SENIA Board members collaborated with the UNIS Neurodiverse Families Support Group to offer a booth at the UNIS Spring Fair, as well as with the High Student ‘Peace and Justice’ Student Service Group to provide a calm, chill out zone in the midst of the 5000+ attendees.  We provided a plethora of reading materials recommended by Deanna Howard, the UNIS HS librarian,  that presented various neurodivergent conditions in a realistic, positive and healthy way, as well as sensory seating chairs that families could try out while reading.  

We also promoted March 21, World Down syndrome Day, and were lucky enough to have one family  (parents and children) volunteer to share their story and an information brochure. They also sold mismatched socks; the proceeds benefited IMAGO Work, a locally-based social enterprise group that  provides training and job placement assistance for neurodivergent adults. 

About World Down syndrome Day: 

World Down syndrome Day was first observed on March 21  2006. The date symbolizes the uniqueness of the triplication of the 21st chromosome, which produces Down syndrome. 

Every year, International Down syndrome Day is marked to increase public understanding of the condition. According to the official website of Down Syndrome International, on World Down Syndrome Day, people with Down syndrome and those who live and work with them organise and take part in activities and events to create public awareness and a single global voice advocating for the rights, inclusion, and well-being of people with Down syndrome.

"Inclusion Means" was the topic for World Down Syndrome Day this year. The UN asks for "full and effective involvement and inclusion in society" in the main principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).  People with Down syndrome and other disabilities, however, do not gain from full and effective involvement or inclusion in society as a whole. This is due to a variety of factors, one of which is a lack of consensus around what inclusion is and how inclusive systems actually operate.

Every year, International Down Syndrome Day is marked to increase public understanding of the condition. According to the official website of Down Syndrome International, on World Down Syndrome Day, people with Down syndrome and those who live and work with them organise and take part in activities and events to create public awareness and a single global voice advocating for the rights, inclusion, and well-being of people with Down syndrome.

Mark your  calendars now and start thinking about how your school or organization can support on March 21 20024. 

For more information, please check out Home - World Down Syndrome Day