The Moving Mission
Discussing the importance of moving, its impact, inclusion and benefits for both physical and mental health.
The Moving Mission
From Silence to Symphony - Jane James's Mission to Empower
Join us for another awesome episode of the Moving Mission Podcast where we chat with the ever-inspiring Jane James, the mastermind behind Little Voices.
Get ready for laughter, stories, and wisdom as Jane takes us through her journey of empowering children with the magic of performing arts.
From ballet misfits to opera enthusiasts, Jane’s got a tale or two that proves it’s never too late to find your spotlight.
Whether you’re looking to rekindle an old passion or curious about the joy of moving and grooving at any age, this episode is your backstage pass to feeling young at heart and confident in your own shoes.
Tune in and let’s raise those "little voices" to new heights!
Edited by Mike Roberts of Making Digital Real
Remember to give us a follow, and let us know your feedback!
She said, I think sometimes people don't explore their activities later in life, because maybe they've had the confidence knocked at school or they were told they weren't good enough or you didn't make the team or you're not fast enough, or you're too small or whatever, there was a lot of that when we were younger. But actually, for someone listening who's 50, or 60, or 70, go and find an activity that helps you to just move and engage with humans.
Anne-Marie Martin:Hello, and welcome to the moving mission podcast with me, Amory Martin from dirty dance.
Jack Wells:And me, Jack was the one that dancer join us,
Anne-Marie Martin:as we discussed the importance of moving impacts
Jack Wells:inclusion and benefits for both physical and mental health.
Anne-Marie Martin:We've got another guest this week, and it is the amazing Jane Jane's of little voices. So I'm going to hand straight over to you, Jane, can you tell us about what you do and a little bit
Jane James:about yourself? Sure. Well, thank you for having me, Jack, and Amory, this is an absolute privilege to be with you on the movie mission. I am the founder and CEO at little voices, as you say, I like to call myself the director of inspiration and passion, actually. Because, for me, it's all about inspiring young people to be the best that they possibly can be through the medium of drama, singing and performing arts. And that is a privilege to help them build life skills, confidence, have fun in a safe, creative space. And they also build their CV from a really young age with lambda examinations. And for some children, that will be the only certificate they ever achieve. And it's a privilege to be part of their their journey and the journey of their parents. So we teach for 218. So right up to 18 years old, and for some children will go on to the West End, but not all of them. It's about being able to do a best man's speech, or hold yourself in a presentation or walk in an audition room or an interview space. So I absolutely love what I do, as you can probably tell
Anne-Marie Martin:are definitely whenever I see you or hear you speak, your passion always shines through. So is this something you did as a child?
Jane James:I absolutely did. And I stumbled across it. And isn't that the same for most children? We were I was at a primary school, there was an activity, you had to put yourself forward to audition for the main role of Mary I did. So I got the part. And then my parents came along to the show and saw me on the stage singing all the other parents that oh, my gosh, you should get her voice trained or get her into the arts. And the rest is history. And I was really lucky that I had parents that back to me found the right organisations and teachers for me to go to and went on to train as a professional opera singer, and then obviously, into the world of work and building little voices.
Anne-Marie Martin:Amazing. And what age was that when you first started?
Jane James:I think it probably was about seven or eight. But prior to that I'd been the typical little girl that had gone to ballet classes, there weren't many of the dance forms that I could join. It was ballet really, when I was a little girl, I don't know about you and Marie, but that was the only thing you know, the pink tutu and the pink leotard and the pink ballet shoes. So I did do ballet from a very, very young age and enjoyed it enjoyed the process. So I suppose I probably went when I was about four or five years old. And then you know, from seven, eight took up the singing and the drama.
Anne-Marie Martin:And then is that when you knew that's where your passion lay. You were enjoying that more than the ballet?
Jane James:Yes, I think so. And I don't think I was well, I didn't feel like I was built like a ballerina. I have to be honest, I've sort of stood out like a sore thumb. I was always the tallest, the biggest I was. I know that bones all looking way the same. But I was a big framed girl and I just never felt totally comfortable. So I think it sounds really sad because our inclusivity should be celebrate, you know, diversity should be celebrated. But when I was a little girl, I'm 45 now like it wasn't, I really did stand out like a sore thumb. And I felt uncomfortable. So I didn't continue down the dance route. And I think that always, I felt put me at a disadvantage to be able to go it down the musical theatre route of professionalism. And I went down the classical opera, more static staging of music rather than musical theatre because I didn't have the dance ability which is really sad. But
Anne-Marie Martin:you could move and you were comfortable moving it was just in the more class environment.
