Here, support worker Russell Clark reflects on his experiences enjoying stories from the Books Beyond Words series with verbal and non-verbal people.
I first discovered Beyond Words in my work as an Interaction Practitioner with Us in a Bus. We used A Day at the Beach with a non-verbal client. The book was useful in terms of having a subjective resource which depicted social situations. The books my colleague went on to choose in further sessions were very open-ended, rather than about specific social situations. They were A Balloon Adventure and A Night in Space.
What I appreciated particularly, was how they seemed, through the simple illustrations and absence of words, innately designed to be open to interpretation. They also invited a response that wasn’t necessarily verbal. With the non-verbal clients we tried them with, they seemed to inspire a look of interest and some vocalisations that seemed reflective or thoughtful. With verbal clients, they responded similarly, and added verbal observations about what they saw. This helped to start a conversation about something they could relate to and/or comment on and be involved in a social interaction, without it being directly about them personally, which could sometimes be overwhelming.
When I met Nigel and saw him confidently facilitate an online Beyond Words book group, it was clear what a positive impact it had had on his life and the other people attending. There was a tangible feeling of openness, friendship and heartfelt support. Although there were people attending in a professional capacity (myself included), there seemed no need to enforce that boundary, and it was never implied at any point. It felt like everyone was there because they wanted to be, enjoying the experience of sharing their thoughts and feelings, and listening to others. Where people seemed to need emotional support or gentle guidance, they were ably given it and seemed to receive it gratefully. All participants were invited to support each other, and frequently did. The permissive space that the group provided supported everyone present to reach out to others, and the kindness and gentle support demonstrated by the facilitators seemed to both reflect and be engendered by the books we read together.
It seems to me that Beyond Words is very much at the forefront of a cultural shift in the growing autonomy of differently abled people, and society’s view of their potentiality.