Everybody at The Dispensary has worked hard to make sure a new person supported at the service feels right at home – by learning Makaton.
When they discovered that their new housemate Rayth used Makaton to communicate, people supported at The Dispensary and colleagues got busy learning.
Makaton is a language programme that uses a combination of symbols, signs and speech to help people express themselves.
So, after the staff attended a Makaton training session to better support Rayth, they decided to get everybody involved in learning more.
Service Manager Chloe Parker said: “It’s been brilliant to learn Makaton and discover a whole new way to communicate.
“It’s so clever and a fantastic way to support people who find it challenging to express themselves.
“We decided to share what we’d learned at The Dispensary by doing a ‘Sign of the Week’ to get familiar with as much Makaton as possible.
“It’s been wonderful to see the people we support embrace Makaton, and it’s a whole new way for us to connect with each other.”
Makaton has been transformative in the lives of people who have no speech, use limited speech or find it difficult to be understood.
By using signs and symbols to communicate their needs, alongside spoken word if possible, people can overcome barriers and reduce the frustration of not being understood.
Chloe added: “Learning Makaton has helped us make The Dispensary as inclusive as possible for Rayth and boosted others with a new skill.
“We’re delighted to have introduced Makaton into the service and to use it regularly so Rayth can feel supported and included in his new home.