Categories
AwarenessSaathi

SpecialSaathi Hosts ‘Abilities Expo’ at Satyam College of Education Noida

On December 1st, 2023, SpecialSaathi, in collaboration with Maqaam Foundation, conducted an Abilities Expo program at Satyam College of Education Noida. The Abilities Expo was held to commemorate International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which falls on December 3rd. The program highlighted the abilities of people with disabilities, showcasing their talents and contributions to society.

The program commenced with an inspiring speech by Principal Ms. Binita Agarwal and Ms. Shilpi Mayank Awasthi, Founder of SpecialSaathi. This was followed by an insightful awareness program and a fantastic Q & A session led by Mr. Praval Yadav and Ms. Simmi Vasu, advisors at SpecialSaathi, resource persons with remarkable expertise in the field of disability. The awareness program emphasized the importance of International Day of Persons with Disabilities and underscored the significance of such programs in fostering inclusion and acceptance.



The awareness program was then followed by a captivating cultural performance featuring talented young singers Devansh Chandra and Debashree Mishra. Their melodious voices and soulful renditions mesmerized the audience.

Concluding the program was an Ability walk- inclusion walk, where disabled artists and students from Satyam College walked together, symbolizing unity and inclusion.

Ms. Shilpi Mayank Awasthi, Founder of SpecialSaathi, presented awards and felicitations to the following individuals and institutions:

Satyam College – for their unwavering commitment to creating an inclusive environment in society

Simmi Vasu – for her dedication and expertise as a parent professional working for disability rights

Praval Yadav – for his exceptional contributions as a professional working for disability advocacy

Devansh Chandra – for his remarkable achievements and unwavering spirit as a person with disability

Debashree Mishra – for her talent and passion as a young singer

The program concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by the industry head and coordinator Ms. Preeti Goel from Satyam College.

The Abilities Expo program served as a powerful reminder of the abilities and potential of people with disabilities, encouraging inclusivity and acceptance in society.

Read the coverage and pictures on Factbook page of SpecialSaathi.

https://www.facebook.com/share/eHSvG75VgA8yah2Y/?mibextid=RXn8sy

Team SpecialSaathi

Categories
BloggerSaathi Learning with your Child at Home

Developing Whole Body Communication with Indian Natya

The last week has been eventful!
Movement and Storytelling Activities Ebook
We completed version 1 of our e-book “Movement and Storytelling Activities.” This e-book is the first in the LIFESMART Parenting e-books on Learning with your Child at Home. It includes 10 activities based on Theater Arts for Holistic Development (TAHD) developed by Dr. Ambika Kameshwar.

View the e-book here:
https://www.canva.com/design/DAF1T4EklI4/TId-adhgXwDHva9ApAjSmw/edit?utm_content=DAF1T4EklI4&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton


Thanks to Morpheus Nag for the beautiful picture of a mother and child that helps us convey the message of the book. Learning with your child at home is about connection!

Bridging the Neurodivide
I also participated in a panel discussion on Bridging the Neurodivide hosted by SpecialSaathi.



Ananth’s Birthday Session on SpecialSaathi
We were excited to end the week with a session hosted by SpecialSaathi on Ananth’s birthday. This session included
1) a dance by Ananth,
2) a message on learning with Indian natya/ Theater Arts for Holistic Development (TAHD) by Sri Ujwal Jagadeesh, and
3) a presentation by Dr. Rama on Whole Body Communication using Indian natya

This session is also Parentsaathi lesson 3.

We are grateful to Shilpi Mayank Awasthi for these wonderful opportunities. The TAHD way is a fun way to celebrate birthdays! SpecialSaathi has made it possible to celebrate Ananth’s birthdays, in this way. These events are a way to bridge the neurodivide by bringing together family members, LIFESMART community, and SpecialSaathi community.

Author Dr Dasaratha Rama

Dr. Dasaratha Rama is a professor and home educator. She was the editor of a monograph on service-learning published by the American Association of Higher Education. This monograph was a part of a series of monographs on service-learning published by AAHE. She was also an Engaged Scholar with the Campus Compact, an association in the US dedicated to higher education civic and community engagement at colleges and universities. She has served as the Chair of the Teaching and Curriculum Section of the American Accounting Education. She is a certified leader in systems thinking, mapping, and leadership under a program offered by Cabrera Research Lab. She is currently doing a certificate in Theater Arts for Holistic Development (TAHD) from RASA (Ramana Sunritya Aalaya).

Categories
"A Journey to Bharat through Natya" BloggerSaathi

Bridging the Neurodivide: Thinking with Circles

A Production of Ananth’s Fold, Color, Talk

Why think about complex topics such as neurodiversity, neurodivergent individuals, inclusion, and bridging the neurodivide using only words? Building visual and tactile models clarifies ideas and helps us think and talk about our ideas. Have fun exploring ideas in different ways with visual and tactile tools.

