Today, as every year, we gathered for our annual Communication Café, organised by the Rix Inclusive Research Institute in partnership with social work colleagues and Dialogue Café, a social enterprise run by members of the Deaf community.
This event has become one of the most cherished moments in our teaching calendar, offering our social work students a chance to experience inclusive communication in action, outside the classroom and within a vibrant, welcoming community space.
As the students arrived, there was a quiet sense of anticipation and a little anxiety in the air. Many were unsure what to expect from this encounter, a morning of learning not through textbooks or lectures, but through connection, curiosity and conversation.
We welcomed them warmly and began with an introduction to British Sign Language (BSL) and Makaton, setting the tone for a day where communication would take many creative forms.
Students learned simple yet powerful skills – how to introduce themselves, greet someone, and order a drink or pastry in sign language. There was laughter, a few nervous giggles, and a great sense of achievement when hands moved confidently through the new signs. “It’s so practical, I can actually use this!” one student said, delighted to be learning a real-world skill that bridges language barriers.
Shortly afterwards, our guests with lived experience of learning disabilities arrived. They were warmly welcomed and supported to order their refreshments at the Dialogue Café counter, using signs and gestures. This small act carried great meaning, as it embodied the principles of dignity, autonomy, and inclusion that underpin social work practice. With drinks in hand, everyone took their seats around the tables, ready to talk, share, and listen.
Soon, conversations began to flow. The initial nervousness melted away as people chatted about their likes and dislikes, their favourite holidays, and memorable experiences. The atmosphere was friendly and full of laughter, the kind of genuine connection that words alone can’t capture. Many students were meeting people with learning disabilities for the first time, and it was evident that this encounter was gently but powerfully reshaping their assumptions.
During the morning, our guests began using the RIX Multimedia toolkit to share their About Me information. Through photos, videos and short clips, they showed moments from their lives – birthday parties, bowling games, holidays by the sea, and daily routines that demonstrated independence and capability. A few residents proudly shared videos of themselves cooking a meal, explaining that everyone in their home now takes turns preparing food. “We cook our own dinners now” they said, smiling broadly. The pride and joy in these moments were contagious.
Watching these presentations, the students could see how digital tools like RIX Wikis give people with learning disabilities a voice to express who they are and what matters to them.
This was no longer abstract ‘service user engagement’, it was a living example of empowerment, agency, and self-advocacy in action.
When our guests left, the café became a space for reflection. We gathered the students to discuss their experiences and the learning they would take away. Many spoke about how different the morning had been from their expectations. Several admitted that they had felt unsure or even apprehensive before arriving. “I didn’t know what to say or how to act,” one student confessed. “But once we started talking, I realised they’re just people like everyone else, funny, kind, and interesting.”
Others reflected on the deeper lessons of the day, about the language of inclusion, and the ways in which our words shape perceptions. They discussed the difference between the medical model of disability, the charity model, which focuses on deficits and needs, and the social model, with its strength-based approach, which recognises that barriers are created by society rather than by individuals and celebrates people’s skills and abilities. Together, they explored how as future Social Workers, their role will be to challenge these barriers and advocate for equal participation and respect.
For many, this was their first real encounter with people with learning disabilities. By the end of the morning, their initial anxieties had transformed into curiosity, empathy, and respect. They spoke of seeing ability where they had once imagined limitation, and of understanding communication not as a fixed skill, but as a shared human act, one that can take the form of speech, gesture, sign, image, or presence.
As we concluded the session, there was a clear sense that this experience had left a deep impression. It had provided more learning, insight, and personal growth than any lecture could offer. One student summed it up beautifully: “Today showed me that social work isn’t about knowing everything, it’s about being open, listening, and meeting people where they are.”
Our Communication Café is more than an event, it is a celebration of diversity, creativity, and connection. It reminds us that communication is not only about words, but about understanding, respect, and shared humanity. It marks the beginning of our students’ journey as reflective, compassionate practitioners, and a reminder that, in the end, we are all people, and we all need a little help sometimes.
The residents and their families are so pleased that they have been given these opportunities, as telling people ‘I go to university’ gives a confidence boost for self-esteem and a feeling of importance, which they don’t always recognise about themselves. What amazing achievements! So thank you and your amazing team for making this possible for all our residents, we are so grateful. (Jacqui Bailey, Airthrie Homes)
