Wirral Local Authority commissioned ‘Alison John & Associates’ to deliver training, as part of Disabled Children’s Access to Childcare (DCATCH) project. Out of School settings in Wirral were invited to apply for DCATCH funding. The funding was available to support inclusive practice within out of school clubs. Alongside a grant to purchase resources, Out of School Clubs taking part in the project were invited to attend Inclusive Practice Training. Prior to training taking place Ally was keen to meet up to discuss our requirements and gave suggestions for the content of the training. As well as Inclusive Practice, Ally delivered Play2gether training.

Ally is a highly skilled and experienced trainer; her training is unique and truly inspirational!

Here are some comments from recent training:

• The training was excellent and gave plenty of food for thought about the terminology we use when talking about children with impairments. Even though I had already attended the training some years ago it was good to refocus and reassess my own ideas and perceptions around what inclusion really is about.
• I absolutely loved the training it was inspirational and good fun!  The feedback from my settings that attended was that they enjoyed the session and was going to take her ethos and ideas back into their settings.  They enjoyed the session and one setting would have quite happily stayed all day to gain more knowledge from her!!!!
• It was the most enjoyable training I have ever been on, Ally is inspirational and she really makes you think about your own attitude towards inclusive practice and what it means to those who feel excluded.

If you really want to experience training like you have never experienced before, I would not hesitate to recommend ‘Alison John & Associates’
Thanks!

Sarah Robertson, Training & Recruitment Co-ordinator, Wirral Local Authority

I have known Alison for approximately five years. She has delivered a number inclusive play and disability equality training sessions in Bristol both through 'Alison John and As-sociates' and in her role as an associate trainer with Kids. This has included:

• 'Everyone Can Play' - a course, accredited with Skills Active, designed to introduce participants to inclusive play principles and practice
  
• 'Lets All Play outdoors' - an introduction to inclusive play outdoors
  
• Anti discriminatory practice in play.
  

Alison has also run workshops at Youth and Play service conferences.

Alison's extensive knowledge and understanding of equalities, inclusion, policy and legislation, early years, play and youth work is demonstrated throughout the delivery of her training.

Playworkers can often lack confidence about delivering inclusive play for all children. Alison uses a lively, playful and engaging style to challenge participants attitudes and assumptions in a positive way and non-threatening way, enabling them to reflect on their practice and think pro actively about how they can work to overcome barriers to inclusion.

Wendy Sharp, Inclusive Play Coordinator, Bristol City Council

This is to confirm that Alison John has provided training for Gloucestershire County Council’s Children and Young People’s Directorate over the life of the Transforming Short Breaks Pathfinder Project as part of the Aiming High for Disabled Children programme.

Alison has contributed to devising our inclusion training programme for mainstream out of school activity providers and has co-delivered the introductory session of this course on several occasions. She is a skilled and highly engaging trainer who has received consistently glowing feedback from participants in post-course evaluations. She has a wide range of professional experience around inclusion, together with a lived personal experience of what it feels like to be included and excluded. She has the rare ability to bring her personal experience to those she trains, without being limited in her perception of the wider issues by those particular experiences of her own.

Ally’s style is highly participative and great fun. She creates a safe atmosphere and is not afraid to challenge when challenge is needed. She plans her sessions with great thought and care but is flexible enough to amend her delivery as the needs of the group unfold. I cannot recommend her to you too highly.

Philip Douch, Commissioning Manager, Short Breaks & Out of School Inclusion

It is with great pleasure that I write this reference for Alison John. I can highly recommend her as a truly inspirational trainer.

Alison has been associated with Tameside Early Years Quality Team as an independent trainer for the past five years. Initially, she was invited by the Quality Team leader to provide Disability Equality Training to our whole team which includes Early Years Foundation Stage Consultants, Early Years and Childcare Officers and Area Special Educational Needs Coordinators. The same training has since been delivered to early years practitioners working throughout Tameside in the private, voluntary and independent sector and local authority schools including childminders and out of school clubs.

Alison is highly regarded by all members of our team. Her ‘Challenging Disablism’ training is now an integral part of our core SENCO training for the private sector and a pre-requisite to accessing ‘Leading on Inclusion’ training for Foundation Stage Coordinators in schools.  

The quality of Alison’s training is always of the highest standard. She is professional in all her dealings with everyone she meets and is able to adapt her training to suit the particular audience. Course objectives are clear and always fully met. Her presentation style is relaxed and informal with a good mix of small group discussions and tasks. Evaluations from delegates are always positive and complimentary. Here are some comments from recent training: 

• “Thought provoking and inspiring”;
• “Super”;
• “An excellent, enjoyable, insightful, thought provoking course that has made me want to change the world ”;
• “Outstanding -/has made a lasting impression-looking forward to disseminating all that I have learned. This course has made me think!”  and
• “This is a course that everyone should attend”

I always look forward to welcoming Alison back to Tameside and hope to continue our long and happy association with her.

Elaine J Dunkerley, Early Years Foundation Stage Consultant/ Area SENCO Team Leader
Tameside Early Years Quality Team