I have been folding circles since 2007. I use Wholemovement, an approach developed by Bradford Hansen-Smith. I used to fold circles to create tetrahedrons, octahedrons, icosahedrons, Vector-Equilibrium Sphere, and many other interesting structures. After folding, I enjoyed coloring it. While some children like my cousin liked to fold many circles in a day, I folded one or two and spent time coloring.

Since I kept folding and coloring, my mother started organizing ideas on the circle creations. We used these foldables to think about different topics and to talk about our ideas.

See the video below and try folding!

https://youtu.be/FJ4VIetBbYg?si=pK7FDI93Ieogjawq


I enjoyed folding and coloring because
• It was relaxing
• I enjoy coloring
• I could learn better with visual and tactile tools

I did an entrepreneurship summer camp in 2014. I created the concept and logo for Fold, Color, Talk.

Bridging the Neurodivide

When my mother started preparing for her presentation on Bridging the Neurodivide, she asked me to fold a tetrahedron and then an icosahedon using four colors.

Tetrahedron

The first fold divides the circle into two parts. We used one side neurotypicals (NT) and another half to represent neurodivergent (ND). Once folded into a tetrahedron, the bottom two triangles represent NTs and NDs having experiences in environments that work best for them. As they learn in their own ways, different people (learners, parents, teachers, etc.) discover ways to bridge the neurodivide (triangle at the center). These discoveries enable them to bring NDs and NTs together in different environments.

Icosahedron

I used four tetrahedrons to create an icosahedron. The icosahedron can help us visualize the process of bridging the neurodivide more clearly.

Sustaining (green)

NDs and NTs have experiences in environments that work for them.

Initiating (yellow)

We initiate activities to bring these learners together.

Adapting (orange)

Students, teachers, parents and others adjust to changes

Extending (blue)

New activities and ways of bridging the neurodivide are discovered and implemented.

We have started tracking our progress in bridging the neuro divide using this Icosahedron.
Watch the video below to see how we are using it.

https://youtu.be/MBgGNUyc_oA?si=3tMUv05ISY9kR9wN


About Ananth
Ananth Raghunandan is a student ambassador for (Ramana Sunritya Aalaya) RASA and Theater Arts for Holistic Development (TAHD). Ananth Raghunandan is doing a diploma in Bharatanatyam.

He enjoys folding circles and created Fold, Color, Talk with his mother Dr. Dasaratha Rama during an entrepreneurship camp.

Categories
Art Exhibition

SpecialSaathi’s Online Art Exhibition:Celebrating the International Day for Persons with Disabilities

As we approach the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, SpecialSaathi is delighted to announce the much-anticipated online art exhibition, showcasing the remarkable talents of our participants in the SpecialSaathi’s Online Art Competition 2023. This exhibition serves as a testament to the creativity, resilience, and unwavering spirit of our artists, who have poured their hearts and souls into their creations.

Prepare to be captivated by an array of artistic expressions, each piece reflecting the unique perspectives and experiences of our participants.

Join us in celebrating the incredible artistic achievements of our participants and in recognizing the valuable contributions of individuals with disabilities to the world of art. Together, let’s foster an inclusive and accessible environment where creativity can flourish without boundaries.

This is the art exhibition for all the participants who participated in the SpecialSaathi’s Online Art Competition 2023, but couldn’t make it to the winner’s list.

Artist- Rohith V
Age- 23, Diagnosis- Autistic
Place- Bangalore
Artwork specifications
Size of sheet – A4
Medium – acrylic paint
Sheet type – drawing paper
Artist – Ananya Narayanan
Age : 13
Diagnosis: Autism spectrum disorder
Place : Bangalore

Art work specifications
Size: 12 ×12
Medium : Acrylic paints
Sheet type : Canvas
Artist- Dhairya Kumar Pal
Age: 14 years
Diagnosis: Autism Spectrum Disorder
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
Artwork Specification:
A) Size: 11.6 x 16.5 inches
B) Medium: Acrylic color
C) Sheet Type: 300 GSM sheet
Artist – Gomathi Shankar
26, Autism, New Delhi
Artwork specifications
A3 size paper 
Water and acrylic paint
Art sheet 
Artist- Krisanne Mathias
●Age ; 7years
●Diagnosis: expressive speech delay
●Place : Bengaluru
*Artwork specifications* :-
●Size of the sheet : A3
●Medium (e.g., oil paint, etc.) : acrylic paint and crayons
●Sheet type (canvas or other): Art paper
Artist- Paras Sharma
Age* -15 years, Diagnosis* – mild autistic
Place* – Bangalore
Artwork specifications –
Size of sheet – A4
Medium – crayons
Sheet type -Artbook
Artist- Anshika, 9, New Delhi
Artist- Muskaan Surie
Age: 17yrs, Diagnosis: Selective Mutism
Place: Noida
Art work specifications:
Size of the sheet: (8″ inch /8″ inch Canvas board with Thickness 1/2 cm )
Medium : Acrylic paint on Canvas board sheet.
Sheet type : Canvas.
Artist – Sarvagya Lohia
Age – 9 years, Diagnosis – Autism
Specifications of artwork – This artwork is on a regular artfile sheet of A4 size, he has used regular HB pencil for shading effect
Artist- Amit R Meda
22 yrs, Bangalore, Autism
Artwork specifications
This is done on Artist pad
AA ‘(size 215 mm ×300mm)
oil paint
Artist- Lakshya
18years
Greater Noida
Slow learner
Artist- Niyati Varma
5 years
Greater Noida
Mild Autism
Canvas Painting
Artist- Anjali Ahirwar
19 years, Jabalpur, A4 size sheet
Categories
BloggerSaathi

