Itโs Fundraising Friday!
Many of us are making the most of the lighter nights by getting out for some fresh air and exercise, and a great way to get a little extra motivation is signing up for a fundraising challenge.
From races and walks to skydiving, there are lots of exciting events across the country. Visit the link in our bio to find out more and sign up to do something amazing!
Every event you take part in helps raise vital funds that enable us to provide specialist support, opportunities, and understanding for children, young people and adults who think, learn, and experience the world differently.
You can also get in touch with our Fundraising Team directly: getinvolved@donaldsons.org.uk
#Fundraising #FundraisingFriday #neurodiversity
Will you be reading about neurodiversity on #WorldBookNight? ๐
As 15-20% of people are neurodivergent, learning about neurodiversity is important for everyone. Whether fiction or non-fiction, reading about neurodiversity improves understanding of our own or other peopleโs experiences, and highlights how we can make our spaces and systems more neuro-inclusive.
Our Sensational Learning Centre has created a neurodiversity library. For the young people we support, reading books on neurodiversity or that feature neurodivergent characters provides opportunities to see themselves reflected in stories, learn more about different aspects of neurodiversity, and recognise differences in a positive way.
We would like to thank Jessica Kingsley Publishers @JKPbooks who specialise in publishing books written by neurodivergent authors, for kindly donating books to our library.
Have you read any good books about neurodiversity or that feature neurodivergent characters? Let us know in the comments.
"Neurodivergent teachers bring valuable perspectives, and creating a culture where these perspectives are actively sought and valued is essential."
Graeme Donald, a teacher at our Sensational Learning Centre, shares his thoughts on supporting neurodivergent teachers.
Read the full article at the link in our bio.
Our Vibe service is mixing things up in their baking sessions! Now instead of one set recipe per session, the young people can choose from a range of sweet and savoury options.
All ingredients for every recipe are laid out at the front of the kitchen, which gives everyone the freedom to pick what they want to make and get started independently. From pizza to cupcakes, itโs all about creativity, choice, and having fun while baking. ๐๐ง
This new approach has made the sessions more fun and engaging, while celebrating individual skills and encouraging creativity.
The young people have become more independent in the kitchen, are developing stronger decision-making skills, and are more confident to try new things. Theyโre now leading their own baking journeys and building life skills while doing something they love.
To learn more about Vibe, visit the link in our bio.
#neurodiversity #baking
Every morning, the people we support have the opportunity to take part in a meditation session. With everyone arriving, the service can be quite busy in the morning, so taking time for a short meditation helps everyone to feel more settled before they move on to the day`s sessions.
At the beginning, some of the young people werenโt sure if mindfulness was something they would enjoy, but after being supported to try it, they found that they really liked the sessions and how they felt afterwards.
The team tailors the meditation sessions to be neuro-inclusive. They have also created a dedicated space for mindfulness and meditation, which features sensory lighting, comfortable seating, and a beautiful stained-glass effect on the window.
Two colleagues have had introduction to mindfulness training, and will soon be completing the next level of their training.
These sessions have become a positive way for people we support to start the morning, and feel ready for the day ahead.
Visit the link in our bio to find out more about the support our Gate service provides.
#neurodiversity #meditation #mindfulness
The young people supported at our Vibe service travelled through time on a recent visit to @dynamic_earth.
Going all the way back to before the Big Bang, they experienced a full-sensory journey through the story of our planet, including:
โข feeling the ground shake beneath their feet during a volcano tour ๐
โข reaching out to touch a real iceberg in the Antarctic zone ๐ง
โข exploring the origins of life through sound, smell, and touch ๐
โข taking part in a 4D cinema experience ๐ฅ
โข gazing at the stars in the planetarium โจ
The team at Dynamic Earth has been running sessions at Vibe, giving young people the chance to learn about our world and universe in a way thatโs interactive, inclusive, and unforgettable. To round off the sessions, the young people were invited to Edinburgh to experience the centre for themselves.
This wasnโt just a trip: it was a powerful, immersive โ and accessible โ experience. Multi-sensory learning helped to break down complex ideas, and hands-on exploration built confidence and curiosity.
The calm, engaging environments supported different needs and learning styles, and sharing this experience helped to strengthen connection and belonging among the young people.
This was learning without barriers: a chance for the young people to engage with science in a way that made sense to them.
Weโd like to say a huge thank you to the team at Dynamic Earth โ the young people have loved every minute.
To learn more about Vibe, visit the link in our bio.
#neurodiversity #learning
Before the Easter break, our Vibe service hosted a fun, chocolate-filled Easter egg hunt. ๐ฅ๐ซ
Young people collected eggs hidden around the service, including special gold eggs that carried bigger prizes. There was lots of laughter and shared excitement as everyone tried to find the most eggs in the hope of winning the special chocolate bunny!
This was a chance to bring everyone together for a little friendly competition before the break. Most importantly, it was all about fun, connection, and a little bit of pride in those hard-earned chocolate finds.
#easter #eastereggs
Fundraising Friday spotlight: on 24 May, Graeme Donald, Stephen Caulfield and Angela Evans (Donaldson Trust colleagues) and Sandy McGowan (a parent of a young person we support) will be taking on the Hairy Haggis Relay to raise funds for the Sensational Learning Centre. ๐โ
Taking place as part of the @@edinburghmarathonfestival, the relay will see the team collectively complete the 26.2-mile marathon distance. This is a real test of endurance, and we will be cheering them on every step of the way!
The team is running to raise money for the Sensational Learning Centre, which supports neurodivergent children and young people who face challenges in traditional mainstream education settings.
To sponsor the team, visit the link in our bio.
#fundraising #edinburghmarathonfestival #neurodiversity
