Getting disabled kids dancing in worlds of wonder!

Aim: To get 11,000 disabled children dancing and advocating for their futures whilst promoting intergenerational volunteering!

Flamingo Chicks is a multi-award winning charity and inclusive community giving disabled and poorly children the opportunity to explore movement through dance. From a small community group founded in 2013, we have become a national force championing inclusion for disabled children.

45,000 children have danced with us since we began.

45% of disabled children regularly feel lonely and 15% feel lonely every single day. That means 270,000 disabled young people in the UK feel alone 365 days a year. 

We are passionate about tackling this and creating long term social change. 

Last year we did more than ever before:

  - 11,589 children engaged in our sessions (up by 57%)

  - Conducted 285 workshops (up by 20%)

  - Hosted 106 regular classes (up by 26%)

  - Empowered 40 Agents of Change, our youth advocacy group

  - Welcomed 847 intergenerational volunteers, up by 48%

  - Hosted 5 intergenerational tea dances and 3 Parent and Carer events

  - Trained 23 individuals in Makaton, promoting communication inclusivity

-  We also launched our brand new Mobile Stage and interconnecting canopy, bringing a riot of colour and sensory exploration, delivering 26 workshops!

We’ve kept up the momentum in 2024 diving straight into ‘robot term’ – underpinning all our sessions with a STEM sub-theme linked to the curriculum and sustainable development goals.  We’ve  delivered 2 advocacy hijacks at Downing Street and the Cabinet Office – raising awareness of the issues faced by families of disabled children and training up staff in inclusive practice.

 This year is a huge milestone for us, OUR TENTH BIRTHDAY!

HOW WE HELP DISABLED CHILDREN AND FAMILIES 

We deliver ground-breaking inclusive programmes designed to support disabled children and their families through five core pillars:
1) inclusive dance classes
2) peer-to-peer support networking
3) intergenerational volunteering
4) youth-led advocacy
5) global outreach

These pillars unite creating support, systemic change and a fairer, more inclusive society.  

WHAT WE WANT TO DO

This year, we want to raise a minimum of £35,000 to reach 11,000 children in 2024 and shine a spotlight on the importance of creating opportunities for disabled children to move and make friends.

Funds raised will enable us to:

• DELIVER inclusive and immersive classes, workshops, a tour and a free, on-demand virtual class reaching a total of 11,000 children
• SUPPORT parents and carers through supportive and educational events 
• TRAIN others to share excellent practice
• ADVOCATE with powerful campaigns 

This could include:

• 20 ‘Performance Deconstructed’ Stage Shows

Magical touring workshops delivered from our enchanting mobile, pop-up stage which has moving props, fabrics, smells, sounds and costumes to nurture confidence, imagination and curiosity. With new themes centered around conservation and technology, help engage our participants in immersive experiences that align with the National Curriculum and global sustainability goals.

• Volunteering for all - uniting the generations and enabling disabled people to enjoy the wellbeing benefits of giving back

Our Award winning Volunteer programme sees 847 intergenerational volunteers contribute to our work.  We particularly encourage socially isolated, older and disabled volunteers to take part and we're committed to maintaining and growing this in 2024.

We also promote opportunities for generations to interact such as our unique tea dances which bring care home residents and younger Flamingo Chicks for carefree afternoons of dance, music and friendship.

• Brand new Olympics and Paralympics virtual class featuring cameos from athletes!

We want to launch an on-demand accessible 'active learning' dance class featuring Makaton, available for free. And, featuring athlete cameos! Great for schools or use at home.

• Training 

We want to better showcase our techniques and up skill more people on inclusive practice to create a ripple effect of opportunities for disabled children, across more of the UK.  Your support will enable us to develop our in-house training offer which includes Makaton training, inclusive dance practice and disability awareness.

We also have a great selection of rewards to thank donors for supporting including CELEBRITY DESIGNED TUTUS! There's amazing creations from Lorraine Kelly, Andy Day and Amy Dowden amongst others.

Check them out at: flamingochicks.org/tutus