Breaking Down Communication Barriers

Breaking down communication barriers

Jenny is mainly non-verbal, she can say very few words and relies on body language and Makaton to communicate. She was a part of Starstruck Theatre Company for many years and has joined the newly formed Spotlights. Spotlights use a range of inclusive technology such as speech recording buttons, where you can pre-record a word or sentence and even some song lyrics.

Jenny can choose which feeling, greeting or sentence she would like to say, which has been revolutionary in getting her involved in the singing and acting sessions.

Nikki Rutter, who leads the Spotlights group said:

“The most lovely thing is that other people in the group are so encouraging and thrilled when Jenny is performing. Jenny is gaining so much from Spotlights, being treated the same as her peers and having the same opportunities as them.”

Colleagues at Nexus have enabled Jenny to have a voice, giving Jenny power and autonomy over what she wants to say. She is involved in a range of performces now, including a five-person performance of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ but it has not stopped there.

Now they are working on Jenny’s timings to bring her out of the background as supporting singer to become a frontline actress and singer. They are planning a new piece, where Jenny has some lines to explore using different tools and apps on the iPad.

Remember, you can keep up to date with all of our stories on social media: