The Makaton Charity
Mission statement
The Makaton Charity's mission statement is “to improve lives by enabling everyone to communicate successfully by
using solutions that are effective and appropriate for them”.
Vision
Our Vision is “by 2025 to double the number of people we support, building a
community of members, accessing innovative and life changing services”.
Activities
We work towards this through our activities:
- providing training to families, carers, and professionals;
- developing and producing printed and electronic resources;
- working with others to make their information accessible;
- providing advice and support for families and professionals;
- working in partnership to influence society and empower people.
The Makaton Charity uses a sustainable, cascade approach to sharing
Makaton. This ensures the maximum number of people can benefit from
using Makaton.
Training
Our nationwide network of over 1,000 licensed Makaton Tutors and
Trainers across the UK deliver training to over 30,000 parents, carers
and professionals each year.
Resources
Our wide range of printed and electronic resources extends from
nursery rhyme DVDs to vocabulary books covering complex subjects such as
bereavement to electronic collections of signs and symbols for computer
use.
Information
Accessible information enables Makaton users to participate in life.
For example, by working with Local Councils to translate materials using
Makaton symbols so that Makaton users can vote in local elections, and
with housing associations to provide information about the services they
offer.
Support
Our free Family Advisory Service provides information and support to
parents and family members of people with a learning or communication
difficulty and to the professionals working with them.
Influence
Working with partners such as The National Portrait Gallery, Her
Majesty's Court Service and the BBC promotes communication and makes
Makaton available so more people are able to participate.
Equality, diversity and inclusivity
The Board and Senior Management Team of The Makaton Charity are committed to putting the ethos and principles of equality, diversity, and inclusivity into practice in every aspect of our work to ensure our community is supported. The Charity’s values of Excellence, Integrity, Innovation, Collaboration, and Respect remain at the heart of our mission; to improve lives by enabling everyone to communicate successfully by using effective and appropriate solutions.
While we recognise that the Makaton Language Programme is a tool used by many to practically support, embed and enhance equality and inclusion, further work is needed to ensure that the Charity fully understands, responds and acts to maximise the opportunity and potential for all, and truly reflects the diversity of the community it serves. We commit ourselves to move forward and drive change.
The Board of the Charity reaffirms its commitment to building a more diverse and inclusive future through working with our staff team, volunteers, members, Makaton Users and their families, professionals, our Tutor and Trainer network and wider stakeholders. This will enable us to leverage change, improving improve understanding and increasing increase access to a diverse and appropriate range of solutions, ensuring no one is left behind and empowering empower all voices to be heard and all views acknowledged.