Bookings for this event have now closed.
When: Tuesday 22nd October
Time: 7.00-8.00pm
Online Via Zoom
Choir 21 – Makaton Choir! Wednesday 2nd October from 4.30- 5.15pm
Our online Choir 21 song group is for anyone aged 10+ to join us to sing along to a mixture of pop songs and songs from favourite musicals and stage shows and learn some Makaton signs* too!
*These sessions will teach Makaton signs but don’t worry if you aren’t familiar with Makaton, or you use other sign-supported communication, you can still join in and have fun!
All members with Down’s syndrome aged 10+, siblings and family members welcome!
The Zoom details, along with any song lyrics and information for this session, will be emailed to attendees ahead of time or on the day to those booking on the day.
Important Information for Choir 21 Attendees
Our Choir 21 sessions will be filmed. This allows you to practise between sessions and those who missed a session won’t miss out!
Attendees who do not wish to be filmed can turn their cameras off prior to filming starting. The recording of each session will be emailed via secure Vimeo link to each attendee. This will be for your own personal use, cannot be downloaded and should not be shared.
If you can’t attend a session one week, please contact Katy directly at katy@dsscotland.org.uk and request a copy of the week’s recording instead.
Any recordings/photos from Choir 21 may also be used occasionally for promotion purposes on DSS social media and/or Hub 21. Please contact Katy if you do NOT consent to this.
Any other questions on Choir 21, please send to ABC@dsscotland.org.uk and we will be happy to respond.
Come along to our ABC Christmas Sing and Sign face-to-face event on Saturday 14th December at 10.30am in Glasgow (session ends at 11.30am).
Katy and Siobhan look forward to welcoming our families with children aged 0-6 years old for a fun festive session full of your favourite Christmas songs and stories.
Sessions take place at Platform, The Bridge, 1000 Westerhouse Road, Easterhouse, Glasgow, G34 9JW and will be hosted by Katy Lironi, ABC Development Lead and Makaton Tutor, from our Achieving Better Communication (ABC) team.
To attend this event please complete the form below. We will then email a reminder of the details of the event (usually a few days before from abc@dsscotland.org.uk).
Event information:
There is no additional cost for those who subscribe to our ABC programme as it includes monthly face-to-face sessions throughout the year. A £5.00 charge (per session) applies to families who aren’t signed up to the ABC Programme.
The sessions will take place once per month (usually last Saturday of the month) and will feature lots of familiar aspects of our ABC online sessions – songs, Makaton signs, stories and communication activities. Face-face sessions also provide a great opportunity for meeting other parents.
Face-to-face ABC Songs, Stories and Signs sessions will be in addition to weekly online ABC or ABC Anytime sessions, which will continue weekly throughout term time.
Each event can accommodate a maximum of 20 children plus a parent/carer and will be on a first come first served basis. Please book only one ticket per family. (Usually both parents and a sibling can attend, but please be mindful that the sessions are structured to meet the communication needs of children with Ds.)
Each event needs to be booked on an individual basis, but more than one session can be booked by each family.
We are delighted that we can introduce some more in-person ABC Songs, Stories and Signs sessions for children aged 3-6 years (up to 6th birthday or older depending on communication stage).
Come along to our ABC Songs, Stories and Signs face-to-face event on Saturday 30th November at 11.30am in Glasgow (session ends at 12.15pm).
Each event can accommodate a maximum of 6 children plus a parent/carer and will be on a first come first served basis. Please book only one ticket per family. (Usually both parents and a sibling can attend, but please be mindful that the sessions are structured to meet the communication needs of children with Ds.)
When: Wednesday 20th November
Time: 7 -8pm
Online via Zoom
We are delighted to be welcoming back Lee House, Events Engagement Officer at Independent Living Fund Scotland (ILF Scotland).
At this session, we will learn about the ILF Transition Fund, which provides money – for up to one year (£4000) – to support young people with a disability or impairment as defined by the Equality Act 2010.
The purpose of the ILF Scotland Transition Fund is to help young disabled people, between the ages of 16 and 25, with the transition after leaving school or children’s services to be; more independent, more active and engaged in their community, and to build and maintain relationships with other people.
Lee has worked with the organisation for 8 years. His role is to promote the Transition Fund and work closely with young people, parents and charities/organisations/schools to support applications and present information about the fund.
There will be the opportunity to share experiences and ask any questions you may have.
Bookings for this event have now closed. Please email enquiries to Laura at Laura.Traynor@dsscotland.org.uk.
When: Tuesday 19th November
Time: 7 -8.30pm
We are delighted to welcome Will Black, SDS Development Coordinator at Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living (GCIL). At this session, we will learn about Self Directed Support, have an open conversation around the pitfalls of this, and hear some tips to understand.
GCIL is a disabled peoples organisation, they provide a range of support to those living in Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire, South Lanarkshire and North Lanarkshire. Their Support services offer information and advice in relation to all aspects of Social Care predominantly centred around Self Directed Support, they assist individuals and families to understand their rights & responsibilities as well as to undertake these. They can also offer training and guidance on a variety of subjects in relation to social care.
Come along to our ABC Songs, Stories and Signs face-to-face event on Saturday 26th October at 11.30am in Glasgow (session ends at 12.15pm).
To attend this event please complete the form below, once your booking is confirmed, we will be in touch by email with payment details for those who are NOT signed up to our ABC online Programme (details below). We will then email a reminder of the details of the event (usually a few days before from abc@dsscotland.org.uk).
When: Tuesday 10th September
Time: 7-8pm
We will be welcoming Katie Brown from Gillespie MacAndrew. Katie is a Senior Solicitor at Gillespie MacAndrew and advises clients on a range of issues including wills, powers of attorney and inheritance tax. She also undertakes, and advises on, the administration of both testate and intestate estates and the matters surrounding them such as legal rights and tax reporting. Katie also has some experience in relation to the administration of trusts, generally. In this session, Katie will speak specifically about the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act and the importance of applying for Guardianship or Power of Attorney (POA) for people with Down’s syndrome from the age 16. There will be the opportunity to ask questions and share your own experiences at the end of the session.
This workshop has been created to allow you to explore what causes the behaviour of the person you care for that you find difficult to manage or hard to change. You will have the opportunity to analyse their behaviour, learn how to understand its function, and develop a support plan specific to them, which can be used to support their personal difficulties with communication and help you to teach them alternative and more appropriate behaviours to communicate and help to develop their confidence and self-esteem.
Event Details
Wednesday 27th November
7.00-8.30pm
Please come along to our in-person ABC Next Steps session for adults aged 18 years and over on Sunday 1st September at 12.30pm in Linlithgow (session ends at 13.45pm).
Sessions take place at The Donaldson Trust (Donaldson’s School), Preston Road, Linlithgow, West Lothian, EH49 6HZ and will be hosted by June Flynn, ABC Tutor, from our Achieving Better Communication (ABC) team.
ABC Next Steps provides a literacy and communication session for adults. You can expect lots of the same activities included in our online sessions – introductions, getting to know you, topic-based conversations and follow up literacy activities and games.
Face-face sessions also provide a great opportunity for adults to meet and continue their communication journey.
These sessions are free of charge to families who are members of DSS and signed up to our Achieving Better Communication (ABC) Programme and bookable here. A £5.00 charge (per session) applies to families who aren’t signed up to the ABC Programme.
Face-to-face ABC Next Steps sessions will be in addition to weekly online ABC sessions, which will continue weekly throughout term time.
Each event can accommodate a maximum of 6 adults plus a parent/carer and will be on a first come first served basis. Please book only one ticket per family.