Testimonials

  • “As a practitioner, along with the families I work with, we believe our young people are capable of learning. What they need is, despite their complex needs, the respect that someone [a provision] recognises this. Pelican is brilliant at linking families with their community. But it goes beyond that. The nature of the program provides a platform for young people to communicate. It gives them the motivation to communicate and the community to communicate with. For young people, particularly those with severe learning disabilities and complex needs, maintaining the ability to communicate by being given the space to, for example, choose art materials, can mean they are learning and maintaining the ability to make choices across their life. The fact that their choices contribute to a wider community is game-changing for their families, many of whom feel rejected. So much of learning is communication. If we want our young people to communicate, we need to give them something to communicate about! Pelican members get this in abundance.”

    — Emma, Transition Lead Teacher, Ellen Tinkham School

  • “L uses Oxygen to breathe and has hundreds of seizures a day. We have hundreds of hospital visits. Even though L is non-verbal and can get lost in a busy room, we know he experiences a full range of emotions. His expressions tell us that he is happiest in a room full of his friends. L's failed transition from school was devastating for us. Because of his medical needs, he was rejected from local places and we all became isolated. We provide his 24 hour care at home which is exhausting. But we’re not cut-off anymore. L is in the middle of the Pelican family. Me and his carers can work on the projects as well.”

    — Denise, Parent

  • “Being able to access Pelican art sessions alongside the young person I support is great because we share some similar interests. When we both started working together it really helped us get to know each other and develop our relationship going each week. I think it is good for the young people to be able to access sessions which really allow carers to get stuck in too, especially if they are both trying something out for the first time. This way it feels like we go and experience something together and can offer some support when it's needed, rather than always ‘looking after’. This dynamic can be tricky and I think Pelican really helps with this.”

    — Zoe, Enabler

  • “E has thrived in his mainstream education settings, despite his profound physical disability. But it hasn’t always been easy to maintain this and there have been several times in the past few years when E has had to have time out of school, or school have been unable to support his complex needs. It is a comfort to all of us that we know Pelican is there in these times. We are also approaching the end of his time at school. This is quite terrifying but E being a member of Pelican is reassuring”

    - Karli, Enabler

  • “It [Pelican] has provided him with meaningful activities to base his day around. As a profoundly disabled young man, it is very hard for him to access normal community activities and it would be difficult for him to fill his day with things other than watching television. The Pelican Project means he gets out of the house and meets others. This means that we have a better relationship at home because he has time to do other things. The Pelican Project also gives me as his mum the opportunity to meet other parents of severely disabled young adults and provides a wider support network for the family.”

    — Kathryn, Parent

  • “TPP was a light in the dark when my son was left without any provision upon leaving college. We faced empty days, socially isolated and left to fend for ourselves. Pelican not only offers great innovative activities during the sessions, but it also offers a structure you can "hang your week on". Around a session, we frequently bump into other Pelicans out and about in Exeter. There are also informal meetings ups at cafes and bars, trampolining outings or walks and fish and chips. The official sessions are just the start that opens the door to other links.”

    — Alison, Parent

  • “Pelican stands out from other learning-disabled groups because it pushes the envelope and helps me be confident. I don’t like to be in big groups with other disabled people all the time and at Pelican it doesn’t feel like that”

    Izzy, Pelican Member