Doing our Best for the Beaver Scout Disability Badge!

Tracey and some of 1st Oulton Scout Group

On Friday 28 th February, our branch chair Tracey attended a Beaver Scout meeting in Oulton, near stone. The Beaver Scouts (6-8yrs old) were hoping to earn their Disability badge, and needed to understand how some disabilities are invisible.

Tracey talked to them about how important it is to start conversations with people, to understand different behaviours and different communication styles. They discussed the difference between being an eyewitness to a bank robbery, and a detective trying to find a motive.

The examples of X-boxes and Play Stations were used to talk about different operating systems and how people can be ‘wired’ differently. The Beavers learned about brains and how different they can be, even though they might look very similar from the outside. Importantly Tracey talked to them about how Autistic brains are different but just as good as neurotypical brains. The group got to see pictures of lots of autistic athletes, TV stars, scientists and engineers to understand that with the right support, autistic people can achieve anything.

The most important thing the group learned was about not judging people from their appearance; about the importance of talking to people, getting to know someone, starting a conversation. Being an eyewitness is great for describing someone to the police, but to understand a person, we need to take a bit of time, have patience and understanding, get to know them.

Tracey then helped the Beaver Scouts enjoy a range of sensory toys and understand how they might provoke different reactions in different people.

It was also lovely to witness several investitures that night and to watch the children enjoy each other’s company. They were a lively, curious and lovely bunch of beaver scouts and it was a pleasure to talk to them about Autism and invisible disabilities.

We hope they all get their badges soon!

Picture reproduced with necessary permissions granted.