World Sight Day: Research Partnership with RSBC and The Amber Trust
In partnership with the Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) and The Amber Trust, Percussion Play has chosen World Sight Day to release new research exploring how play areas can be more accessible for the blind and partially sighted community.
As part of the project, two focus groups were held at the RSBC’s Life Without Limits Centre, where Percussion Play’s instruments were demonstrated. Feedback examined the accessibility of these instruments for blind and partially sighted users.
This research informed our new White Paper, "Sounds of Progress: Putting Music to Work for Blind, Low Vision, Partially Sighted and Visually Impaired People" which explores the ways in which music might be mobilized to create more inclusive environments.
The Amber Trust is the only national charity dedicated to supporting vision-impaired children with their musical development and education. It was founded in 1995 to provide blind and partially sighted children, including those with additional disabilities, with the best possible chance to fulfill their musical needs and aspirations.
The Royal Society for Blind Children supports blind and partially sighted children, as well as young people and their families. Established in 1838, it is the only national charity in England and Wales that exclusively focuses on children and young people with vision impairment.
Sophie Amstell, CEO of The Amber Trust, says that ‘early childhood musical play is paramount, acting as the foundation for what may become a lifelong engagement with music. Percussion Play has been exemplary in its commitment to creating outdoor instruments that are fully inclusive for all children.
‘The steps they have taken to achieve this goal should be common practice, not the exception. We welcome the Sounds of Progress paper and hope it will shed light on the value of music for blind and partially sighted children, the importance of working in partnership as organizations, as well as with the young people such projects aim to support.’
Julie Davis, CEO of The Royal Society for Blind Children, says, "Working with organizations like Amber Trust helps our families understand how music can be incredibly fulfilling for their blind or partially sighted child. Working with Percussion Play demonstrates to us that there are businesses out there that wholeheartedly embrace the principles of inclusivity and accessibility so that every child can enjoy music."
Read more about this story on The Amber Trust website
Listen below to a special episode of our podcast, Making Music Accessible for the Visually Impaired, with the RSBC, discussing the Sounds of Progress paper and its findings.
