UJIA JLEC hosts inclusion seminar

Inclusion of people with different physical and learning support requirement is a legal requirement and a moral and educational imperative. It is also an area where legislation and practice are rapidly evolving.

UJIA recently created a forum to review inclusion policies across informal Jewish education and is now communicating with the Jewish youth movements about how they can respond to changing expectations and best legal practice.
As part of this communication, UJIA's Jewish Life Education Centre (JLEC) recently ran an Inclusion Seminar for informal Jewish educators, movement workers and madrichim (leaders).

The day was organised by UJIA JLEC Social & Welfare Informal Educator, Naomi Russell and explored a range of issues around inclusion, with the overall aim of raising awareness of special needs and physical disability. Facilitators explored Jewish texts and concepts underpinning modern day values of inclusion. Participants came away with greater knowledge levels and practical hadracha (leadership) skills to implement within their movement settings.
The seminar addressed a range of special educational needs such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Autism and Dyspraxia.

Participants also heard from a former youth movement leader about her experiences of being in a wheelchair.

"Youth movements offer unique, transformative educational opportunities for young people in our community. UJIA JLEC is undertaking this work on inclusion to provide training for leaders, so that as many young people as possible can participate in these Jewish experiences in environments which meet their needs." Naomi Russell

Noam movement worker Jessie Schlagman said "At Noam, we make every effort to cater for the differing needs of each individual young person in our care. The UJIA JLEC seminar was extremely useful in helping me to develop my understanding of physical disability and special educational needs such as Autism and ADD. I will pass on this knowledge and these skills to our madrichim (leaders) so that they will be better equipped to support chanichim (participants) and to help each young person feel fully included in the Noam community."

As well as providing training seminars and sessions, UJIA JLEC also offers each of the movements and informal educators the opportunity for consultations and advice in developing individually tailored support plans for young people on their programmes.

UJIA's Programme & Planning Director David Janner-Klausner commented, "Practice in inclusion is evolving rapidly but much of the work is centred around schools that have structures and resources in place to develop and implement inclusion policies, backed by training and physical adaptation of facilities. Our challenge is to apply the principle of inclusion to a youth movement setting that is peer-led: run by young volunteers for young people. We must assist in exploring the balance between their unique character that supports leadership and responsibility and the move to greater inclusion. Our role as educators and mentors allows us to work with the Youth Movements to make them aware of inclusion policies and to share practical tips and offer support."