Stories of Change – Jess
“I had the opportunity to talk to many parents about my experiences as a late-diagnosed Autistic person and was able to share with them all the things I had been able to achieve, not in spite of, but because of my autism. I hope this instilled a confidence in them that their children will be able to achieve great things and that the only limitations are those society place on us..”
Jess – Connecting Community for Kids
Jess has a Bachelor of Primary Education (Special Needs) and is currently studying a Diploma of Auslan. She has over ten years of experience working with children and young adults who have a disability and herself has lived experience of disability and neurodivergence.
She knows that the wonderful things she can do because of her brain, outweigh the negative. She feels it is very important to value and celebrate diversity.
Jess is a unique and proud disabled person, and will be supporting CCK at various events, programs and initiatives.
Attending the Transition to Kindy Program
Jess attended the Transition to Kindy Program CCK designed in collaboration with Coolbellup Learning Centre (CLC). This was a 5-week program hosted at CLC for families and children aged 3 to 4 years with high support needs. Children, together with their parent/guardian, attended a facilitated hour-and-a-half program run by Yangebup Family Centre staff. The program provided an opportunity for children to engage in fun-filled literacy and sensory educational experiences followed by outdoor play and morning tea – all within a Special Education School setting.
Through her studies, Jess has learned how to communicate in Auslan and was able to sign some of the activities that take place during the Pre Kindy session such as, The Good Morning Song, Acknowledgement to Country and Storytime. Together with Yangebup Family Centre, CCK aims to facilitate an Auslan friendly space, acknowledging that offering communication supports such as key word sign and visual aids are essential in providing an inclusive environment.
Jess’s Reflection
Jess reflected on her experience throughout the program and the most significant changes she witnessed, sharing:
“This term, I was lucky enough to volunteer helping facilitate “Coolbellup Learning Centre Pre-Kindy” and share my lived experience of neurodivergence with parents, guardians, and children. I am AuDHD (Autistic and ADHD) myself and use a wheelchair – I was excited to share my lived experience and to show that while there are challenges, there are also wonderful parts of being AuDHD.
Over the course of these playgroups, the biggest thing I noticed was an increase in confidence, for both parents/guardians and children. For example, a child who had difficulty sitting on the mat during story time was able to sit with mum on the mat from around our fourth playgroup onwards. Not only that, but the child also seemed actively engaged in the storytelling.
I had the opportunity to talk to many parents about my experiences as a late-diagnosed Autistic person and was able to share with them all the things I had been able to achieve, not in spite of, but because of my autism. I hope this instilled a confidence in them that their children will be able to achieve great things and that the only limitations are those society place on us.
It was a joy to be able to see the children stim (self-regulatory behaviour involving repetitive movements) freely and safely and self-regulate during our sessions. The children were offered choice of activity and weren’t ‘forced’ to do one thing. We followed a basic routine to prepare the children for kindergarten. They were able to explore connections, the space, and our story book on a visual, tactile, and fully sensory level. I noticed that some children really enjoyed messy play such as playing with Oobleck, while others preferred to engage in sand play or art. This is so important, children learning that their voice matters and that their preferences/opinions/ideas matter…that they matter.
A special moment for me was when children would engage and “study” my wheelchair wheels, which have flowers on them. I think the neuro-affirming atmosphere of our playgroup really allowed confidence, awareness, connection, engagement, and self-efficacy to develop in a way that is supportive, safe, and inclusive.