Gaming Team for Learning Disabilities

[MrHappy]

Hi everybody. Just to gather opinion more than anything.

Efforts are going on at the moment for a gaming community and gaming team that can be inclusive of everybody but also geared toward people with learning disabilities, mental illness or general states of poor mental health.

The idea is that anybody can be welcome as long as they can appreciate that it does not need toxicity, it needs supportive team work and friendliness.

Just really looking for opinions and thoughts that can be worked upon as to this is a generally good idea even if not for yourself but just a healthy and fun idea all round.

Safeguarding for people with lower abilities will be available and also sign-posting to important health services as well.

UK based at the moment.

Thanks for any ideas or thoughts that you might have.

[MrHappy]

Thanks everybody for the replies. Lots to consider so I will try to keep it brief.

You can be arrested for any discrimination toward anybody whether that it to do with race or gender or mental ability. Thinking somebody a troll for trying to invent a gaming channel when you have trolled this entire post seems a tad ridiculous.

Thanks for the top group recommend above

I don't see how this is taking advantage of people in any way. If you have a good read of my replies you will see that we already provide safe spaces and social experience for people who have to live inside the care system because of various conditions or disorders that they have. It's what we do on a weekly basis and this idea is really just to extend that onto the internet and if that can be done safely.

Is it a better idea then to give up helping people altogether? Or perhaps create a community only for fully functioning people?

Thanks all for your replies. I do have the answers I was looking for and that seems to be a total inability to even treat the organisers nicely and so we can safely assume that there is no way at all you would treat our team members nicely or be supportive of them.

Thanks Bee and OrLok, great discussion.

We had an idea to include everybody no matter who they are and it has been shown that it isn't worthwhile and gamers in general ill be largely unaccepting of it.

That's what I needed to know. Thanks and have a great weekend.

[Maniac shooter]

Originally posted by -=ERG=- Cute Code Bob:

Originally posted by -OrLoK- Слава Україн:

Be wary of trolls both obvious and subtle if its open to the general public.

Ultimately discrimination is a crime in the UK so it's already decided that bad behaviour that is consistent from Trolls - Well let's just say we're going to have no problem having them arrested if it means examples can be set and people take it seriously.

lol you're going to call the police on someone because they called someone a ret**d?

[MrHappy]

Originally posted by HUNTER:

Originally posted by -=ERG=- Cute Code Bob:

Ultimately discrimination is a crime in the UK so it's already decided that bad behaviour that is consistent from Trolls - Well let's just say we're going to have no problem having them arrested if it means examples can be set and people take it seriously.

lol you're going to call the police on someone because they called someone a ret**d?

You're a bit late, the conversation ended. It has ended and it's proven that gamers won't look after other gamers who have less capability. Moderators should feel free to lock the thread. But whilst I am here. beginning a sentence with lol doesn't really disarm people and put you on the upper level. Have a great end to the week bro.

[-OrLoK- Слава Україн]

I feel I have to point out claiming "woke culture" really won't go down well with most agencies that deal in areas like this and may in and of itself be seen as a red flag.

I have some experience in working with neuro divergent folk and associated charities and organisations and they'd all describe themselves as very "woke" indeed, if they had to use the term which to be fair is mostly used in a derogatory way by those who generally don't have others best interests in mind.

[SLG]

Originally posted by ⛧CyberDemonEmpress⛧:

Originally posted by SLGray:

You can be arrested and charged with hate crimes.


Hate crimes do cover people with disabilities.

No. No you can't, or I'd be in prison now for making fun of people like you and OP... Though to be fair he seems more like a troll, while you seem to actually be ignorant.

Do you even know what a hate crime is?

[⛧CyberDemonEmpress⛧]

I do. And if you actually live in the US you should know simply being mean to people on the internet isn't going to get you in trouble.

[MrHappy]

Originally posted by ⛧CyberDemonEmpress⛧:

I do. And if you actually live in the US you should know simply being mean to people on the internet isn't going to get you in trouble.

I don't live in the US. We do already support people in difficult situations (for over 15 years). It has still been proven in this thread that trying to give them gaming opportunities will not be supported by every day gamers.

The replies here say it all. The opinions of people in this thread are irrelevant because the attitudes and dismissiveness shown is enough. The words are not needed. I have seen all that I need to see from regular gamers on this topic.

The very thing we were concerned about has been displayed here by simply asking a question.

We will continue to support people with our social clubs and weekly discos but we will make the gaming idea more private to them and not include every day gamers in any way.

