# data[].attributes.body
Roots on the Web

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Helping you support people with additional needs

With a visual timetable, people with additional needs can see:

what's going to happen

what's coming up next

what they might need to do.

This can reduce anxiety, decrease frustration and increase general comprehension and communication.

Many schools already use visual timetables with great success. Now Roots has developed a visual timetable for churches - depicting many common activities in Christian services and groups.
Read more about using a visual timetable

NEW Roots visual timetable

50 image cards featuring 45 different scenarios - with some activities (eg singing) repeated so that you can make a full timetable

Choose our handy box of cards for one-to-one support

Also available as a digital download that you can project, or print at the size you choose

How to get your Visual timetable for churches

Digital download

Card pack

£6 inc VAT

£12 inc VAT, plus postage and handling

Card dimensions: 56 x 87mm

At the moment, the physical card pack is available to UK customers only. We're working on making it more widely available soon.

Please allow 1 week for dispatch.

Using a visual timetable

Choose cards to represent the elements or activities you have planned for your session.

Use reusable velcro tape or Blu Tack to attach the cards to a suitable display board.

You might wish to display all the cards at once, or you may prefer to show 'what's now' and 'what's next'. If you're supporting someone on a one-to-one basis, you could encourage them to pick out the correct cards as you go along.

You can create your own display board or buy a ready-made one. Here are some examples of ready-made boards:
Please note: we offer these external links for your reference and they should not imply endorsement.

This visual timetable has been developed in collaboration with Mark Arnold, Additional Needs Ministry Director at Urban Saints. Mark's article, Going beyond inclusion, unpacks how we can move from Accessibility to Inclusion to Belonging as we welcome and support people with additional needs and disabilities in our churches. You'll be able to read it with a free trial to Roots resources.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Helping you support people with additional needs With a visual timetable, people with additional needs can see: what's going to happen what's coming up next what they might need to do. This can reduce anxiety, decrease frustration and increase general comprehension and communication. Many schools already use visual timetables with great success.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Are you planning a holiday club for this summer? Many churches will be running one for the first time since the pandemic started and if that's your church too then you've got a golden opportunity to use your holiday club as a way to become more inclusive of children and young people with additional needs.

As you plan for those few days of holiday club, here's some practical things that you can introduce that might then extend into your children's and youth work after the summer holidays...

Carry out an accessibility audit of your setting

Before you run your holiday club, have a wander around your setting. If possible, take a disabled member of your congregation with you to give you a different perspective. Identify any physical barriers that might be an issue for a child or young person with additional needs that is coming to your holiday club and think about how to reduce or remove these barriers.

Here's a downloadable checklist that you can use to help you identify some of the key barriers that exist in many churches: https://www.energize.uk.net/downloads/Belonging%20Checklist.pdf

You can find out more about the 'Invited to Belong' programme that this checklist is a part of here: www.urbansaints.org/invitedtobelong

Most children's and youth teams are crying out for more volunteers, but a holiday club offers an opportunity for people to try out their volunteering without committing long term. Asking someone to help at a holiday club for a few days is very different to signing someone up to serve in the children's team permanently. This is a great way for people to have a go at something that they might be unsure of, like being one-to-one helpers for children or young people with additional needs. They will hopefully really enjoy it, find it rewarding, and want to continue to help after holiday club has finished!

Think about young people as 'buddies'

Another approach to providing support to children and young people with additional needs is to ask other young people to be their 'buddies'. With appropriate supervision, young people with a caring, pastoral approach can be great at supporting their peers and again a holiday club offers a short-term way of giving this a try.

As you plan the content for your holiday club, how about finding video versions of the songs that include subtitles and signing? It's a great opportunity to build up a library of songs that everyone can join in with, and you can continue to use these inclusive versions once holiday club is over.

A great place to start would be to have a look at holiday club maestro John Hardwick's website: https://www.johnhardwick.org and his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/johnhardwickorg

Most of us use parachutes in our holiday clubs, as we sing songs, or as we play games, but have you ever used a parachute to tell Bible stories? Through The Roof have a great resource called 'Parachute Bible Stories' that helps us to inclusively tell 20 Bible stories using a parachute. It's really accessible, works with children and young people of all ages and abilities, and is great value at just £5 a copy.

