Short Break Stories

Inclusive Family Fun & Learning Programme

A story by Feel Fantastic Fridays Parent Carer Group

The Feel Fantastic Fridays Parent Carer Group provided 5 group outings throughout the year for families with a child or young person with Additional Support Needs.

The group meet on a weekly basis for 2 hours, and is facilitated by CLD  to take part in a variety of informal learning courses. Our group is open to parents and carers of children with additional support needs who attend school in the Motherwell Locality both Additional Support Needs provision and mainstream.

What Inclusive Family Fun & Learning Programme did

The first outing was to Blair Drummond Safari Park. As well as paying the entry fee for each participants, we provided free transport, entry to the Sea-lion show and lunch/snacks. Recruitment for this trip came from within the current group membership.

The second outing was to the Five Sisters Zoo. On this occasion we recruited via the 4 Additional Support Needs schools in the Motherwell area. Demand was such that we ran 3 buses. The 37 families who took part (144 participants) were provided with free transport, entry to the zoo, pet handling session and lunch.

The third outing was to the Christmas Pantomime at the Civic Centre, Motherwell. Recruitment for this outing came from within the group. Participants enjoyed free travel, entry and monies for lunch/snack.

Our fourth outing was to Glasgow Science Centre, again recruitment was from within the group membership. Transport, entry to the centre, the planetarium show and monies for lunch/snack were provided for all participants.

The final outing was to the cinema. All participants received free entry and monies for lunch/snack.

'C' aged 10 years was able to go down the large slide at Blair Drummond Safari Park, his single mum is terrified of heights and another participant took him on the slide. Mum advised that had they not been on this trip, her son, 'C' would never have had the opportunity to access this. 'C' had and amazing experience and laughed all the way down.

Some of the families who took part in the outings are now in regular contact with each other outwith the group setting and visit each others homes, go out for lunch, and go on outings together. In addition, 2 parents from very culturally different backgrounds have become very close friends and spend a great deal of time together. Families has highlighted a feeling of extended community as they speak to parents/children in the community who they met through taking part in the outings (and do not attend the same schools as their children). They also advised that the children know each others names and have fun chatting to each other.
As a direct result of taking part in the outings and the feelings of increased confidence, 18 parents and volunteers have taken part in a 6 month training programme, which included Disability Awareness, Play, REHIS, First Steps to Youth Work, and First Aid, in order to run their own youth club for the children off one of the local Additional Support Needs schools.

They advised that after meeting with each others families through the 5 outings that they felt confident enough to start this up. The youth club will open it's doors to the 106 children who attend the school in August this year.

What Feel Fantastic Fridays Parent Carer Group has learned

The first, and most important lesson that we have learned is to give it a go. Some of us were hesitant about the choice of venues, worried that our children wouldn't/couldn't cope. They in fact managed much better than most of us imagined. There were a few 'melt-downs' but the support of the other families made them so much easier to deal with.
Top tips Feel Fantastic Fridays Parent Carer Group's top tips for an organisation that wants to run a similar project
Tip 1:
Call the Venues before you book.

We found that by calling the venues and discussing our particular groups needs that we managed to get better/bigger discounts for the outings. Most of the venues also provided up with seating areas for eating and bag storage while at the venue.
Tip 2:
Get Professional Help.

We couldn't have managed to arrange everything if it hadn't been for our CLD worker, Clare. (hence we didn't apply for further funding in 2016) There is so much to do, organise buses, get consent forms completed, complete risk assessment forms, get every-one's emergency contacts.

As parent carers we found that many of us missed planning sessions due to hospital/dentist/doctor/school appointments and those who took on some of the larger tasks felt the additional stress.
Tip 3:
Be Daring.

As mentioned before, some of us were a bit hesitant in booking some of the outings as we didn't feel that our own families/children could cope. They surprised us by their willingness to take part in the activities and in the fun that we all had.

"Thoroughly enjoyed the total relaxation and the time spent away from home. Did me a power of good - I am now a Pampered person! - Thank you"

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