Residential Summer Camps
A story by Scottish Disability Sport
To support the continuation of an annual multi-sport, pan disability residential sports camp held at Largs National Sports Centre in July 2014.
Demand for the camps is growing and we cannot expand places or provide additional equipment. The camps are three days long, very positive and intensive for participants and a great chance for carer respite.
What Residential Summer Camps did
Volunteers were recruited from around Scotland within programmes of providing for youngsters with a disability. This served to provide vital CPD for them.
The camp was advertised through our many and varied networks (including education, local authorities and sports development) and through our Regions and Member Branches.
Participants were chosen from received applications if they fitted the target demographic and where respite for the parents/ carers was felt most suitable.
The break was a 3-day residential sports camp with 14 activities in partnership with other sporting governing bodies. The camp took place at Inverclyde Centre, Largs.
The youngsters participated in all types of adapted sports and team-building activities and the carers facilitated this along with implementing all aspects of care required during the camp.
What Scottish Disability Sport has learned
The requirement for this camp to exist, only possible through short break funding.
Provide flexibility for carers who are anxious about the youngsters being away for first time. This can be done through day visits or provide information for them to stay locally.
Ensured that consultation existed with education and key individuals in local authorities to highlight who most benefit from these experiences.
Ensure the information goes as far and wide to existing and new networks.