The Young Advocates Programme aims to help China and the UK secure an international legacy to their Paralympic Games, by developing skills in a core group of young people and, through them, raise awareness of the potential of sport to benefit a diverse range of people in the community. The Integrated Paralympics Project was the first project in a programme of work designed to develop the skills of the Beijing Young Advocates who will meet with their international counterparts in September 2008 at the start of the Paralympics in Beijing.

It brought together the British Council, the China Disabled Persons Federation and our Learning & Access team. The aim of the project was to work with a group of disabled and non-disabled young people to create a new dance work based on the theme of communication. The creative process would
develop the participant's self-confidence,team work and leadership skills.

This was the first time NBT had taken its Learning & Access work to an international level.We were able to use our approach of making dance accessible to all, regardless of ability or disability and break down perceptions about who can dance and what dance can be.

During the week the group took part in a daily warm-up followed by creative workshops where the students developed movement ideas. The group attended a performance of Madame Butterfly in Beijing's Poly Theatre and were taught steps from the production, including some lifts. At the end of the week the students performed exercises from class and the dances they had created to each other and invited guests.

During the project the group surprised themselves, and each other, with their achievements.We were impressed by the level of commitment and support our Chinese partners poured into this project. Everyone threw themselves into the sessions with energy and enthusiasm and this was the key to the project's success. We hope this is the beginning of a successful working relationship between the three organisations, which will continue up to London 2012.