AIM choir is 2!

Accessible Inclusive Music (AIM) provides musical opportunities for children and young people who are disabled and have additional needs in West Yorkshire.

AIM is a non profit organisation currently ran by a committee of 5 amazing volunteers with a breadth of experience supporting children and young people, SEND, disability and inclusion all with a passion for music! Sarah (AIM founder/chair) is a musician, owner of a successful inclusive music tuition business (with experience of teaching and providing sessions for those with a range of additional needs and disabilities) and the mum of 2 children, one of which has profound additional needs with a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy. 

The AIM committee and other community members have worked hard to keep our fully inclusive choir running for free for the past two years and we would like to continue offering this activity for free. Funding these activities for the parents and carers of disabled musicians can be an issue as there are many additional costs for specialist therapy and equipment for those with additional needs.

Our choir is specifically designed to be fully inclusive on so many levels and to us the term choir doesn’t mean just singing! Participants can join in by signing, signing, playing a instrument, moving to the music, using switches and eye gaze devices! To us, inclusivity doesn’t mean creating an activity for those who struggle to access mainstream extra curricular activities, it means everybody can participate together whether they consider themselves to have additional needs or not! The online choir is currently open to all children under the age of 18 and as it is online therefore all children and young people across the UK can get involved! (If internet access is a barrier please contact AIM for support).

However, our fully inclusive choir is more than just a musical activity. Parents and carers have commented on how their children have developed in confidence, learnt new skills, made new friends and developed their communication skills through music! Each rehearsal has a specifically designed structure to promote familiarity and routine and rehearsals are intentionally designed to work online which is often well received by busy parents/carers and those participants with additional needs who use specialist seating/equipment or find new environments over stimulating.

Despite only launching our fully inclusive choir in June 2021 we have provided FREE fortnightly and weekly rehearsals to children and young people all across the U.K, 2 summer inclusive choir workshops, a Christmas virtual video opportunity, an online workshop with Bradford and Airedale Youth Choir (BAYC) and worked collaboratively with the Leeds based charity SNAPS Yorkshire to provide in person inclusive choir sessions.

So if you can spare a few pennies to support our fully inclusive choir you will be providing amazing music making opportunities for children and young people in West Yorkshire and beyond! 

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