Family Fun Activity Weekend
A story by Dumbarton District Disabled Children's Forum
We are a parent/carer led social support group for children with disabilities and their families. We organise social events such as Halloween party’s, Christmas outings and play-scheme trips.
We also have a caravan in Ayr for our members to use, and hold monthly support meetings for parents & carers.
What Family Fun Activity Weekend did
Parent care led group with no members of staff, through networking i.e posters in local doctor/shops etc....the kids themselves choose where the would like to go on trips and what the would like to do. We had a long weekend fun filled activity break in Ardlui Outdoor Centre.
We provided 6880 hours of activities which included mountain biking, abseiling, archery and canoeing. The parents, carers and children participated in these following activities, therapies such as massage & nails, outdoor activities such as mountain biking, abseiling, archery and canoeing. A disco, face painter, magician, bouncy castle and a teenage corner.
What Dumbarton District Disabled Children's Forum has learned
It has made a remarkable difference to all that participated in the weekend, by allowing the committee to know that they can organise such and event like this successfully. Children, parents/carers being able to achieve something they didn't think they could, also a few members have continued with some of the activities they took part in. By allowing the carers to participate fully in the organising of the weekend which gave them more confidence, also by the success of the weekend has attracted new members.