Jane James:It sure was and it was very formulaic then there wasn't the wonderful classes that there are now like you and Diddy dance and, and others within our children's activity sector. It was, you know, a very formal ballet school run by a lady with a boom in her hair and you know, very, very disciplined Um, I didn't feel like a fit. So yeah, but I did I could move and I did move. But um, and I think it's massively important. And of course, in our classes now little voices, it is about moving your body working yourself, you, you know, building your confidence and and helping your mental health, let's face it.
Anne-Marie Martin:Absolutely.
Jack Wells:Do you find with the sort of experiences you had, when you was younger, that you now make it more important to make everyone feel included? Because you may be much when you were when you were little 100% 1,000%,
Jane James:you know, let's celebrate that every child has something amazing to share. That's one of our core values, that little voices and an every child has a core value, and some children might come to us and they absolutely love football, which is great. But they're coming to us to build their ability to find their voice, but also in the classes they're moving. But we might describe, describe how to use their voice or to do a big long breath and hold hold a note and explain it like them kicking a football tip from one side of the pitch to the back of the net. And it's just how you access that child's understanding that's important. And absolutely celebrate everybody's differences, uniqueness and and the things that are amazing about each person. Absolutely.
Anne-Marie Martin:And yeah, I totally agree. I went to a disciplined dance school from a very early age from about two, three, and went through the classes like that. And it was through the more disciplined classes as to why I wanted to start Diddy dances. Well, I didn't want a child's first experience of being too disciplined in too strict. I was hearing parents coming to me going, Oh, they've tried this, but they've come out going, I don't want to do dancing. And I'm like, Whoa, that can not be their first experience that can because we know, especially in the early years of how ingrained their perspective on so many things in life is before the age of five, that if that's their impression, they're going to hold on to that and that just isn't something that we can, we can let go. Can't have. It's got to be positive.
Jane James:I agree with you. And actually when it when it got to a bit when I really started to think you know, the singing was taken off and the drama and I was obviously good at it and enjoyed it and it was my passion. I said to my mom, I want to be this triple threat like everybody's a triple threat, I need to do the dance, I need to go back. And I did go back to a different dance school. And I tried again with the tap the modern the ballet, my mom, kitted me out with everything. Honestly, I was so supported. Whatever I wanted to do, I was so lucky and privileged. But even then I was so far behind where the other girls were who were 1314 15 I was just out of my depth. I just didn't feel like I fit in. And it didn't last very long. And that's that's really sad. But then when you go to auditions to drama school or music college, they're looking for that triple threat, they put you in three different disciplines. And I was never going to cope in the dance one, which was yeah, it's a shame really. I would wish did you dance and others were around when I was a little girl because it would have been a totally different experience. Yeah.
Anne-Marie Martin:So then growing up doing all the auditions and things like that. How do you think that affected your mental health
Jane James:and never even considered what it was doing? At the time? Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it? At the time, I didn't even I mean, gosh, until I was 41 I didn't understand what really mental health was and never had any experience of it. But But going back and with you know, my eyes now, it was a really steep learning curve and and and a roller coaster of ups and downs and massive downs and rejection. And that all it just all takes its toll because it's a
Anne-Marie Martin:throw of resilience learning isn't it
Jane James:feels so personal. And so, gosh, it was I think for any person within this industry. Well, anyone anywhere anyway, we know, we all have mental health, but in that industry itself, it's cutthroat and it takes a certain type of person and a certain type of resilience to to cope.
Anne-Marie Martin:Yeah, definitely. And I wonder whether being physically active, because we all know the benefits of when you're moving especially to music of how that releases, you know, the endorphins and the dopamine etc, or those happy hormones, whether that in its own subconscious way, was a big coping mechanism that kept you going I often look back at that those times and think, Gosh, how did I face so much rejection so many times and keep stupidly going back? But I think you get such a buzz from performing. You must have been the same with your singing that you know it's worth it and then This natural resilience does build, doesn't it? And, and you get the buzz out of the performance that that almost is your coping mechanism to keep going. You're
Jane James:absolutely right. So as big as the low might be after a job's finished, or a process that you've been a show on that you've been in, you know that you can get the neck the buzz from the next one. So it does almost carousel you over to that next one. And
Anne-Marie Martin:you're almost like chasing the hit of dopamine again, well, it's
Jane James:a drug, isn't it? It's a natural one. But
Jack Wells:you see so much now, especially with social media, where you get people that get their five sort of seconds are fine. And then, you know, they hit bad mental health period for themselves, where they they're not getting the attention and stuff like that. Yeah, good point is important. Yeah, I'd encourage people to keep enjoying it as much as I can, rather than,
Anne-Marie Martin:yeah, it's about not piling the pressure on, isn't it, keeping it for the purpose of enjoyment. And I know, that is, especially what you focus on little voices with your smaller class sizes, it really is for you all about that enjoyment is absolutely.
