Gig Buddies with Thera Trust supports people with a learning disabilities and autism to live an active social life.
Joseph is a Gig Buddies with Thera Trust member and works as an Accessibility Coach with the Gig Buddies team. He described the impact the training hopes to have.
Prior to joining Gig Buddies Joseph spent a lot of time in his flat not interacting with people as much. Whereas now he regularly attends gigs with friends and/or his Gig Buddies volunteer, recently attending the Matilda show.
Throughout the accessibility training Joseph and the Gig Buddies team talk about the history and issues affecting people with a learning disabilities in Scotland and why the work they do is helping to change that.
By providing this accessibility training they are helping to educate people who otherwise might not be aware of these issues and helping them to understand how some changes that on the face of it might seem rather small could massively change someone’s experience at gigs and out in the world for the better.
The Gig Buddies team have now trained over 300 people in Learning Disability and Autism awareness including teams from The Edinburgh Fringe Society, The Edinburgh International Festival, Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland, and DF Concerts.
Some feedback from the accessibility training included:
