Date: 8 November 2023 Author: Energise Me
We were aware that the first year of We Can Week wasn’t as accessible as we would hope for our charity. So we asked schools and other organisations for their feedback.
This information shaped the first phase of changes we wanted to make to help every child and young person reap the benefits of We Can Week.
Firstly, I’d like to say that children are going to love this. Having worked in schools, I can tell this would produce much excitement. In fact, I’d like to do many of the resources myself!
Open Sight Hampshire
Thanks to Public Health funding, we were able to explore two avenues to increase accessibility of the resources for We Can Week.
Firstly, we started by finding a British Sign Language interpreter. We asked them to produce videos of conversation starters and phrases that related to the five themes of We Can Week.
Secondly, we asked schools to identify what languages, apart from English, their pupils would need to access the resources. Using this feedback, we are providing all current We Can Week resources in Ukrainian and Farsi. These can be accessed by schools and families to keep the conversation of mental and physical wellbeing alive throughout the year.
Some of our children have moved over from Ukraine, so we are excited to be able to provide resources that are in their primary language and they can take home to their families.
Long Parish Primary School
Additionally, we contacted the Activity Alliance. They are a national charity and leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity. Not only did they provide resources, but also considerations/top tips for organisations to make their physical activity delivery accessible to those with a physical disability.
Furthermore, we reached out to local charities such as Open Sight Hampshire. They were able to feedback on our current resources and suggest changes to accommodate those with visual impairments. These practical tips were also shared with partners; like the preferred background colour being white or yellow.
Whether you are a school setting, youth club or parent, find out how you can host your own We Can Week to teach children and young people about the importance of physical health and mental wellbeing.
Helping us tackle inactivity to boost health and happiness
