The National Multisensory Network Day, which has been held for a decade now, provides an opportunity to network and explore the special expertise of professionals who work with people with disabilities. The event is intended for everyone interested in multisensory work: employees of municipalities and organisations as well as customers. This year’s event will pay special attention to animal-assisted rehabilitation therapy, singing bowl relaxation, clowns in disability work and musical activities.
Multisensory activities promote experiences and inclusion
In the 1970s, the Dutch began to develop special multisensory facilities for persons with intellectual disabilities. They called them Snoezelen after the Dutch words “snuffelen” (to explore) and “doezelen” (to relax). Today, the method has spread worldwide and is known as multisensory therapy. Multisensory therapy aims to improve customers’ quality of life by achieving a balance between stimulating experiences and relaxation through pleasant sensory experiences received through different sensory channels.
The effectiveness of multisensory activities leans on the multisensory nature of the human experience. The therapeutic method uses a variety of experiential spaces or sensory rooms that contribute to learning, imagination and interaction, and also build self-confidence and reduce stress.
Multisensory rooms activate the senses extensively. Engaging visual solutions make the space enjoyable to look at. Hearing is activated by music or human and nature sounds. The sense of touch is sparked by touching different surfaces and interesting objects. Different pleasing scents stimulate the sense of smell, and the sense of taste can be activated by food and beverages.
Sofianlehto’s multisensory work is customer-oriented, multidisciplinary and innovative
The City of Helsinki’s day activities for persons with intellectual disabilities have been a precursor to multisensory work. This is the third time that the National Multisensory Network Day is organised in Helsinki. This year, Sofianlehto Activity Centre has the lead in the arrangements.
Sofianlehto Activity Centre uses multisensory activities in various ways and constantly supports and develops their use. The activity centre has a multiprofessional team that organises individual experiential sessions and group activities for its customers.
Sofianlehto Activity Centre has over 1,000 m² of experiential facilities on three floors. The technology and tools in the facilities are designed to support interactivity and create opportunities for participation despite functional limitations. There are many different kinds of sensory rooms, such as a white room, a green room, a room with an interactive floor, an echo room, a music therapy room and a spa/sauna centre.
Multisensory activities also extend to the courtyard, which features a wheelchair swing, a regular swing and a trampoline. In summer, herbs are grown for tasting and flowers for admiring. The lawn smells nice and feels pleasant under bare feet. Excursions, such as a tour of the nearby forest or a canoeing adventure, are also a key part of the activities.
“With the help of technical equipment, we can create experiences of environments that our customers have not had the opportunity to explore. We can take them into a jungle or, for example, under palm trees by the sea. It always brings me joy to see the excitement blooming in the customer’s face when they manage to change the light and colour in the room with their own actions,” says Tanja Nuutinen, a social worker at Sofianlehto.
The National Multisensory Network Day offers opportunities to share tips and meet other actors in the field
The first National Multisensory Network Day was organised in cooperation between the Helsinki Social Services Department and Kehitysvammaliitto (Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) in Killinmäki in March 2001. Since then, the event has been organised annually in different parts of Finland. Networking is at the heart of the event. Participants also share recent research results on multisensory work and valuable practical tips.
The target group of the event is mainly personnel working with people with disabilities, but multisensory work is also useful in many other sectors, such as child welfare, working with the elderly and mental health work.
Marja-Leena Vanhanen, the chief instructor at Sofianlehto Activity Centre, is enthused: “Sofianlehto Activity Centre is the city’s largest and most versatile multisensory facility offering day activities for persons with intellectual disabilities. We host visitors from different educational institutions and units of various services throughout the year. In addition, we also receive international visitors wanting to learn about our activities. We look forward to sharing our expertise in multisensory work and hearing from other actors about their experiences and successes, as well as networking with new players.”
The National Multisensory Network Day is held at Helsinki City Hall on 21 October 2022 from 8.00–15.00. The event is organised by the City of Helsinki’s Services for the Disabled/Sofianlehto Activity Centre. The event is open to all, but the number of places available is limited. Please register by 30 September 2022: tanja.i.nuutinen@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program). Please mention any special dietary requirements you have for the catered breakfast.
The event will also be streamed on the Helsinki-kanava(Link leads to external service).
Facebook: Multisenso-verkosto(Link leads to external service)