Bucks Youth Summit 2023 – The SEND Space
Shout Out for SEND planned and delivered the SEND Space at the Bucks Youth Summit this year. We engaged with 76 young attendees across Buckinghamshire during the day, where they learnt and had opportunities to discuss reasonable adjustments. They also completed activities including a timeline famous disabled people throughout history and quiz issues within the topic of SEND.
Pippa and Willow – who are both SOfS and Youth Voice Executive Committee members – expertly taught the groups about reasonable adjustments, sharing their own experiences and also the importance of having access to these. Young people then participated in a group activity where they could consider the positive and negative factors of reasonable adjustments.
Positive comments (+)
• People can feel more comfortable and focus more
• It increases confidence
• It helps the student be in lessons and learn more
• It makes them feel safe and supported
• People can feel relieved
• It would help them feel safer
• When I get my reasonable adjustment, I feel relaxed and ready to learn. Someone in my class was stressed and was focused on something and once they got their reasonable adjustment, they were happy
• It’s important to know what is available
• It’s a relief and you can think straight
• I feel like I have freedom to learn
• They won’t feel discriminated against
• Having more strength to try in school
• Feeling understood, having more time, next process their thoughts
• If others were taught about reasonable adjustments everyone would understand
• White cards make them feel less judged
• Makes young people feel cared for and listen to
• Makes you feel not alone
• Improves your mental health
• It’s easier to fit in
• Reasonable adjustments meant I felt understood and seen even when I couldn’t get a diagnosis
• Gives you a fighting chance to enjoy school and other aspects of life
• It makes a safe space for everyone
• You should be able to give feedback on how you should learn
• Reasonable adjustments should be normalised
• Teachers understand their students better
• Helps you to get ready for future
• I got given ear defenders which helps me focus more in my tests
• It helps everyone feel equal and there is no prejudice in society
• It makes school life easier
Negative comments (-)
• You don’t want a reasonable adjustment, you need it
• How reasonable adjustments are given. In my school they made me sit with roughly seven strange adults and one on a video call and I couldn’t properly say what I needed so it didn’t work
• Increases chances of bullying
• Reduces chances of good careers
• You are less able to assimilate, it raises your public profile, and guaranteed teasing
• Teachers make it a big deal
• Some staff do not give enough support, some know better than others, but all staff need to know
• When reasonable adjustments are not met people may feel worse and feel stressed
• People may think they don’t need reasonable adjustments but then struggle after
• Teachers shouting all the time
• Substitute teachers come in and aren’t familiar with anyone who has a hidden disability
• If they just give you a standard adjustment- and haven’t tailored it to you
• Schools often don’t understand how important I’m adjustment is
• Teachers get angry when you don’t understand the lesson
• When people get reasonable adjustments, others think they can act as if they need one but they are acting so they can get benefits
• You can feel like you’re too ‘normal’ to use them and are just abusing them
• Sometimes it’s not done properly and can worsen the problem or not do anything
• Teachers and students don’t understand. it leads to depression and lacking in confidence
• Might feel lonely/different
• It can reduce trust in school/adults who are there to support, is the reason adjustment isn’t met properly
• Can be hard to access and it can feel like you are being a burden if you use them
• If you are not listened to access any learning
• Increases the chance that peers can laugh at you
• If not in the right environment adjustments may not be possible
• Some people might feel embarrassed some may still feel excluded
• If I don’t have it, I might have a meltdown
• If you don’t get it, you might fail school, drop out, all get expelled
• You may feel left out in a friendship group
• They might feel insecure as they are different to others
• I find it disrespectful when people tell me that I don’t look autistic some people take advantage of reasonable adjustments
• You can get discriminated
• Friends might get jealous of you
• When teachers don’t know what you need it makes you feel worthless
• Not getting them makes you feel fidgety
• Not getting them makes you feel mentally or physically ill
• Not getting reason adjustments won’t teach you to adapt
• People judge me for getting attention
• You might think you’re the problem and you can’t do stuff
• Without my reasonable adjustment I feel imprisoned, trapped and stuck