TV Star Inspires People with Learning Disabilities in Charity’s Special Inspiration Session
Actor and reporter, Ruben Reuter, inspired people with care and support needs across the UK to follow their dreams, in a special virtual ‘Meet & Greet’ hosted by one of Britain’s biggest social care charities, Community Integrated Care.
Broadcast on the charity’s online activity platform, www.What-To-Do.co.uk, the session provided an opportunity for people with learning disabilities and autism to meet the star and ask him questions about his experiences.
Ruben, who is a Disability Correspondent for Channel 4 News and has featured in hit TV shows including BBC One’s ‘The Syndicate’, shared his story on how he rose to success and provided insights on working professionally in the media industry.
The event marked the first of the organisation’s Inspiration Sessions to be held in 2022. Community Integrated Care’s Inspiration Sessions aim to introduce people who access care and support to people who have overcome adversity to achieve incredible outcomes.
Showcasing a variety of achievements and brilliant careers, the sessions are run by the charity’s Media Club – a branch of volunteers from the charity’s Inclusive Volunteering Programme, that work with professionals to learn new skills relating to the media industry.
Kicking off with Ruben’s interview, the group will be given opportunities throughout the year to put this new knowledge into practice by interviewing inspirational people from across a variety of industries and backgrounds, including sport, media and entertainment.
Created in collaboration with the Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021), the Inclusive Volunteering Programme offers people with care and support needs the chance to explore their passions; make new friends; receive specialist mentoring and development opportunities; and volunteer at exciting events.
Jake Lindsay, a member of the Media Club who hosted the session with Ruben said:
“Taking part in the session and hosting it on behalf of the team at Community Integrated Care meant so much to me. There were some really interesting and intriguing questions asked, followed by some absolutely wonderful answers from Ruben. I learnt so much about how we can make the world of television production much more accessible both in front of and behind the camera. I think that Ruben is super talented, friendly and has a wide array of knowledge on a lot of topics, including disability awareness.”
Jenny Robinson, another member of the Media Club who attended on the day, said:
“It was an amazing experience I felt very star struck! I know a lot of people with disabilities that doubt themselves, but Ruben has shown you can do anything you want to and you can follow your dreams. Just because you’re disabled doesn’t mean you can’t do things; you just need a little bit of help sometimes. What he’s achieved in his life so far is inspiring.”
Ruben said, “It was brilliant to join the session as I really like to meet new people and learn about what they are up to. I think the Media Club is a great idea – and one I hadn’t heard of before! Often, I get asked the same things, but the Media Club’s questions were a bit different from usual – they were very interesting!”
John Hughes, Director of Partnerships and Communities at Community Integrated Care, said:
“We were really grateful to have Ruben join us for our latest Inspiration Session. He is a fantastic role model for people we support. The experiences and advice that he shared were invaluable, especially for those who may perceive their disability as a barrier to following their dreams.
Our Inspiration Sessions offer a unique opportunity for the people we support to connect with individuals who they can really relate to, who have achieved amazing things. I hope that the sessions inspire everyone who attends to feel like they can achieve their aspirations – however big or small.”