My question has been answered. I don't have any personal problems with anybody. But I do now understand which direction our service has to go in. Thanks again.

Original perfectly reasonable question...........

Efforts are going on at the moment for a gaming community and gaming team that can be inclusive of everybody but also geared toward people with learning disabilities, mental illness or general states of poor mental health.

The idea is that anybody can be welcome as long as they can appreciate that it does not need toxicity, it needs supportive team work and friendliness.

Just really looking for opinions and thoughts that can be worked upon as to this is a generally good idea even if not for yourself but just a healthy and fun idea all round.

Safeguarding for people with lower abilities will be available and also sign-posting to important health services as well.

But no. As I said, It's proven now that gamers will not accept these people or even accept the idea of an inclusive community and would rather question our motives even though we have been supporting people personally for 15 years and our organization has been operating for 39 years since 1983 in real life. Birthday in September. We just wanted to give them a gaming opportunity in addition to our weekly discos and coach trips to the beach, Christmas meals and free Chocolate Eggs at Easter. We even sent every single one of them a free pizza during lockdown.

Have a good end to the week everybody. Thanks again for your insights and comments.

Moderators should feel free to close the thread, I got the answer to my original question. Thanks all.

PS: OrLok. Please understand the Woke Culture that appeared here was not presented by me and was strictly to do with the naming of people and labelling of people which we will not get involved with. It is what it is and terms or labels do not concern us. The only thing that concerns us is giving opportunity to people who might not normally have much opportunity. I won't get bogged down by terminology.

[Wai]

As someone with dyslexia and a close relative of someone with Asperger's Syndrome this worries me a lot. I have also worked for a well know charity for adults and children with "learning disabilities" and with adults with serious mental health issues.

I think, and this is just my opinion, you would be better to form local networks with people you know in real life or who at least know someone you know in real life.

For goodness sake steer clear of MMO games. There are plenty of co-operative type games for small numbers of players which are a lot of fun and can be easily controlled by using private, invitation only set-ups. MMO's will attract trolls for sure and you will not be able to control them. Trolling is for them their idea of fun and they will bait unmercifully. Ban them and they will be back, and back again, with a different identity.

Unfortunately, I have even seen team leaders (not trolls and usually OK), in an MMO who, not understanding, not believing, or not wanting to make allowances will cause untold harm to vulnerable players in other teams. You will not necessarily know in time to prevent harm because they could use some or all "Private Messages"

Also, remember, some of the people with medical conditions which would be eligible according to your criteria can be extremely aggressive if provoked or very irritated sometimes with reasons which may seem illogical to others. And, some of the conditions you mention can apply to people with extremely high IQ's.

The catch all of "learning disabled" is a mine field and the more common - these day - term "special education needs" can come across as condescending because that too is a catch all which is often perceived as a polite way to say "learning disabled".

Good luck, but, be less ambitious. Keep it small, comfortable and intimate.

I hate to say it, but trolls can even infiltrate large organisations which have strict selective membership only rules governing who may become a member.

[MrHappy]

I've got what I need. My original question is answered. I have all the info that I need.

You are all most welcome to continue chatting but for me this thread can be locked, thanks Moderators. Question answered.

Thanks everybody for your comments and thoughts.

Edit:

Thanks Wai, we can use your insights and thanks for the encouragement that our group was looking for. Send a message any time. Not here though, conversation finished.

[Bee🐝]

Hey OP,

Can you please post or message me the name of the professionals involved, the MP and the charities you're working with?

My group had a chat and we're pretty concerned about how ad-hoc this all seems; we're having real issues finding any official information on this. None of the MPs known for working in these areas has mentioned this either.

It'll be a lot easier if we don't have to email loads of UK charities in the morning for info.

We'd like to contact the person in charge and make a note of the organisations involved. We're also interested in how this project would be funded.

Since you've brought this to the forum, and mentioned an MP is openly involved, it's clearly not some state secret, so this shouldn't be an issue.

[-OrLoK- Слава Україн]

I too would like to know more.

[Bee🐝]

Originally posted by -OrLoK- Слава Україн:

I too would like to know more.

Cool, do you know the name or contact details of a person in an official traceable position - either the PR person of the charities you're working with or the head of your organisation - that we can contact?

The name of the MP would also be welcome.

Edit: If you don't have their personal number or contact details, just the website would be fine. Someone can contact their media department or look up their surgery number.

[-OrLoK- Слава Україн]

Originally posted by Bee🐝:

<snip>.

oh, I think you've confused me with op!