You can see more about Parachute Bible Stories and order a copy here: https://throughtheroof.org/product/parachute-bible-stories/

Resource yourselves for the future

Holiday clubs give you the opportunity to try out other inclusive resources that I've mentioned previously in my blogs, such as using 'one-page-profiles' to get to know the children and young people better, 'social stories' to introduce them to holiday club, and 'visual timetables' to help them know what is happening now and next. These and other resources can also be found in the resources area of the Additional Needs Alliance website here: https://additionalneedsalliance.org.uk/information/ or look at the 'See also' section below.

Once you've got into the habit of using these resources at a holiday club, you will see how invaluable they can be and will start using them every week!

More training and support for your team

If you would like to know more about how to make your holiday club, and your children's and youth work generally, more inclusive, then I've created a playlist of helpful videos to watch. Lots of tips, ideas, information, and support for you to explore individually or as a team: www.urbansaints.org/allinclusivevideos

I hope these ideas get you started on your journey to make your holiday club as accessible and inclusive as possible, and that using them at holiday club will encourage you to keep going with them when your children's and youth work restarts in autumn term as well!

Blessings,

Mark

Header image © John Hardwick, all other content © Mark Arnold/The Additional Needs Blogfather

See also:
10 Top Tips For A Successful Summer Holiday
https://theadditionalneedsblogfather.com/2022/04/28/10-top-tips-summer-holiday/

10 Travel Tips For Days Out With Children With Additional Needs
https://theadditionalneedsblogfather.com/2022/04/13/10-travel-tips/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Seven Ways Holiday Club Can Help You Be More Inclusive

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you planning a holiday club for this summer? Many churches will be running one for the first time since the pandemic started and if that's your church too then you've got a golden opportunity to use your holiday club as a way to become more inclusive of children and young people with additional needs....

# data[].attributes.headline
Messy Church guide on how to welcome people with SEND

# data[].attributes.subject
Messy Church guide on how to welcome people with SEND

# data[].attributes.headline
Messy Church - How to Video on How to Welcome people with SEND

# data[].attributes.subject
Messy Church - How to Video on How to Welcome people with SEND

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Passionate about helping everyone to belong

# data[].attributes.headline
 
A Guide to Faith Communities in Scotland

# data[].attributes.subject
 
A Guide to Faith Communities in Scotland

# data[].attributes.headline
Belief in Dialogue - a good practice guide for planning interfaith activities in your local area

# data[].attributes.subject
Belief in Dialogue - a good practice guide for planning interfaith activities in your local area

# data[].attributes.headline
Develop Your Religious Literacy: Part 1 and Part 2

# data[].attributes.subject
Develop Your Religious Literacy: Part 1 and Part 2

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Education Scotland is a Scottish Government executive agency responsible for supporting quality and improvement in Scottish education.

# data[].attributes.headline
Interfaith Resources about Climate Action

# data[].attributes.subject
Interfaith Resources about Climate Action

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Interfaith Scotland - Making a difference through dialogue

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Climate action resources - Interfaith Scotland

# data[].attributes.headline
Interfaith Scotland's Resources and Activity Ideas for Schools and Youth

# data[].attributes.subject
Interfaith Scotland's Resources and Activity Ideas for Schools and Youth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Interfaith Scotland - Making a difference through dialogue

# data[].attributes.headline
Resources for Celebrating Scottish Interfaith Week

# data[].attributes.subject
Resources for Celebrating Scottish Interfaith Week

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Scottish Interfaith Week - Breaking down barriers through the arts, sharing stories, poetry, performance, music and dialogue.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Resources - Scottish Interfaith Week - Discovery: 11 - 18 Nov 2024

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Resources to help you join in with Scottish Interfaith Week. Downloads and video resources to help you make the most of the week.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Galilee Books , Glasgow, United Kingdom. 619 likes · 109 talking about this · 2 were here. We are a small independent Christian bookshop in Glasgow.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Prospects Across Scotland - Prospects Across Scotland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you are a church in Scotland here is how we can help you support people with learning disabilities and autism.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Through the Roof is a Christian disability charity that:

