Short Break Stories

Strollers Better Breaks

A story by Glenrothes Strollers FC

The regular Saturday morning football sessions were the bedrock of the scheme, giving regular and routine activity. We were also able to enter the team in various different tournaments all over Scotland.

These tournaments offered the young people a whole day out around a structured football event, thus providing respite and a break for the parents/carers, as well as an exciting football day out for them.

We intended to offer football coaching sessions to disabled children and young people. The aim was to give these young people an opportunity to take part in a leisure and social activity that may not normally be available to them.

Starting off with a regular once a week session, this would give all the benefits associated with team sport participation, as well as some some respite for parents and carers. As relationships and trust grew more services/activities would be offered to extend the respite/time away from caring. Holiday football camps, day trips away to tournaments etc.
Tip 1:
Keep it simple, don't aim too high too soon.
Tip 2:
Communication, the parents and carers must know what is going on and why you are doing what you are. The greater involvement they have the more they will benefit.
Tip 3:
We have certainly ensured that the young people who come to us enjoy the football activities we provide. They look forward to the regular sessions and the chance to go and play against other teams in other locations gives them a focal point to work towards and aim for. We aim to engage with more and make sure no-one is exempt from these opportunities.
It took a little time for parents and carers to build relationships with the club coaches and volunteers. However, by offering a regular, reliable, structured service, relationships and communication improved. Parents and carers then drove the need for additional services over increasingly longer periods. this allowed them real respite and time away from the rigours of caring.
As an organisation we have certainly learned that we have some of the skills to deliver short break activities. We are now far more comfortable and competent to offer a range of services to a range of groups of disabled and multiple support young people and their carers.
Despite some communication problems around our project the response from carers and the young people themselves has been very positive. On the whole what we have done has had a significant positive impact on their lives. Now that we know this we are able to add additional value to individuals based on their circumstances.

One parent said, "This team helps my son with interaction, social skills and most of all he has made good friends, He is part of something, this is very important to an autistic young adult as often they can be isolated. he loves his team and they love him."
Through the project we have seen the young people grow in confidence and self esteem. For this to be happening at a time when many of them were in a transitional phase from school to college is a huge positive. We are now looking to enhance this and see what additional support we can offer through the project to help them in their lives outside the club/project.
We were a bit naive in thinking that if we were delivering a service this would of course benefit the young people and their carers. We had not bargained or allowed for additional stress or discomfort in preparing for attending or after sessions.

This was a wake up call for us, and one which highlights the need for the families themselves to drive the plans and thought processes behind the services. An unanticipated benefit has been the impact of the project in the whole club; the interest and willingness to get involved has been pleasantly surprising.
We found the application assessment and reporting processes very user friendly, and a very worthwhile and rewarding process. Perhaps some more networking with other groups/care providers etc could help with best practice sharing, partnerships and advice.
We have had to make improvements on that front. A working committee will meet regularly and socially to discuss all aspects of the programme. Seek to right wrongs and make executive decisions in the best interest of the individuals and group. Through time, a players Council or Rep will be encouraged and introduced. Regular newsletters will now be the norm.

The group is now represented at the main club committee meetings, and is now viewed similarly to any other team within the club. One nominated club representative has been appointed to oversee the whole project, which makes them the central contact point for all involved. We also brought in an independent assessor to review the program and ensure we got all opinions on the project to date and direction ahead.