Project

We provide fun, accessible summer activities and outings for young people with special needs; all of our members have a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder and many have additional disabilities so a high staff ratio is needed.

What does your charity/project do?

We run activities, entertainments and outings for groups of 20-22 young people aged 4 – young adults with special needs during the summer holidays, giving them the opportunity to have fun, participate in new experiences, meet up with friends and choose their own activities in a safe recreational environment with 1:1 support from a team of qualified and experienced staff supported by volunteers. For most members recreational opportunities are extremely limited due to their high individual needs.

How does your charity/project support the local community?

We are the only source of summer activities for most of our members and the sole source of summer respite support for around 85 local families who struggle to provide 24 hour care & support during the ‘holidays’ with little or no support, leading to stress and isolation. Our project supports families who are under great pressure, including siblings who may be young carers. The access and support needs of our members mean that they miss out on activities enjoyed by most young people.

What do you plan to use the CommunityForce award for?

We would spend funds on providing activities, entertainments and outings for our members during summer 2012. Our costs are relatively high due to the need for a high ratio of specialist staff (average 1:1) to support our members, and we have been forced to reduce activities since the economic downturn due to increased difficulty raising funds. All fund raising and most administration is done by volunteers, keeping overheads low – around 95% of funds are spent directly on providing activities.