Nulsen Haven’s Mobile Education Unit travels throughout Western Australia delivering tailored programs to students, raising awareness and educating people on issues surrounding disability and acquired brain injury (ABI). This week the bus was parked at Hale School. The bus provides computer scenarios as well as practical activities which the students participate in. Hale students had the privilege of being taught by educators from Nulsen Haven, Paul Harrison and Dianne Cockman, who are passionate about spreading the word of the bus. Paul said, “Our ambition is to create a fully integrated programme that fits into the schools current curriculum. We not only want to teach the students values, tolerance and acceptance but we want to encourage them into taking action. ”
The students participated in 4 activities outside the bus:
1. Using a mirror to try and fill in a maze sheet. This simulates ABI and shows how difficult it is having their hand/eye co-ordination back to front.
2. Doing an alphabet puzzle with eye patches on.
3. Giving directions to another student on how to do a simple line / circle pattern. This activity is based on giving precise directions simulating how difficult it is giving directions to someone with an intellectual disability.
4. Drawing a picture using feet imitating how difficult it is to not having normal function of all limbs.
The Hale Nulsen Haven Youth Patrons, who are in Year 11, completed all of these activities and were surprised at the different level of skills each had. One of the boys commented,”It would be terrible to live like this all the time. We have to try and be more tolerant.”
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The Year 11 Nulsen Haven Youth Patrons outside
the Mobile Education Unit |
The boys being educated inside the bus |
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Fraser Hall drawing with his feet |
Lucas Ntoumenopoulos does a puzzle
whilst blindfolded |
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Fraser Hall tries to do the mirror puzzle |