Interest Based Sessions: Dance sessions, Dance Performance, Mindfulness Sessions, Individual Sessions
Capacity Building Social and Community Participation ProgramLeap into Dance
Leap into Dance is a capacity building program that develops and increases social and community participation skills for participants that have a risk of social isolation due to their poor social skills. We do this through interest-based mediums of dance sessions, dance performance and mindfulness sessions. Our program builds the participants’ social skills and independence to interact with their peers to form meaningful relationships within their community.
Our program has been developed with capacity building at the forefront with ongoing consultation from an NDIS registered Occupational Therapist. It is aligned with the recommendations made by the NDIS Research and Evaluation Branch in May 2022 about “Interventions to improve social, community & civic participation of adults on the Autism Spectrum or living with Intellectual or Psychosocial Disability”.
We develop social participation through:
- Developing individual interests to further capacity to engage with peers
- Skilled and qualified teachers
- Development of resources to develop social connection such as: visual stories, visual schedules, other visual tools, positive reinforcement systems, conversation cards and prompts to aid interaction
- Monitoring of participation in the group and documenting the progress
- Evolving strategies to further develop connection – including discussion with consulting Occupational Therapist Lee Frances
- Adapting of the program structure to suit the participants interests and development
- Community engagement opportunities through performances
- Increasing confidence to interact with peers
- Development in skills to stay focused and participate in a group
- Building of self-regulation to safely interact with peers
- Reducing anxiety and stress around peer interactions and in social events
- Upskilling support workers to provide consistent support and engagement for the participant to engage in social connection
- Being a part of multi-component intervention (eg. with psychologists or speech pathologists) by providing participation focused support and opportunities
Who is our Program for:
Participants range in age from 5yo to adults who, due to their impairment, require our program to develop their skills and social participation. They include people with:
- Intellectual Disability
- Autism Spectrum Disorder & ADHD
- Down Syndrome
- Cerebral Palsy
- Learning Support Needs
- Behaviour Concerns
- Vision Impairment
Interest Based Learning
Classes are devised by age and support needs. All classes maintain the ratio of 1:3 with no more than 8 participants per group. During the enrolment intake we will discuss which class is most appropriate to trial. Find out below what our interest groups are.
Leap into Dance provides its social and community participation program through the interest-based mediums of dance sessions, dance performance and mindfulness sessions. The participants are involved in choosing music, themes, dance styles and props.
Using an interest-based model improves the chances of success for the participant as they are more likely to engage consistently with the service, over a longer period of time. By participating in a common activity over a longer period of time, the participants can create meaningful relationships.
Examples of Interest-Based Learning:
- Dance sessions: Weekly sessions during school terms of 45 minutes to an hour with the same group of participants each week who share similar interests (e.g similar taste in music, individual preferences) and ages. The ratio of staff to participants is generally 1:3 with a maximum of 1:4. Consistent group of participants allows the participants to develop meaningful relationships, at a pace that is appropriate to their social skills.
- Dance Performances: Community based social opportunities with a strong focus on creating accessible opportunities in mainstream environments, so the participants can have meaningful interactions with mainstream peers at events within their communities e.g Festivals, expos, theatres.
- Mindfulness sessions: Weekly sessions specifically designed to build the participants capacity for independent social interactions through reducing anxiety and reducing stress surrounding peer interactions.
- Individual sessions: Building capacity to engage with peers, where intensive support is required before participating with peers
Progress Tracked and Charted
Progress Tracked and Charted:
Leap into Dance provides an update on progress via progress notes each term, with direct relation to the participants’ NDIS goal.
The progress notes cover:
- The Participants NDIS Goal
- How this goal is being achieved e.g through interest based weekly sessions
- Service Period e.g term dates
- Achievements during this service period
- Barriers during this service period
- Reasonable and Necessary use of NDIS funding to support this goal: Risks assessed that without the support of Lid sessions the participant is at an increased risk of social isolation due to poor social skills
- Value for money: As this participant requires ongoing intensive support to achieve their social and community participation goals, attending a weekly dance session for 40x weeks per year is cheaper than attending 1:1 sessions weekly with an Occupational Therapist and therefore value for money from the NDIS
Leap into Dance can provide written letters of support (reports) as requested which follow the outline of points in Section 34 of the NDIS Act 2013.
Lee Frances - How does it work? Our Consulting Occupational Therapist
Lee Frances is a NDIS registered Senior Occupational Therapist and is the Leap into Dance consultant who provides training and mentoring for the benefit of the program.
By enrolling in the program, the participant may be discussed privately with Lee Frances so that the teachers and support staff can provide appropriate strategies for success. Lee Frances attends Leap into Dance classes once per term with the participants being notified prior to which class it will be. It is highly recommended to attend these classes for Lee to see the participant within the group setting. Because we believe Lee’s input is so helpful to the program, Lee’s fees for her attendance and discussion with staff are included within the existing term fees.
Lee is available to attend the 2 bi-annual progress meetings and this is highly recommended particularly when the participant is new to the program or if there are any changes in their support needs. There may also be situations where we request for Lee to attend a class or provide one-to-one consultation in addition to her normal attendance. Where necessary, Lee is also able to produce an Occupational Therapy report to support the dance program for NDIS re-assessments. Costings of reports, additional consultations or meetings are charged as per Lee Frances’ fee and invoiced separately.
Lee’s history of the creation of the program can be found on our website.
SUPPORT IN DANCE CLASSESParent and Support Worker Participation
In every class parent/support worker participation may depend on students’ goals, individual preferences or behaviours.
Kids and Teen classes – independency is encouraged where appropriate.
Kids Plus class – is kids plus parent/caregiver/support worker who stay and assist their child in the studio space while the class is on.
Adults class – a number of Support Workers help our adult participant to access the class, they too are invited to participate if the participant would like. It this class we avoid having parents/Support Workers watch as this causes some students to be uncomfortable.
We will provide a Support Worker In Studio Guide to each new support worker when they join us for the first time.
Our parents and carers have just as much fun as our participants and we appreciate their support. Many say it is a great way to get some exercise into their week!
Additional Program Features
Leap into Dance offers additional opportunities in our social and community participation program such as:
- Holiday programs. A great chance to meet participants from other classes
- Progress Review Meetings bi-yearly
