Open Collective page
Collaborators
- The Kintsugi Project
- Leadworks
Collective’s aims and ideas
We are we are tackling isolation, low self esteem and creating a community where people with disabilities (and/or mental health issues) are full members of society and using their strengths. We will support them to grow in confidence using many avenues from accessing our community garden to radio, arts and being part of a community at our base in Leadworks. Leadworks provides an ideal space for our community to mix with the community and to have a sense of belonging. It also offers the opportunity for other activities that are there; ranging from music events, artists, upcycling and fun! Hosting a radio show and speaking publicly grows confidence. Our online radio station will also broadcast live events that are staged at Leadworks. My own son, used to attend such a project in Newton Abbot, he used to be shy, insular and low in confidence due to his disability. Presenting and co-hosting his own shows has allowed him to grow to the point that he now presents his own podcasts interviewing, such as DC Comic Book artist Richard Piers and Septimus Heap author Angie Sage. We want others to thrive in the growing community of Kintsugi Radio. The equipment we are using is very dated and we want to achieve getting a mixing desk that is user friendly, a second PC to store our music and additional mics and headphones. We are reaching out to other organisations and people with disabilities to collaborate with them. Our online Kintsugi Community which evolved during lockdown and is a vital part of our project going forward. A network of individuals and organisations is not only for Kintsugi and the people we serve but it is pivotal in demonstrating to society that we must look beyond labels and see the person and that this applies to all labels. Thus creating a rich and diverse society.
How will they work together to achieve this?
Kintsugi has directors that have wide experience ie Retired CEO, Community worker, clinical psychologist, an expert music technician with lived experience and myself. We have connected to a wide range of people and need to expand this. Their skills range from, services personnel, dancers, artists, upcyclers, cinematographers, historians, to health and wellbeing practitioners as well as other broadcasters and media production experts. Our first connection was the Royal navy and their injured personnel and next was Leadworks along with their aim to create the Eclective; we have moved to network with local community groups eg Pride in Plymouth, Letters to Plymouth and Hidden Lives. We work very closely with Leadworks as we help facilitate projects that allow people with a disability to get involved and to ensure that Leadworks is accessible. We have connected with performers, musicians, artists, Plymouth University, Plymouth College of Art, City College students, other community groups and many more and we wish to grow this. An example of this is having the opportunity to interview for the radio, Andy Quick who is a well known local musician who did a gig at Leadworks and this, in turn has led to other connections. We are also lookin to connect with a local DJ who had a stroke and who will offer DJ skills. We intend to create a community that has a happy band of presenters playing music, interviewing and enjoying the friendships that arise from that. This station is run by people with disabilities.
During the first round, POP members were asked to advise you. Tell us what happened. What are your reflections? Have you gained new insight? New partners?
This was an excellent opportunity to connect with POP and its members. We have taken on board the marketing advice and have been pleased to start to connect with the community radio contacts that we subsequently received. It also lead to us connecting to the Social Isolation and Loneliness forum which will enable us to ensure that disability is a part of their plans. So, even more connections! We have adjusted our application accordingly and have really valued the networking that POP encourages and enables.