Jane James:Fundamentally, if a child is having fun, and finds happiness in that creatively safe environment, and that small group, they will flourish and the skills will increase. But they've got to start at that baseline. So as a child walks through the doors, and we, you know, make eye contact for the first time at the door, because it's often a parent that's inquired, when we meet that child for the first time at that trial lesson. And we engage with that child and we bring them into that small group, and we embed that relate, we start to build those relationships with the other seven children. That fundamentally is the base of them developing and flourishing and getting that recipe absolutely right and onpoint. Because a child that feels happy, will be a confident child. And ultimately, that's what every parent wants for their young person. I
Jack Wells:think when when I was at school, I mean, I didn't do too many kind of different classes or anything like that when I was growing up. But I do find very much more. So when you sit in a school environment, how it's just like, Well, every kid's got to do this, they got to do the same thing, you know, and it's never kind of down to an individual in that child. And I've always felt, you know, obviously classes that you do, where you're trying to pinpoint more, what what is that child interested in? What is that child good at, of actually then trying to bring that out of a more rather than forcing them to do something that they clearly don't want to do and know, and
Jane James:you've absolutely, it's no different today, as it was when we were all at school that tries to put round square pegs in round holes, you know, for the majority of young people, and the curriculum doesn't have the breadth of creativity and the important, it does have creativity, but the importance placed on it for those social emotional skills that are really, really needed. And some might say, well, we're moving into an era of technology and AI, and we're not going to need people. But surely humans are still going to be on the planet in some form. And we have to communicate with each other and function as human beings. So, so actually looking at the individual child, and then creating the curriculum around what works for them is surely far better. Absolutely.
Anne-Marie Martin:I just think, as well, it's not, we're speaking to so many different people who do so many different types of physical activity, or performing arts, all of that, that it isn't just about working in a PE class in school, you can be physically active in so many different ways where it's non competitive, where it's fully inclusive, where it's really nurturing and creative. It's, it is it should be celebrated. And in this world of technology and AI, I think the creative arts and the human element is even more important than it's ever been. We've got people active you so right.
Jane James:And I love what you stand for, like the movie mission. I mean, you're right, there's so many different ways. And I think this, you know, for parents and for young people, for adults all around, look for your thing, because just because you've tried one dance class, or one running group or one gym doesn't mean that they're all the same. You know, so we have a lot of we attract a lot of boys at little voices mainly because we don't do dance. We're not a Triple Threat stage school in inverted commas. It's about the voice, confidence using that voice finding that voice through through song and through acting, but we do move. So all of the pieces that we do know if we're setting a scene from Annie and it's hard, not wife and the scene where Annie's you know, Molly's crying for Annie or whatever, you know, they have to move their bodies in this a lot of you know around the stage area. So that might be someone's thing, but go into a performing arts stage school might not be or vice versa. So, look, look, try everything because there will be a fit for you. You've just not found it yet. Yeah,
Anne-Marie Martin:yeah. So right there is so many. You know, when I first started Diddy dance 20 years ago, there wasn't a lot of activities out there it was your formal dance school or it was playgroups. Nowadays there are so many of us activity providers out there aren't they're covering so many different disciplines and, and styles that I think it is a lot easier to find something that would fit your child's passion more, isn't it?
Jane James:Yeah, absolutely. And yeah, what not one size fits all. And you know, whether it's swimming, cricket, football, there'll be multi multi organisations doing different things that might fit your child and your particular needs for your child as well. Yeah.
Anne-Marie Martin:Now we always talk about any physical activity is going to have a benefit on physical health, whether it's improving your fitness, whether it is for weight management, there is always going to be an element of that that is going to benefit when you're doing physical activity. But I think we try and focus a lot about the mental health aspect of it. So would you say there's a part of your life where something you've gone through where you felt that what you do as your passion has got you through something I know for me, every time I was pregnant, and then post postnatally, I wasn't dancing. And so obviously, there's lots of hormones going on when you're when you've just given birth, but I would really notice my mental health would would decline. You're stressed out, there's a baby, there's lack of sleep, but I wasn't physically moving to music wasn't dancing around as much. And, you know, locked down was a great example, as well, I wasn't teaching the classes as much. And so that's why I moved to doing free dance lives, because I knew I needed it. Have you found there's a moment in your life where what you do is really helped with your mental health?