Changes the lives of disabled people around the world

Helps others to change lives too

We want to see everyone valued equally, fully belong, and able to contribute their gifts and skills. We do this in 3 ways:

Freedom - bringing the gift of a wheelchair or mobility aid and sharing the Gospel with disabled people in developing countries

Fellowship - blessing disabled people with Christian friends through being part of our groups, holidays and Retreats

Faith - building our network of Roofbreakers and advocates through training and resources to ensure disabled people can belong and contribute

Through the Roof still has a vital mission, and in these uncertain times we are fulfilling it through new and adapted ways. We would still love to serve you and/or have your involvement in the work, so please check our Facebook page or get in touch with us if you have any questions or want to know the current activities.
Follow this link to find out about donating a wheelchair Follow this link to find out about fundraising to support TTR's work

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Transforming Lives Through Jesus with Disabled People

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Transforming Lives Through Jesus with Disabled PeopleThrough the Roof is a Christian disability charity that: Changes...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Interfaith Scotland - Making a difference through dialogue

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Home - Interfaith Glasgow - Flourishing through Dialogue

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Interfaith Glasgow is a Scottish charity which promotes and facilitates positive engagement between people of diverse faiths and beliefs

# data[].attributes.headline
Diverse gender identities -Church of Scotland

# data[].attributes.subject
Diverse gender identities -Church of Scotland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 2016 the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland agreed to promote learning and awareness of the issues transgender and gender non-confirming people…

# data[].attributes.headline
Diverse Gender Identities & Pastoral Care booklet - Church of Scotland

# data[].attributes.subject
Diverse Gender Identities & Pastoral Care booklet - Church of Scotland

# data[].attributes.body
Intergenerate UK supports the development of intergenerational ministry across churches through:

Advocating for the full participation of all ages in the life and ministry of the church

Facilitating contemporary theological reflection leading to practical action

Identifying, developing and evaluating resources, research and opportunities as appropriate and encouraging training, coaching and mentoring

Offering national comment on relevant issues

Reflecting the diversity of theology across denominations and organisations and providing professional support for its members.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A network for those in the UK engaged in Intergenerational Church

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Through the Roof is a Christian disability charity that:

Changes the lives of disabled people around the world

Helps others to change lives too

We want to see everyone valued equally, fully belong, and able to contribute their gifts and skills. We do this in 3 ways:

Freedom - bringing the gift of a wheelchair or mobility aid and sharing the Gospel with disabled people in developing countries

Fellowship - blessing disabled people with Christian friends through being part of our groups, holidays and Retreats

Faith - building our network of Roofbreakers and advocates through training and resources to ensure disabled people can belong and contribute

Through the Roof still has a vital mission, and in these uncertain times we are fulfilling it through new and adapted ways. We would still love to serve you and/or have your involvement in the work, so please check our Facebook page or get in touch with us if you have any questions or want to know the current activities.
Follow this link to find out about donating a wheelchair Follow this link to find out about fundraising to support TTR's work

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Transforming Lives Through Jesus with Disabled PeopleThrough the Roof is a Christian disability charity that: Changes...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Making the Christian faith accessible through signs and symbols.

# data[].attributes.headline
Naming, Honouring, Celebrating (PDF download)

# data[].attributes.subject
Naming, Honouring, Celebrating (PDF download)

# data[].attributes.body
Digital download: Four liturgies focusing on trans affirmation inspired by the International Transgender Day of Visibility. They explicitly celebrate trans and non-binary people and include a trans naming liturgy. 23 pages.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The publishing house of the Iona Community

# data[].attributes.headline
LGBT Youth Scotland’s Charter of Rights

# data[].attributes.subject
LGBT Youth Scotland’s Charter of Rights

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
LGBT Charter for Organisations - LGBT Youth Scotland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The LGBT Charter for Organisations enables your organisation to proactively include LGBTQ+ people in every aspect of your work.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
National Center for Transgender Equality

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Nonbinary Defined

Most people - including most transgender people - are either male or female. But some people don't neatly fit into the categories of "man" or "woman," or "male" or "female." For example, some people have a gender that blends elements of being a man or a woman, or a gender that is different than either male or female. Some people don't identify with any gender. Some people's gender changes over time.

