Out of the mouths of Young people - enabling disability conversations organically

People who know me always see me walking around, not with a handbag but with some cartoon like Backpack.

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The one I have had and do a lot of my Stem/Steam intervention with is toothless the dragon.

For years people just accepted that I do not like bags, but these Back packs express how I feel and are also in essence great tools for explaining Disability or as I love to call them Differing abilities.

·???????The Dragon outlines

how through technology he grew confidence and flew again with his aids and prosthetic.

·???????Eeyore as it outlines

that people are not always happy, and have challenges but from the help of there friends can live a happy and full life.

·???????Unicorn – represents

dreams and fantasy, and that just because they are rare makes them even more precious

·???????Donkey from Shrek –

as just because someone is happy and jokey on the outside does not mean they are happy with their lives and use comedy to cover up their pain and loneliness.

·???????Simba – from the lion

king outlines grief and overcoming adversity in your childhood, and working with great people to build yourself up into an amazing leader

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I love kids because out of their honesty before the pressures of society try and change, they’re outlooks, they are honest and inquisative and that is also alright.

One of the kids said earlier today, “Miss” why do you carry all your stuff in a toy.

I asked them if they knew the name of the Dragon on my back, and many did from the “How to train your dragon”

I then went on to discuss what was different in toothless to other Dragons in the show, and do you know many did not see the Disability, leading to a further discussion.

?Toothless originally possesses two sets of wings (one main pair and one smaller pair near the base of his tail). The first pair allows him to do a vertical take-off. Behind that is a set of smaller wings that aid in his gliding.

?At the end of his tail, he used to have two natural tail fins that aided in steering and stability, but he is missing the left side of his tail fin, which he lost when Hiccup listened to those above him his peers who said the Dragon was dangerous and took Toothless down with his weapon, and injured the poor dragon

His injury is later replaced by a?mechanical fin?that Hiccup constructs himself as he has done with many of his own prosthetics.

As such, toothless is often seen donning the fin and its complementing saddle for Hiccup to ride him, and both gain there freedom again.

This is where I explain to the young people that technology can give people and animals their lives and freedom back if utilised correctly and allowed Toothless to look normal so in his own head he could gain the confidence to fly again.

Hiccup plays the son of the Viking Chief in the animation and is also not adverse to disability who again is seen as the weak son due to his difference, even though the chief and father loves him more than life.

Hiccup grow through this support given to enable him to fly again and be Toothless' rider and best friend.

Their mutual prosthetics connect them like no other.

Toothless is playful and intelligent with a puppy-like energy. When flying through the dark, he shoots purple flames called plasma blasts in all directions, which bounce off nearby surfaces to give him an accurate reading of his surroundings, as he is also partially sighted and rely ’s on Sonar to detect distance.

Playful, inquisitive, and intelligent, Toothless is more Hiccup's best friend than his pet. He is extremely protective of his Viking soul mate and will stop at nothing to guard him from all harm.

A dry sense of humour, resilience, big heart, and a winning smile make Toothless and Hiccup mirror images of each other as they grow in confidence, and they are rarely out of each other's company.

Toothless didn't just become Hiccups friend. He became the friend who gave him Purpose and Hope

This year whilst down in Cardiff me and Grace who works with me stopped in the "buy a bear shop" as they were celebrating their 25 years, and Toothless was looking at me all deflated as he had no stuffing or heart and is one of the anniversary bears, and they have given him a platinum fin and feet to match the Queens Platinum Jubilee.

So we rebuilt him and gave him a voice and heart beat just like we try to do as part of the foundation with our clientele.

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He will now be used in my further interactions to show people it is ok to be Unique, it makes you individual.

In society people are put under extreme peer pressure both internally and externally whether in schools or society to conform to the Norm.

Who are they to say what is right from wrong? We will use these tools to show people it is ok to be different, and your individuality and different makes you special.

Stick true to your aims and ambitions in life and work hard and everything will be ok.

When I look at some of the knowledge we share I am always drawn back to an inspirational character in Wales called Mark Williams the founder of limb art, he is the Hiccup in real life he took his difference and added a bit of pizzazz from knowledge learnt and the struggles he had been through to help individuals be more confident with their new abilities and life.

He allows people to embrace their superpower and difference to create a showpiece to embrace their lives, and give them the confidence to fly.

The one thing I hope you take from this blog, is it is ok to be different, and what's your NORM isn't another's, so please show people a little respect and kindness in this life as there is enough bad stuff going on and outward pressures to put people on edge.

Don't HIDE utilise it as above to have a discussion were people can share and feel included, as above, say HI, don't panic, ask your questions if you want to learn about someone, and potentially there conditions, as they will probably be happier to share it with you.

Don't feel awkward they do not expect you to know every condition in life, but the more we end the awkward the more people will feel confident in themselves and more included in there Communities.

Most importantly allow children to be inquisitive and playful, as this is their time, it is hard enough being an adult when you reach an age, and don't allow peer pressure to force societies issues on them too soon.