Children and young people with learning disabilities

photo: a very smiley young person is holding something oragne which is hanging from a blue tape.

Our work with children and young people with learning disabilities makes a positive difference in the following key areas:

  • Health and well-being
  • Developing leadership skills and providing leadership experience
  • Developing creative and essential skills
  • Developing digital skills
  • Increasing access to creative opportunities
  • Supporting young people towards the workplace

DIY’s work with schools and colleges

We have established partnerships with a number of local special schools and colleges that enable us to bring creative opportunities to children and young people with learning disabilities from across Salford.

For example, we have developed a strong partnership with Chatsworth Futures, a dynamic Independent specialist college for young people aged between 19 – 25 with complex needs, including learning difficulties and Autism.

Each Thursday we work with students from across the whole college – with two groups of independence learners and two groups of students preparing for employment.

Why not have a look at our Dec 23 news on our schools work: Lighting up young peoples’ faces

If you are interested in bringing DIY into your school please email us at diytheatre@gmail.com

Gamechangers Emerging Leaders

Gamechangers Emerging Leaders is an encouraging and friendly group, where emerging leaders with lived experience of learning disability, support one another to develop their facilitation and leadership skills in the arts.

If you have a learning disability and want to build your confidence, communication and leadership skills through drama – this could be the group for you!

Together we play drama games and explore being creative in safe, fun and accessible ways. The sessions are free to attend and the group meets weekly on Mondays during term time, at Chatsworth Futures from 3-30 pm – 5 pm. Find out more about Gamechangers Emerging Leaders by clicking here.

photo: a young woman is sitting on a chair. She is wearing pink and pale blue matching trousers and top. She is leaning back, looking straight at the camer and smiling whilst holding her hands up pretending to take a photograph back at the person with the camera!

Arts Award

We offer the Arts Award Qualifications (Levels Explore – Gold) across our Youth Arts Programmes.

Young people participate in a range of art forms, including Drama, Music & Circus which develop communication teamwork and collaboration skills.  Throughout the Arts Award journey participants reflect upon and develop their work; essential skills for further study & workplace opportunities.

During 2024, DIY Gamechanger Chloe Crispin completed her Bronze Arts Award with DIY Theatre Company.

For Part B of her Bronze Arts Award, Chloe visited Salford Museum and Art Gallery and looked at the artwork by LS Lowry. As her Arts Inspiration she chose Will Smith and created a poster with some interesting facts about him. For her Part D she co-led drama workshops with Jade at Chatsworth Futures and reflected on what she had done well and could do better.

“I suggested songs we could use, which activities would be good for the learners and ideas on the props that we could use for the different activities…I enjoyed the Parachute Game and working with Jade and the Independence Group” – Chloe