Jane James:I mean, yeah, 100%. I mean, I alluded to the fact that, you know, I didn't really understand my own mental health, or even the concept of us all having it until, you know, I was sort of 4041 and I had a really tough, tough couple of years. I was in hospital for six weeks, I really, you know, the story. I'm Maria, it's, it was a, it's a big one. But one of the things in terms of my recovery from that huge mental and physical breakdown was absolutely exercise, and finding my exercise all my world that I could do every single day, you know, that magic work would consistently. And I know that that sets me up well for the day, or that is that it's going to help within the day. So I always get my 10,000 to 12 and a half 1000 steps a day, I'm not a dancer, I'm not dancing around, but that I've got my Fitbit on. And that's a non negotiable for me, right? And it's generally walking outside, not on a treadmill or any other way. And you'll often find me like if I haven't got the full 10 or 12 and a half in a day, I'm wandering around the kitchen or outside on the driveway, because I just want those steps. But generally, it's a walk outside. And then you know, weight training has been a game changer for me just half an hour, four times a week. It's sort of my switch off time. I can't think of anything else. It's extreme mindfulness. Because you're in that moment. Yeah. And I'm looking for the thing. So I started myself to learn to dance at the beginning of this year, but ballroom dancing, so with my husband, and I talked him into it. And you know, the other day, we were there for a ballroom dancing class doing the waltz and the church and the square tango and going skiing. So I found those things that are very much for me, but in the past, I mean, I wasn't even I know that those are ticking my mental health five a day. But in the past, I wouldn't have been so rigid about having to have that every single day in my life. Whereas now I am right after what I've been through. But in my early 20s, I ran the London Marathon and thinking back to it, I did it because it was a goal that I needed to achieve. And it was a mental, you know, challenge really was a mental challenge as well as a physical one, but I'm not a natural runner. And as much as I've tried to do couch to 5k many times and achieved it. I don't I'm not consistent with it. I don't carry on once I've achieved the goal. So I think with this whole thing about moving and that been good for your mental health 100% is but you've again, you've got to find your niche. Yeah,
Anne-Marie Martin:definitely.
Jack Wells:We've exercise in general I've never ever been I mean, I couldn't run now anyway because I'm an empty bar. I was never just running or going for a walk and that was never kind of my thing. I needed to kick a ball or you know hit a tennis For over a racquet, or, you know, and it's like, so it's just finding. It's not necessarily you know every bit of exercises for everyone, but it's finding your thing that you can actually go, I feel so much better once I've done that activity.
Anne-Marie Martin:I think that's why we started this, isn't it, because obviously, we loved dancing to music. And that's a passion that we both share. But we appreciate moving is so much more. And it is so different to so many different people. And so that's why we've got guests from all different walk into running into sports to perform in it, I think it's it, we want to try and inspire people just to be more physically active. And also, because we are a little bit more glued to our smart devices nowadays. In fact, that leads me to Jane, I know you are very strict with your smart devices, and you are very disciplined with us. Tell us what you do. Oh,
Jane James:I am again, it was a steep learning curve. I do have two phones. I am I mean, there's not many numbers in my second phone at all, it really isn't. And that phone is for my time when it's just Jain family time off from work and from being on with social media and, and life and business. So I am strict with that. I don't have any the phone, I don't have any notifications, I have the WhatsApp notifications. But I don't have any notifications for social media, I don't have any email notifications, I only see those things when I'm on that particular platform based on what I'm doing in the day. So granted, I'm a very honest individual. So in the working week, I'm very much on it. But I have that I can't have this beat beat beat beat beat because I'd be all over the place. And it's just not good for your head. Yeah, so good for anybody's head. So I am strict with that a don't answer an email. But the week, four o'clock Friday, you probably no one will get a response to Monday morning. I'm rigid with it. And it's not tempting the apps there. It's not even tempting to touch it. It's just Friday night, Saturday, Sunday off. So and I think because people know I am very receptive, and I will come back to people they're not. They understand. And you've got to create those boundaries yourself. No one else is going to do that. You know, my I remember, we interviewed my commercial solicitor on our podcast a few months ago. And he said, it's unbelievable. When I used to finish for Christmas in an office environment. I'd finish on like the 20th 22nd of December, I'd go back in the office first week in January. And there would all the post be, you know, people trying to communicate me, he said, But now with emails, he said people are still sending me emails on Christmas Day. Whether he chooses to open that email or not, is absolutely down to him. But if you think about your email box, like your post box, you have the control when you open it. Yeah. So people are gonna operate on their own timelines. And that's absolutely fine. But, you know, again, I learned the hard way, they're not going to they're not going to pull my strings like a puppet for me to be responding. But I will always respond to people. Yeah,
