INCLUDE ME TOO (IM2) is a national charity championing choice, social justice, equality and rights for all disabled children and young people. We work with disabled children and their families from Black and Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) and other marginalised communities, providing support, access to services, information, choices and improving disabled children, young people and their families quality of family and community life.
Include Me TOO supported disabled children and young people to write and produce the Show Me RESPECT song which has been very popular promoting disabled children and young people’s rights, inclusion and diversity.
Empowering Disabled Children & Young People to promote their rights increasing disability awareness. This was one of our first productions. All productions are co-produced with either disabled children, young people or parents and carers. (Link to video film for Include Me TOO song)
Disabled children and young people produced the IM2 Charter in 2005 which they then supported to be developed as the National Include Me TOO Charter of Rights for Disabled Children and Young People. The Charter has been endorsed by over 60 National Organisations and Government Departments, supporting the ten standards of the Charter for all disabled children and young people in Great Britain.
- Examples of Include Me TOO Projects:
TIMEOUT: Short Breaks providing cultural and holistic fun activities on Saturdays and on weekdays in the school holidays for disabled children, young people and their families. Key aims are to ensure disabled children and young people and their siblings can have an opportunity with their peers to have fun, learn new skills whilst making new friendships, reducing isolation, increasing their confidence whilst supporting their aspirations and goals. video film for TIMEOUT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh6gbXmmx6I
Parent 2 Parent Peer Support: peer/mentoring programme, empowering and supporting parents/carers. This programme supports parents and carers as the experts and the parental journey/family journey is paramount in this programme. Our Parent Peer Supporters were interviewed on ITV Central News for this work please see link below
Family Support Networks: Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority (BME) Families with Disabled Children & Young People Support Network. Supporting parents and carers as champions for their children, reducing isolation, creating solutions and support each other as well as having opportunities to have their voices to be heard. Providing advice and sharing family journeys to local services.
Role Models Programme: Support the voice and recognition of disabled young people. Raising the aspirations of their disabled peers through sharing their personal journey and celebrating their achievements. (A film has been produced by some of our role. video film for Role Modelshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpOt8QVpo5Y
Family Outreach Support: providing advocacy, information advice and support. Increasing access to information, support to services directly, supporting assessment processes ensuring the participation of parents and carers from BAME families including White British families who have experienced difficulties due to literacy and social economic disadvantages
Faith & Disability project: working with Include Me TOO to increase awareness in regards to disabilities increasing understanding of the real lives of BAME disabled children and their families and encouraging community action and support.
- Time for REAL Action: Addressing the needs of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) disabled children, young people and their families.
During June 2012 Include Me TOO launched the Time for REAL ACTION briefing report at the House of Commons with Minister Marie Miller.
The report referenced over forty studies and research papers over a time span of 15 years highlighting very little has changed.
Key themes that were highlighted and Include Me TOO are still campaigning to address are:
- Poor access to information, advice and services.
- Inappropriate service provision which is not always culturally appropriate or holistic in meeting the needs of BAME disabled children, young people and their families.
- Lack of parents/carers knowledge of their rights and entitlements to support the development and needs of their disabled child(ren) and families
- Under representation of BAME parents and carers in process and structures of participation and representation to influence decisions.
We felt it was essential to address the consistent inequalities experienced by disabled Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority Disabled Children , Yong People and their Families.
Time For Real Action – Include Me TOO In Parliament https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUFayp9exFc
- National Community Inspiration Awards for Disabled Children, Young People and their Families:
In March 2015 IM2 organised the first ever National Community Inspiration Awards for Disabled Children, Young People and their Families. The evening celebrated the finalists abilities, personal journeys, individual’s achievements, providing a evening full of community spirit and inspiration. The event celebrated and represented equality, diversity and inclusion. Here is a link with more information regarding the awards event http://www.includemetoo.org.uk/awards
Our awards aimed to address the issue of disability within our diverse communities through increased awareness, understanding, inclusion, acceptance and community support.
- Raising disability awareness and increasing understanding in the community productions:
Include Me TOO produce all our resources, projects and films in co production with our families. We have produced several disability awareness programmes with community TV stations supporting the production through volunteering our time and resources for free.
Ø Mothers of disabled children share their personal journeyshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmeKqA4zr1Y&sns=em
Ø Time for Real Action – Life With an Autistic Child https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7obW6AoJXjI
Ø Dads Count TOO! Fathers with disabled children share their personal experiences. http://t.co/SXhv0iS9r2
Ø Raising awareness of disability stigma amongst the Asian Community: An interview with Include Me TOO’s CEO and her son Callum
http://www.desiblitz.com/content/include-highlights-disability-stigma-asians
- Include Me TOO exceptional achievements:
- Developed the first ever National Charter of Rights for Disabled Children and Young People. The Charter received support by many national charities, government departments signing up a signatories. The current Prime Minister and two previous Prime Ministers have provided statements of support for the charter
- Include Me TOO were amongst 20,000 nominations for the National Diversity Awards this year and won the Age category for the work we do regarding disabilities with a range of children and young people their families and communities.
- IM2 arranged for disabled children to attend No 10 Downing Street to meet with advisors regarding their rights
- IM2 were chosen as one of four charities to attend Prime Minsters Christmas Party at No 10
- IM2 are the only national charity supporting Black, Asian and Minority Communities disabled children, young people and families
- IM2 organised and hosted the first ever National Community Inspiration Awards for Disabled Children, Young People and Families which took place this March and was a huge success
- IM2 produced and developed a song with disabled children and young people which was sold in HMV
- IM2 area small national charity which has continued to be highlighted for it’s good practice.
- The Founder and Executive Director of the charity won the Inspiration Award category at the GG2 Leadership Awards 2014 and the Inspiration Award category at the Diva’s of Colour awards in March 2015.
- The charity was a shortlisted finalist for the Community Award category for the Asian Women’s Achievement Awards and the founder Parmi Dheensa was also shortlisted finalist in the Social andHumanitarian Awards category which she won.
Include Me TOO are committed and determined to achieve the vision set out in the 10 standards of our National Charter Of Rights for Disabled Children & Young People. We do this by working together with families, supporting parents and carers to become Champions; support Disabled Children, Young People and their Siblings to become Ambassadors and Role Models and supporting Communities to become more involved and inclusive.
Our work and message have been recognised locally, regionally, nationally and internationally as we are committed to making a real difference in supporting equality, diversity, disability, inclusion, rights and community. All our projects involve local communities, empowering one another and supporting our vision of a Disability Rights Respecting Inclusive Society.
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