SELF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEURODIVERSE INDIVIDUALS

Triveni Goswami Vernal
(Registered Special Educator: A64010)

In my series on Vocational Training for neuro-diverse individuals, I have previously written about Pre-Vocational Training, Vocational Assessment and the various Types of Vocational Training and Employment, and Provisions available for Vocational Training under the RPWD Act (2016). In my blog today, I would like to share resources on Self-Employment opportunities (that can be set up for a Neurodiverse individual or a Person with Disabilities, by their family/caregivers). I will be looking at a few opportunities in this blog and a few others, in my next blog.


1) CANDLE MAKING: Candle making can be a lucrative profession, especially during the festivities of Diwali and Christmas. But it must always be done under the careful supervision of an adult or a mentor, with all the safety precautions taken. There are various types of Candles that one can make—Soy wax candles, Gel candles, Paraffin wax candles etc

Source: https://www.savvyhomemade.com/candle-making-beginners/
There are several online courses available on Candle making:
https://iisdt.in/product/diploma-in-candle-making/
https://test.mscd.gov.tt/courses/soap-and-candle-making/
https://alippo.com/course/candle-making
https://candlemould.com/10-candle is a website that caters to a lot of the raw materials required for candle making.


2) CHOCOLOATE MAKING: Chocolate making is also another skill that can be taught to an individual, under expert supervision. Since chocolate involves working with heat and melting, proper precautions need to be taken. Chocolate making also involves several steps. So, the individual may be involved in all the steps, from chopping the ingredients, to tempering, to pouring it in the moulds, unmoulding, wrapping it in foil, labelling and packaging. Or, the individual maybe involved partially in some of the steps that he or she might be most confident in. It is important to see where the individual’s interests lie and what he/she can do, with minimal assistance over time.



Source:https://www.idea2makemoney.com/chocolate-making-business-beginners
Online courses on Chocolate Making:
https://alippo.com/course/chocolate-making/7119501?utm_source=website&utm_medium=secondary-navbar
https://www.hunarcourses.com/chocolate-making-course
https://bakedemy.com/online-chocolate-making-course/
https://www.chocolate-academy.com/en/learning/on-demand-courses
https://www.bakewala.com/baking-supplies-ingredients/chocolate-ingredients has ingredients available for chocolate making


DISCLAIMER:
***Do check the validity of the information shared on the websites, before deciding to enrol in any of the courses***
There are certain things that need to be kept in mind before setting up a formal business. Till the time, it is just a hobby, one can perhaps sell via word of mouth, through social media but to establish a formal business venture, steps should be taken to apply for a Trade License, a GST registration, and a MSME Registration /Udyog Aadhar. Addition to these, for Chocolate Making, the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) Registration, is mandatory.
Thus, we see that the possibilities are endless, but one needs to choose a vocation that fits the individual’s needs and interests. In my subsequent blogs, I will be looking at Baking, Block Printing, Jewellery Making, Crafts, Art based merchandise etc., as options for Self-Employment opportunities for Neurodiverse Individuals.

RESOURCES:
https://alippo.com/course/chocolate-making/7119501?utm_source=website&utm_medium=secondary-navbar
https://www.hunarcourses.com/chocolate-making-course
https://bakedemy.com/online-chocolate-making-course/
https://www.chocolate-academy.com/en/learning/on-demand-courses
https://www.bakewala.com/baking-supplies-ingredients/chocolate-ingredients
https://www.idea2makemoney.com/chocolate-making-business-beginners
https://iisdt.in/product/diploma-in-candle-making/
https://test.mscd.gov.tt/courses/soap-and-candle-making/
https://alippo.com/course/candle-making
https://candlemould.com/10-candle
https://www.fssai.gov.in/cms/licensing.php
https://eudyogaadhaar.org/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs_325pvmggMVc6pmAh2SswnoEAAYASAAEgKOI_D_BwE


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Author Triveni Goswami Vernal

Triveni Goswami Vernal is an Autism advocate, registered Special Educator (CRR A64010) and an Independent Researcher. Her areas of interest include Autism, Disability Rights, Gender, Art and Northeast studies. She is a mum to an 12 year old on the Autism Spectrum.

The creative representation for this blog is done by artist Kabir Vernal