FUNDED PROJECTS
As a charity we are dedicated to providing meaningful opportunities for children, young people and vulnerable adults to engage with and experience dance and movement based learning. Our work focuses on creating inclusion and equality for those with ill health, physical disability, SEN, financial hardship, or other disadvantages who are often disregarded or less well served by mainstream dance programmes.
CURRENT FUNDED PROJECTS
Please click on the image to be taken to the dedicated webpage for each of the projects
'BUILD A BRIDGE'
Developmental Dance Movement® sessions. held weekly (during term-time) for children aged 2 - 7 Years
'ACTION FOR AUTISM'
Autism Movement Therapy® classes. held weekly after school (during term-time) for young people aged 11 - 18 years
To illustrate the difference we make and the benefits of our sessions, please watch the clip below from our first
'Action for Autism' project. To find out more about this project, follow this link
'ARTISTES FOR AUTISM'
Providing a creative, performative opportunity for young people aged 11 - 18 years
PREVIOUS FUNDED PROJECTS
Below is a short summary of just some of our previously Funded projects
Thanks to a 4-year grant received from BBC Children in Need we were able to provide Developmental Dance Movement® programmes for various cohorts of children with complex needs and communication difficulties.
The classes were delivered to various organisations including:
- Kelvin Grove School - a primary school with a 24 place Resource Base provision for pupils with a diagnosis of Autism or similar social communication need based in Lewisham.
- Enhanced Children's Centre - a special unit for children aged 0-5 years old with special educational needs, complex medical needs and disabilities based in Wandsworth.
- West Hill Primary School - a small community school for children aged 3-11 years based in Wandsworth.
- Dysart School - a provision for pupils who have a range of severe and complex learning disabilities, based in Surbiton.
- Spa Camberwell School - a special school for Autistic children aged 4-16 years based in Southwark.
- Carters Sunflowers Specialist Nursery - an Early Years provision for Autistic children and children with Special Educational Needs or related conditions based in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.
- Ohana Centre - an inclusive nursery and early-intervention centre for autistic, mainstream and children with special needs based in Fulham, London SW10.
Please watch the short clip below, that was filmed during 2023 at two of the centres where we provided our programmes.
ACTION FOR EARLY YEARS -
LEYF NURSERIES
SUPPORTED BY PLAYERS OF:
FUNDED BY:
The scope of the project was to deliver Movement Therapy sessions by way of our flagship programme, Developmental Dance Movement® to 60 ethnically diverse young children aged 2 to 5 years of mixed abilities, weekly for 1 year at 2 x London Early Years Foundation CIC (LEYF) sites in 2 of the most deprived areas of London.
The target settings were sited in areas of high deprivation and the children attending represent a wide range of ethnicity and abilities. Coupled with the Early Years Funding Crisis, our sessions are a much needed resource to support the children’s wellbeing and development.
Overview of Project Outcomes
- With careful management of the funds we were able to reach 68 children in 4 of the LEYF nurseries
- All of the children taking part in the project showed increased confidence
In the opinion of the children’s Key Workers and other nursery staff directly involved in their care
- All of the children taking part in the project were flourishing as a direct result of the sessions
- The programme made an impactful contribution to the weekly timetable at the various settings
Based on the End of Project Evaluation and Feedback forms completed by the children’s Key Workers:
- All of the children showed improvement in their General Learning and Development
- All of the children showed improvement in their Physical abilities
- All of the children showed improvement in their Speech, Language and Communication
- All of the children showed improvement in the areas of Emotional, Behavioural and Wellbeing
Feedback from the children's Key Workers
“S shows greater understanding of her physical abilities through MovementWorks®. Her confidence has grown with communcation and socially. She is also showing greater interest in MovementWorks® by singing the songs in her time at Nursery”
“C is strenghtening his physical abilities as he brings what he has learned to the rest of the day”
“He is more able to self-regulate his behaviour – never destructive during MovementWorks® sessions”
“N has built on his confidence to take part in structured activities since starting the MovementWorks® programme. He is more likely to participate in activities that require him to focus then he was before and is becoming more social, he will communicate more with his teachers”
MOVEMENTWORKS ONLINE
SUPPORTED BY
The outbreak of COVID-19 had a serious impact on all of us; the way lived and worked, plus the ability for children and adults to stay healthy both physically and mentally.
To stay connected with and help us much as we could, we created MovementWorks Online, an innovative inclusive weekly programme of dance and movement classes to support children with and without Special Educational Needs. The offer also included sessions that supported vulnerable adults and the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of carers of children and adults across the country.
We broadcast our programme over Zoom and it was welcomed widely, proving an effective response to the circumstances. Being able to evidence the success of the classes, we secured funding from the Arts Council and the National Lottery and were able to provide more sessions and incorporate 'Feel Good Friday' where we engaged Guest Presenters to provide a varied fun programme. As the funding grew low, we secured a further grant from UK Youth, which enabled us to continue.
Please watch the short clip below which is a montage of just some of the sessions we provided between March 2020 and March 2022.
The legacy of this project is our MovementWorks On Demand Library
THE WILLIAM BRAKE FOUNDATION
Supported by the William Brake Foundation, MovementWorks are able to provide children from disadvantaged backgrounds an opportunity to participate in a specialist movement based learning programme within their community to support their development.
THE LONDON MAYOR AND SPORTS INCLUSION FUND
Supported by the London Mayor and the Sports Inclusion Fund MovementWorks were able to provide two groups of autistic children an opportunity to enjoy a weekly dance class along with their neurotypical siblings and peers in a local leisure facility.
THE CO-OP COMMUNITY FUND
Selected by the Co-op Community Fund and with the money raised by local Co-op shoppers, MovementWorks was able to provide a series of community workshops and dance programmes delivered in local nurseries and primary schools.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
We have been based in South East London since 2012. We work closely with the local community, outreach to other boroughs and present our work at National level.
Our approach is unique in a number of ways:
- our work is evidence based
- we provide inclusive dance programmes that focus on child development and individuals with special needs (including autism and related differences)
- our programmes increase whole-body learning experiences in a structured, socially interactive and enjoyable way
- we provide training courses and share best practice through community workshops aimed at educators, parents and carers.
Our objects are for the public benefit, the advancement of education and the arts and the relief of those in need, by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage. For more information about the classes and sessions we provide please visit our School Projects and Community Classes pages.
To help us raise the vital funds that we need in order to keep providing our classes to the community and schools, we have teamed up with Give as you Live, and there are a number of ways you can help us by making a donation, enrolling with the online shopping scheme or by contacting us with your fundraising ideas; the links are below and to the top of this page on the right.
You can support us by making a donation so we can continue to provide our services to those who need them.
Give as you Live Online is the free and easy way to raise free funds for us simply by shopping online. Register by clicking on the button below and start supporting us now.
You can also support us by fundraising, please get in touch so we can work with you on this.
MovementWorks is a registered Charity.
Contact us about fundraising initiatives and partnerships.
