Working closely once again with our partners at Avron Canada, we completed an incredibly important job which began in late summer. Keeping with the rising trend of creating inclusive and safe spaces for children with special needs or for those who simply need reprieve from time to time, our attention turned to one school that wanted desperately to make a difference for one of their students.
The school was home to one student that for reasons unknown, would become incredibly self-abusive. While the school did have a small “safe” room, it was quite small and was not set up to accommodate him.
The student was always happy while playing outside and so key stakeholders from the school were looking for a solution that would incorporate some of the outdoor elements the student enjoyed so much. Instead of a small room without much in the way of décor, the school wanted to transform the room into an oasis for this student and turned to Avron for the right solution.
Starting with the design process, an incredible calming room began to take shape, utilizing many of the outdoor elements which had proved therapeutic to this student. Beginning with the flooring, the padded floor was designed in a green colour to resemble grass and the ceiling tiles were replaced with highly customized tiles that resembled the blue skies of summer. The walls of the room were adorned with green wall pads with a light blue colouring on the upper portions of the wall to resemble the horizon and a pair of semi-circled brown pads were placed in the corners to resemble tree trunks, complete with custom graphics to add the effect of leaves and greenery.
To complete the nature-inspired theme, the school now plays outdoor nature music and sounds in the room, ensuring that while in this calming space, the student still feels like he is in his outdoor element.
The results thus far have been astounding and we as a team could not be happier to have played a part in accommodating the needs of this young student. It is our pleasure to work alongside organizations such as Avron and with the schools and institutions that go the extra mile to ensure student safety and inclusion under all circumstances.