Anne-Marie Martin:no, it's really well, really, really well discipline,
Jack Wells:more people should take time away from their phones, and, you know, see the people that are actually standing right in front of him or sitting next to him on the sofa or whatever, rather than, you know, the amount of times I've sat with my wife or whatever, and we're both there on our phones. While we're not just talking to her, like, you know, I mean, sometimes
Anne-Marie Martin:you couldn't be married to somebody sometimes, even if sometimes you're sharing Funny Dog videos with each other. But I think I, I wish I could be a bit more disciplined. But also on the flip side, I still teach. So I don't think sometimes I recognise actually 2468 10 classes a week, that's over 10 hours a week where I am not looking at a screen, I completely switched off and focus on those tiny little people in front of me, which is so enjoyable. So I get a break from it during what I love doing as well. So it's very much it is a balance. But I do think we've got to help our next generation enjoy any sort of activity, whether it is physical, or more stationary, we've got to enjoy them doing something in the moment instead of just sitting on a screen. And screens can be used positively. We all learned that in knockdown, didn't we, when we're trying to deliver classes online, if it wasn't for that technology? We probably most of our businesses would have folded because we have nothing to do. It's
Jack Wells:usually in the right way. You're bored and you have nothing else to do.
Anne-Marie Martin:Ya know?
Jane James:And I think as parents you know, I've always thought about it and you I've done it with Olivia, my daughter in terms of, we teach them how to cross the road, don't wait. We say stand at the pavement look left, look right, left, right. You know, cross, keep listening, keep looking keep, you know, and we do that. And that's almost the same responsibility, we have to help them to manage social media in the online world, you know, when you know, you need time off, what time does it you know, I've never put time lockers on my daughter's phone or taken it out of the room or put it out, you know, put it next to my or any of that. But I've given the guidelines and said, you know, let's work to these guidelines and see if you know, you can handle the social media world like you can handling crossing the road. And I know, it sounds very simplistic and much easier said than done. But there was some busy roads to cross. And there's some tense times on social media to navigate.
Anne-Marie Martin:Yeah, absolutely. And I think, as we say, to be present and appreciate being in the moment, is definitely a safety aspect when it just comes to physically crossing. Focus on what you're doing. And I do think when you teach classes like we do, you are giving them that life skill of focusing on something which is away from a screen, isn't it?
Jane James:Oh, my gosh, all that human connection. You know, I mean, our classes, I don't know, the length of yours and Marie, but I was ranged from half an hour to 45 minutes, or obviously in the summer holidays, we do workshops and theatre weeks, and children are with us for a whole week, every single day. But in that half an hour in that 45 minutes after school or in the school day, you're right. They're absolutely away from technology, they are in the moment, they are present, they are talking to other people, they are expressing feelings, they are moving their body. They are exploring their imaginations like you wouldn't believe and we can't let that go or not happen for young people. Because it's fundamentally so important for their physical and mental health. Yeah, absolutely. But I
Jack Wells:think even for for myself as an adult, and I can't speak for everyone, but you know, I get a lot of enjoyment and have have done for using social media and making tic tock videos, all this sort of stuff, you have a lot of fun. But you put me in an environment with another group of people doing an activity that I love, lot of people cheer tennis and stuff like that. I'll pick that every single time over making a video on Tiktok. You know, and I think finding a child or anyone of any age, once they've found a thing that they like to physically do. Yeah, I think everyone would be the same. Well, what why do I not want to go on my phone? I'd rather go out there and kick a ball about or go for a run or or whatever, you know, yeah, it's just
Jane James:and we've talked quite a bit about like the children and the young people, but it's, it's it's people of any age, isn't it? Like, you know, 50 6070s 80s 90s I mean, there's a little old man who lives in this area, I don't know him. I've never spoken to him apart from saying good morning, but every single morning when I'm going to the gym, and I know it's every morning that he does this, he walks through his newspaper. It's like, you know, six 615 In the morning, and it's it's dark at the moment. And he's there, he's walking, sticking out his puppy, and he's got his, you know, his newspaper under his arm. And I just look and think while you're in your 80s 90s, you're doing this every day. And that's amazing. And I think we can't we've, you know, Olivia would say to me, you know, my things are team sport, where you're not really a team, sport player, Mama, you or a walker, or skier or whatever. And I'm not. But she said, I think sometimes people don't explore their activities later in life, because maybe they've had the confidence knocked at school, or they were told you weren't good enough, or you didn't make the team or you're not fast enough, or you're too small or whatever. There was a lot of that when we were younger. But actually, for someone listening who's 50 or 60, or 70, go and find an activity that helps you to just move and engage with humans.
