Staying Connected

 

At PHAME our #1 priority is to keep everyone safe and healthy during these unusual times. That’s why we’ve canceled our upcoming term of in-person classes, and why our core staff has been working from home since March 16.

However, another major priority at PHAME is to combat the isolation that social distancing causes for many of our students. Everyone is feeling it right now: the boredom, the frustration of cancelled activities, the lack of social connection. For many people with developmental disabilities, isolation is already a major struggle, and the social limitations of our current crisis intensify this issue. Meanwhile, the results of a recent PHAME survey confirm that—according to our students and stakeholders—the most important part of our program is the community our students create and enjoy while taking PHAME classes.

Our goal over the next several weeks is to put programming in place that will reestablish the connections our students expect from PHAME—while we all stay safe at home. We’re excited to share that starting this week, PHAME will begin several initiatives to connect students with each other, with PHAME staff, and with artistic opportunities. These initiatives include:

  • Launching a nine-week term of 12-15 online classes taught by our current teaching artists and offered to students at reduced tuition. Classes will be taught via Zoom, an online meeting software program. Proposed classes currently include PHAME favorites such as Circus Arts, Yoga, Choir, and Musical Theatre, as well as brand new classes like Comedy 101.

  • Two to four video mini-class sessions published to our new E-Learning YouTube channel each week. These mini-class sessions will be free and open to anyone. We know this content will be valuable beyond the immediate PHAME community, so we’ll be reaching out to other organizations that serve people with I/DD to share this content. Video mini-classes will cover a range of topics including drumming basics, dance in small spaces, singing, and more.

  • Opportunities for students to socialize and hang out online, using Zoom.

  • Regular phone check-ins with students who have limited technology. We know that technology is a barrier for many of our students, but hope that maintaining communication will help them feel connected.

Over the next two weeks, PHAME staff will be creating opportunities for students to practice using Zoom, and to connect with each other and our staff online. We’ll start registration for new classes next week, and will begin our term of online classes on Tuesday, April 7.

Please do reach out to our team if you have questions about any of these initiatives. We’re here, just working from home, and would love to connect with you.

And thank you for being a part of the PHAME community. PHAME wouldn’t be what it is without you.

 
Anya Roberts