These workshops are led by Jake and our wonderful Sound Man, Alex and involves fun games, stories, sounds, music and tactile art. Maggie’s club is very popular and they are currently undertaking a virtual round the world tour, visiting a different country each week.
_________________________________________________________
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 07825 468384 or email hannah@ucanproductions.org