Anne-Marie Martin:Yeah, absolutely. And that leads really nicely into talking about inclusion. You know, this, this when we grew up that tough competition, and PE was always about competing and not making a team or not feeling included, like you said about the ballet. What what do you do to make sure your sessions are inclusive, not just for children for all different backgrounds, but physical differences? Any different neurodiversity? How do you find those in your sessions? Everybody's
Jane James:welcome. There's no There's no, there's no barrier. You know, tell me, tell me all about your child. Tell me all about what they need and what their uniqueness is what their superpower is. I seen, you know, neurodivergent children my you know, I've got family members, and I understand I don't see it as a, you know, as anything other than a superpower. So tell me your superpower. Now let's let's work from here. And, you know, children generally are really open the most accepting individuals in the world. So you know, let's open open these doors and, and see if it's for you, and it's the right activity for you. And it won't be for everyone. But that's not just whether you've got a superpower or not, that's, you know, that's just life come and try. And, and I think we need more of that. And I think we need to embrace that much more. And it's something that we've always been hugely, hugely passionate about, I mean, children from Down syndrome, you know, autism, wheelchair, all sorts of things. You know, let's make it work.
Anne-Marie Martin:Yeah. All together, isn't it? It's about about that. And I think, for us in the early years, I think the earlier, children are exposed to people with all differences, the more accepting we become, or they become, then as they get older, it's not, it's a learned behaviour, isn't it? It's not within us.
Jack Wells:All the time, you know, I wear shorts a lot. So you know, kids can normally walk past and see my prosthetic limb and stuff like that. And the amount of parents that put them away, and oh, and I stopped staring and start this year, but it is different, you know, you still work except that there are differences that people that look a bit different, but by you putting them away, and you know, shushing them and start making them feel right. Oh, you're not meant to speak to these people that look different? And just isn't the, you know, what the angle they should be
Anne-Marie Martin:using? No, no. And I think it was in dance in you in performing arts, it's about that representation as well, let's encourage our children, for with all physical, different abilities to be out there, showcasing this, like, it's great, what strictly does and a lot of the TV shows now that we are showing more diversity, so that the young children are going up there and going, Yes, I can do that. It doesn't make a difference that I have one leg or I'm in a wheelchair, I can still do this. It's such an important message, isn't it? Yeah,
Jane James:I mean, you have to see, you know, we are all all of us, inspired by someone ahead of us on the on the ladder. And we've all got a responsibility to show for other people coming up the ladder behind you. And you have to have those role models, you have to have someone that looks feels acts talks behaves like you for us to to you know, to move forward. And I spent, I was 22 at the time and Adam an operation on my foot. And it led to osteomyelitis and lots of surgery over a 12 month period, about 16 opps on my foot. And for that time, I was on crutches and in a wheelchair. And I actually saw the world in the wheelchair from a completely different perspective and how people actually, you know, like you were saying, like the, no one spoke to me because I was down here and I was like, I'm still I'm a human Hello, I'm Jack, you know, me. And it was very, very strange. And, but it taught me so much and you know, just look in someone's eyes or you know, look at that person and embrace that human soul. It's so important.
