Launching wheelchair skills online videos

1 Apr

When I set out to launch wheelchair skills, I wanted to do it in a big way. I believe that everyone has the right to access wheelchair skills and get the confidence and independence that comes with having them. The things that I’ve benefitted from over the years because I have the skills.

It was always going to be difficult and a long slog to find a way to make it work and then to put a plan into action.

I knew early on that while teaching the skills in person was going to be important and the way I’ve seen it work best, I would need to find other ways to share the message of wheelchair skills and their importance.

Social media was always going to be the most effective way to reach the most people and as wheelchair skills are such a visual medium then using videos that share how to practise skills was going to be the best way to go.

I’ve been part of different teams over the years involved in creating videos. I’ve taken on various roles, leading on the development of the last video I made during lockdown.

I know the process of creating the videos and also how expensive they can be, so I started looking for volunteer support. I found this support with the fantastic Pedro Torres.

It’s been a long road to getting the videos created but they are finally here.

These videos are all on YouTube and TikTok and have been created with the goal of sharing this knowledge with as many people as possible.

What do they look like?

Bite size – watch and watch again
No ads – nobody got time for that
Different skill levels – beginner to expert
Range of skills – take what you need
More to come – if you have a question or would like to see a skill then let me know

Although these are a great way to share skills and I hope that people can learn something from them, they are not designed to replace face to face training.

Instead they should be used to give people an insight into what wheelchair skills are, when and how they can be used and also as a refresher on key points after they have attended the training sessions.

If you know someone who could benefit from these skills then please share with them!