A Person-Centred Silent Disco at Ridgeway
Our Sweet Silent Disco session at Ridgeway in Bristol, featured on BBC Points West, was an experience I’ll always treasure.
Ridgeway supports people with learning disabilities and autism, and I made the session person-centred: shaped around the individuals taking part, their preferences and how they wanted to engage.
For me, that starts with recognising that everyone is different. People with the same diagnosis can have very different needs, musical tastes and ways of communicating. Getting to know the person is what matters.
Shaping the session around each person
I brought that person-centred approach to how I facilitated the session, responding to people’s reactions and adapting my encouragement to suit them.
The focus was on giving each person opportunities to enjoy the music and express themselves, without any pressure to participate in a particular way. Dancing, singing, moving gently or simply listening can all be meaningful ways to join in.
People may need different amounts of time, reassurance or space when experiencing an activity. Being attentive and flexible helps me respond to those differences and respect each person’s choices.
The music gives us a shared starting point, but it’s the people in the room who shape the experience.
The joy goes both ways
This is what makes the work so rewarding for me. I feel incredibly privileged to bring people together and share something that gives us so much happiness.
It isn’t about everyone doing the same movement or responding in the same way. It’s about each person having the opportunity to enjoy themselves, feel included and connect with others on their own terms.
And I get so much back. Sharing those moments brings me enormous joy and inspires me to keep taking Sweet Silent Disco to more people.
Sharing our story with BBC Points West
Being featured on BBC Points West was a wonderful opportunity to share our work at Ridgeway and show the care and thought behind a facilitated session.
Thank you to everyone at Ridgeway for welcoming me, to everyone who took part, and to the BBC Points West team for helping us share this special experience.
Bringing people together through music - with each person at the heart of the session.
Mark Sweeting, Founder of Sweet Silent Disco
Interested in bringing Sweet Silent Disco to your care home?
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