Anne-Marie Martin:And I think it's interesting what you said Jack because we, for anyone listening, please don't discourage your child to be curious. Be curious, not judgmental. It is okay to ask. Ask questions. In fact, it's going off tangent, but it's one of my most favourite quotes in on TED lasso. He it's a Walter Whitman, quote, be curious, not judgmental. If we actually do stop and ask more questions, we are getting a broader picture of what is there to stop us judging that something at face value. And I know not everybody might be comfortable with that. I remember when I did my wheelchair dance training, our instructors in wheelchairs, I would ask them a lot of questions. I would always ask, what is the common courtesy here? Do? Do I hold the door open for you? Is that or is that offending you? You know, do I sit down to talk to you lots of those things, and there is no right or wrong answer. They would always tell me it's always down to personal preference. And so I know we're saying you're always asked questions. Not everybody is going to be comfortable with that. But I think the more open we can be about that and try and welcome questions maybe not to an empty space before And might with new wheelchair
Jack Wells:tennis I play there's a lot of players that I trained with and have been in competition with that are wheelchair bound. They're in wheelchairs all the time. And there is even with me that little bit, or should I refer the door or whatever. But the way I put it across to a lot of them, because a lot of them, they'll be in there like daycare, and then they'll have their tennis share with them. And it's like struggling getting through doorways, because they're often to try and open a door, get there have a wheelchair for wheeled themselves through. And I'm just like, Look, let me help you, I'm not helping you, because I'm saying you can't do it. But I'm here, I might as well like, it just makes it easier. And it's kind of just being mindful that you don't want to make them feel useless. But actually just going, Look, I'm here, I might as well give you a hand, you know,
Jane James:just like, you know, two people carrying, you know, a person carrying a load of boxes and a load of bibs or whatever. And you hold the door and you're just there to hold the door. You're not going to just let it it's just human nature to be helpful, isn't it? Yeah,
Anne-Marie Martin:but just asking the question. I know some people when they see me with hoops here and MacHale back here, and I've got a big massive board that I'm always carrying. Can I help you carry all that? And I always jokes? I'm gonna actually no, it's a bit like buckaroo. Actually, if you took one thing off. But it just asked the question, Can I help you? Can I do that for you? And if they say no, you got absolutely respect. And I know that's the message we should be
Jack Wells:we giving to our users I've I've met don't like being helped. Because I see it as a sign of weakness, or whatever it is, I think if you put it across in the correct way, you're not doing it because you feel that they're not capable of doing it, because that's what they they're normally in fear of is that people feel they're less capable of something. And I think that's like you were saying about the inclusion and the diversity through every activity that's put on and everything else is, you know, is helping them to be able to achieve to do the thing, not put them down to do it. Yeah,
Anne-Marie Martin:it's definitely about that tone that you're not coming across privilege to do things
Jack Wells:different. You don't you don't not not not Cobra Bernie, you just do it differently.
Anne-Marie Martin:Absolutely. I think there was a quote that I read somewhere it they're not with any different diversity, they're not asking for special rights. They're just asking for equal rights. If we can treat people equally as classic as we would like to be treated out of respect, then you can only be a good person, can't you?
Jane James:Yeah. 100% 100% as
Jack Wells:the whole is the whole not disability but different ability that alike. Yeah,
Anne-Marie Martin:and I and it's really funny, actually. Because when we talk a lot about what we do, I always use physical difference or different ability. Whereas Jackie's more comfortable saying disability and
Jack Wells:become disabled anyway.
Anne-Marie Martin:Not physically not. You would always call me to you, I would anyway. But it's, it's yeah, it's funny what, what language you want to use. And I think we will always endeavour to try and use I'm speaking to Charlie, if you always endeavour to try and use inclusive language, you will not always get it right 100% of the time, but know that the intention is that
Jack Wells:most people just the stigma around the word disability they normally put alongside can't do something right. I think. I think that's what is trying to step away from making people feel like they can't do something, they just need to do it in an adaptive. Yeah. Whereas I feel that there's there's aspects. And while I was still at work, working in the building industry, there was certain situations that I could get into with my leg off that an able bodied person with two legs couldn't even sit or get in that position. And I was just like, yeah, now I feel even more useful. If you do things that you can't it's just finding, just finding your way with it. Really?
Anne-Marie Martin:Yeah. I think we could talk about that all day. But I suppose we try and bring it back on track a bit. So what would you advise any parent out there looking for an activity for their child? How can they get into some sort of activity like you do? Oh, wow.
