Communication Nation 3
- 10 minutes ago
- 2 min read
My name is Thamanna and I am
a newly qualified speech and language therapist who is volunteering
with Total Communication
and Rochdale People First.
I have a strong passion to advocate for Adults with Learning Disabilities
and support their lifestyle.
Learning, Leading and Signing
Today at my Total Communication volunteering session with Bury People First, our group continued planning for our upcoming event, Communication Nation- a celebration of communication, independence and self‑advocacy. The event will raise both funds and awareness, and what I love most is that it’s being shaped with our self‑advocates at every step. Their voices, choices and ideas are at the centre of everything.
Learning Signalong through music
One of the highlights of the session was learning a new song: “Fight for Your Right” by the Beastie Boys, taught using Signalong. To help everyone learn the keywords, each person was given a picture representing one of the signs e.g. boys, fight, right, homework, hair, cut. The visuals made the learning accessible and fun, and they gave everyone something concrete to focus on.
We made sure to give each group member enough time to: look at their picture, process what the sign meant, watch the sign being modelled, practise it at their own pace
Repeating the sign around the room ensured everyone had a clear view, which is especially important for people who rely on visual cues. The atmosphere was relaxed, supportive and full of laughter-exactly what communication learning should feel like.
Turn-taking and interaction skills
A big part of the session involved turn-taking, waiting for the person before you to finish their sign before moving on. It sounds simple, but it’s a powerful communication skill. Turn-taking helps build attention, social awareness, respect for others’ communication space, and confidence in expressive communication.
Planning Communication Nation
We also spent time planning the event itself. What I loved most was seeing how much independence and autonomy the service users were given. They chose which activities they wanted to lead, discussed what resources they already had, and identified what needed to be bought. Some even started thinking about transport planning, which is a huge step in self‑advocacy and confidence-building.
This wasn’t just an event-planning meeting - it was
a space where people could practise:
decision-making, organisation skills, problem-solving,
and working collaboratively.
It was empowering to see everyone take ownership of their roles.
Tickets are now available for this fantastic annual event via Skiddle, just follow the link below:
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