People whose gender is not male or female use many different terms to describe themselves, with being one of the most common (sometimes spelled with a hyphen, as "non-binary") . Other terms include genderqueer , agender , bigender , genderfluid , and more. None of these terms mean exactly the same thing - but all speak to an experience of gender that is not simply male or female. If you're not sure what a word means, you can usually just ask politely.

Why "Nonbinary"?

Some societies - like ours - tend to recognize just two genders, male and female. The idea that there are only two genders is sometimes called a "gender binary," because binary means "having two parts" (male and female). Therefore, "nonbinary" is one term people use to describe genders that don't fall into one of these two categories, male or female.

Basic Facts about Nonbinary People

Nonbinary people are nothing new. Non-binary people aren't confused about their gender identity or following a new fad - nonbinary identities have been recognized for millennia by cultures and societies around the world.

Some, but not all, nonbinary people undergo medical procedures to make their bodies more congruent with their gender identity. While not all nonbinary people need medical care to live a fulfilling life, it's critical and even life-saving for many.

Most transgender people are not nonbinary. While some transgender people are nonbinary, most transgender people have a gender identity that is either male or female, and should be treated like any other man or woman.

Being nonbinary is not the same thing as being intersex. Intersex people have anatomy or genes that don't fit typical definitions of male and female. Most intersex people identify as either men or women, though some may be nonbinary. Non-binary people are usually not intersex: they're usually born with bodies that may fit typical definitions of male and female, but their innate gender identity is something other than male or female.

How to Be Respectful and Supportive of Nonbinary People

It isn't as hard as you might think to be supportive and respectful of nonbinary people, even if you have just started to learn about them.

You don't have to understand what it means for someone to be nonbinary to respect them. Some people haven't heard a lot about nonbinary genders or have trouble understanding them, and that's okay. Identities that some people don't understand still deserve respect.

Use the name a person asks you to use. This is one of the most critical aspects of being respectful of a nonbinary person, as the name you may have been using may not reflect their gender identity. Don't ask someone what their old name was.

Try not to make any assumptions about people's gender. You can't tell if someone is non binary simply by looking at them, just like how you can't tell if someone is transgender just by how they look. A nonbinary person might appear feminine, masculine, or genderless, or show a mix of gendered ch aracteristics - and their appearance doesn't determine their pronouns.

If you're not sure what pronouns someone uses, ask. Different nonbinary people may use different pronouns. Many nonbinary people use "they" while others use "he" or "she," and still others use other pronouns. Asking whether someone should be referred to as "he," "she," "they," or another pronoun may feel awkward at first, but is one of the simplest and most important ways to show respect for someone's identity.

Advocate for non-binary friendly policies. It's important for nonbinary people to be able to live, dress and have their gender respected at work, at school, and in public spaces.

Understand that, for many nonbinary people, navigating gendered spaces - like bathrooms - can be challenging. For many non binary people, using either the women's or the men's rest room might feel unsafe, because others may verbally harass them or even physically attack them. Non binary people should be able to use the restroom that they believe they will be safest in . You can help support nonbinary people by accepting their judgment about where they feel most comfortable when dealing with spaces that are based on binary gend er distinctions .

Talk to nonbinary people to learn more about who they are. There's no one way to be nonbinary. The best way to understand what it's like to be nonbinary is to talk with nonbinary people and listen to their stories.

Related Links:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Understanding Nonbinary People: How to Be Respectful and Supportive

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Most people - including most transgender people - are either male or female. But some people don't neatly fit into the categories of "man" or "woman," or "male" or "female." For example, some people have a gender that blends elements of being a man or a woman, or a gender that is different than either male or female.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Or by post 49-51 Sidney St, Manchester, M1 7HB

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Share your videos with friends, family, and the world