Jane James:Well, I I've always been told that when children are playing and they're in the most natural environment, playing with their toys at home or interacting at home, that you'll start to spot what their what their preferences are, I guess and and often we end up going into those kinds of careers or that's where Are Happy Places. And so will often get parents ringing up saying, Oh, my child absolutely loves singing nursery rhymes, sings all the time sings all the way to school sings all the way home from school, we've always got music on in the house, you know, and so I just thought it would be a really good idea to, to, you know, and there's always going to be that avenue for some parents or a child that's always dancing or moving or kicking a ball. My nephew is absolutely obsessed with a ball. And I think he's absolutely brilliant with his right and his left foot. Yeah, I don't want to pigeonhole them too soon, but but give them those opportunities where they seem to be leaning. And then give them the best opportunity that you can. So again, I talked about my niece, she's only Shall we for in January, but my my sister had started with some dance classes. And she, she said, Jane, it's not one of the big franchisors that, you know, because it's nothing near rose, and it's not, but and they've not got the CIA accreditation, but they, but I've checked everything. They've got everything they should have on the notice board. I said, Great, great. And she took her along, she was going for quite a few weeks. She said, but she's not she's not really a ballerina. She's not built like one she, we didn't even know if my niece would walk early on it or she's just not. And when I went to pick her up after a few months, she all the other little girls were in the outfits and the branding and everything. And my little niece wasn't and I work came home to my sister's like she needs to have the stuff on she needs to really fully embrace and immerse in this just because you think it might not be her thing. She's got to feel like she belongs. Yeah, I said, I saw some certificates on the wall. They do these little trophies and certificates are No, she's not going to why would she want to do all those little things that I said, because she needs to feel like it's her place. And she needs to belong? So sure enough, she got all the cat she got the you know, the she did the first show, she did the first little unit 10 exam. Do you know what that little girl was beaming, she'll, she might never be the strongest in the class. But it's not about that. And so when you find that activity, really embrace it, if it's the right place for your child, let them you know, do the lotto as much as you can. And if it's not the right thing, look for another look for an alternative.
Anne-Marie Martin:It's finding that balance, isn't it, because I do think with both of my children have always tried to make them feel very comfortable about it is their choice. I'm not forcing you to do this. But equally, if we've booked in for a term, we are giving it a term, we're not going to give up after one class, we're going to fully embrace it and give it a try. And if at the end of that you are not enjoying it, then absolutely, we go and find something else. But you do we know this because we're activity providers. But it can take weeks, sometimes a couple of months to really get into something where you've built your confidence, to want to keep going can't take one class, you're never gonna one class
Jane James:is not enough. One term is not enough. I mean, I could tell you hundreds of stories of the lives that we've impacted at little voices. One particular one about a young girl who was mute, it was you know, it was a choice for her to be mute. And it took years for her to come out of an and she was our class that she first spoke. And that was beyond anything you can ever imagine. It brings tears to my eyes, you know, children who have been removed from school or not attended school for a long time post pandemic. And the only thing they'll come to is their little voices class because it's their safe space with the people that they feel is their tribe, and where they feel they belong. So you're absolutely right. Amory, it's not a term a week, a two week trial. It's just giving it a period of time and then okay, if it's not for you moving on, but for some children, it will take longer than others. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, they all
Anne-Marie Martin:join in at their own pace, don't they? All children are so completely different. And I think even after 20 years of teaching toddlers, I still find they are completely different. There is no formula to what works and what doesn't like will lead that class and even some of the children if they've been coming weeks and months, it will only take one week where they're just like not feeling it today. And I'm gonna go sit in the corner. You just like okay, that's fine. That's
Jane James:it is it's hard isn't it? Because sometimes you take your children to things because the moms on the playground will go into that or it's right for and that's great and you'll find some great activities that way but not every it might not be for your child so go with your I think you've got instincts never ever deserves you and if you feel that that connection with the teacher the connection with the organiser, the feeling feels right for your child, give it the best chance that you can because I don't think I don't think you'll go far wrong.
Anne-Marie Martin:No, I think that's great advice. Oh, wow. I feel we could try it all day. Anything else you wanted to add there Jack as a non? Teacher?
Jack Wells:No, I think because we wind up going on Tuesday for another half hour? No, no, it's no, I think we've covered covered a lot of stuff there. And, you know, and I think there's a round up to everything. I think it's a it's a case of giving stuff a try. And, you know, like you say, more with more with children, I suppose is is is looking out for the things that they actually love doing. Yeah. And then try and turn that into something that they can do as an activity, you know,
Anne-Marie Martin:but let's get our kids out there doing something that is offered. That's always good as well. Always good. I don't restrict screentime. Either. There is a place for it in this, you know, technological world, but let's make sure it's balanced. And they're doing lots of other things as well. Absolutely. 100%
Jane James:couldn't agree more. I have absolutely loved to join you on the movie mission. How exciting. No,
Anne-Marie Martin:it's been great to have you on Jane. I love spending time with you. But it's great to chat and get it out there in the open as well the passion that we all share for getting people moving. So thank you for joining us. And thank you everybody who's been listening. I do hope that you will join us again and listen again. And we look forward to bringing you another episode. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks for listening today. We hope you feel inspired to get moving.
Jack Wells:And don't forget to give us a follow here if you enjoyed today's episode and check us out on all other social media