Nov 9

Nov 9 Connections Arts Centre Calls for Greater Community Supports For People with Disabilities

Connections Arts Centre Marks Dublin Inclusion and Integration Week With Call
For Greater Community Support For People With Disabilities

Connections Art Centre (CAC), a social enterprise connecting the disability community through the Arts, today (Wednesday, 9th November 2022) marked Dublin Inclusion and Integration Week (7th – 11th November) with a special showcase event. During the showcase event, which took place in Rathgar, Dublin, CAC called for community and corporate support to help develop a fully accessible arts centre in Dublin and to scale its Transition Year (TY) training programme.

Currently in Ireland, *13.5% of people are living with a disability and according to the National Disability Authority, this is expected to increase to an average of 20% by 2025. The Connections Arts Centre has helped 750 people with disabilities since the centre opened its doors in April 2021 with a variety of classes on art, yoga, art, and a ground breaking national Transition Year programme where young people and members if the disability come together to up skill.

Miriam Spollen, CEO of Connections Arts Centre wants to be able to do more and emphasised the important role the arts play in supporting the disability community; “We have seen first-hand the positive impact the arts have on people with disabilities and how it can break down barriers and develop greater understanding and connection. As this is Dublin Inclusion and Integration Week, we are calling for community and corporate support to achieve our vision of a dedicated arts centre in the city and to develop our Creative TY Connections programme to enable people with disabilities to be seen and to achieve their full potential.

Our aim is to develop a financially viable social enterprise. To do this we require an initial investment of €200k funding to develop a four module TY programme and to provide staff resources. This funding in turn will directly support hundreds of programme participants and thousands more indirectly. I would like to thank Minister Rabbitte for her dedication to her portfolio and for her attendance here today.”

Speaking at the showcase event Minister for Disabilities, Anne Rabbitte T.D.; “It is so encouraging to see the various programmes showcased here today and to hear about all the incredible work that Connections Arts Centre is doing to make our communities more inclusive. Supporting creativity, learning, and personal development for people of all ages with disabilities is so important and I am excited to see the impact of the TY programmes in our communities.”

One of the key areas Connections Arts Centre focuses on is education. The Centre’s Creative TY Connections programme was developed from a need expressed by the disability community for assistance in developing basic IT and life skills. CAC recognised that basic digital skills could have a significant impact on the quality of life and an initial peer programme was developed last year.

This initial pilot was conducted with 10 participants from the disability community and 10 TY students working alongside each other as peers to develop their IT and personal development skills while preparing for employment. The programme aligned with the Centre’s artistic approach. It was designed using many of the Centre’s creative techniques to stimulate a mutually interesting innovative learning environment.

A review on completion of the programme showed that such an intervention had not only a very meaningful impact upon the disability community participants but an equally strong impact on the TY students, connecting them in a genuine equal, and inclusive way with people they may never have had a chance to encounter directly within their own community.

The participants gained a sense of belonging in the community, and improved self-respect and confidence that comes with personal development and new life skills. The TY students developed appreciation and respect for others, feelings of empowerment, and the ability to make a difference.

Miriam said: “There is a whole cohort of people in our community for whom existing training programmes courses are just a step too high up. These people have so much to offer our community and they deserve an opportunity to develop their skill sets, find their passion, and take the next steps toward meaningful employment and engagement in their communities. We propose to develop a training programme that fills this gap. A programme that is person-centred, and delivered through a creative process making it more accessible and enjoyable for everyone involved.”

She added: “We now need help to develop our space in Rathgar into a vibrant accessible community arts centre and to scale our TY programme that educates a whole new generation of young people while making us all aware of the value and importance of the disability community in our community. We have seen the impact and we need help to scale it.”

Today’s showcase event in the Connections Arts Centre HQ in Rathgar welcomed attendees representing organisations in the disability community, members of the community, and the Arts to learn more about CAC programmes. Showcasing at the event were Connections TY Programme facilitator Deborah Murphy, participant James Byrne and Team Leader, Lynda Smyth and TY students Isabelle Morris, Ruby Devlin, Aobh Chambers, Grace Delaney, Kirstyn Quinn, Ebony Gallagher, and Sara Daly; Connecting Artists 2022 participants, Amy Begley, Tara Leech, and David Singleton; Yoga facilitator, Anna Teague; Colette McLoughlin (St Michael’s House, Employment Hub Manager) and Digital Skills for Living Programme participants, Colin O’Callaghan, Brionna Condron, and Aoife Conroy.

To support the Connections Arts Centre and/or to find out more, please visit connectionsartscentre.ie or follow Connections Arts Centre on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.