Summary
The Cafe Holiday Club operates over the 9 week school holidays (5-days per week) : 2wks Spring, 6wks Summer, 1wk October. We promise to offer disabled children/young people FUN, exciting and challenging activities, supporting & extending their development via Free Play, Crafts, Dance, Drama & Sport
What The Cafe Holiday Club did
Over the 9 week school breaks of 2018 'The Cafe Holiday Club' provided lots of FUN for disabled children/young people (Glasgow & surrounding authorities) enabling carers to engage in activities of choice, confident their child was in a positive, safe, fun space where they were encouraged by creating opportunities to integrate, play, learn in an environment of respect and promotion of positive behaviours. With over 70 children registered to attend our project we are delighted to report that we were able to deliver the service to an average of; Project 1: 25 children/young people attending each session and Project 2: 12 young people attending each session. The majority of our service users attended a minimum of 6 sessions per week. We are also delighted to report that we were able to assist carers-in-crisis by being able to offer a full 5 days (10 sessions) to those carers and disabled children/young people most in need.
As in previous years under The Cafe Holiday Club we deliver 2 strands of the project as follows:
- Project 1: children aged 5 - 16 years
- Project 2 - young people aged 17 - 20 years
In 2019 we delivered 576 hours of short-break service to 50+ carers and families and 70 disabled children and young people at an average of 18 hours short-break hours per week to each service user.
Most of our sessions took place in and around our base at the Community Halls and grounds of Cathcart Old Parish Church, but for 2019 we also got out and about to our local parks, outdoor spaces. Our outings for this period included our annual participation in our local forum sports day and 4 outings to Soccer World in the East End of Glasgow. During these trips Ultimate Soccer UK Ltd (our sports coach partners) delivered a full day of fun sports and games including soft play (for our younger service users) and Adventure Golf. These outings were an amazing success and they are high on the chosen activities list for our 2020 Cafe Holiday Club provision.
We are delighted to report that we delivered almost 65% of our service hours outdoors - breaking our own record despite the changing weather.
What The Saturday Cafe Clubs has learned
Engaging families in the development of the project is key to the success of our Cafe Holiday Clubs - year on year we have continued members, but also new members with new needs and new ideas so it is vital to keep this in mind in the planning phase.
How The Saturday Cafe Clubs has benefitted from the funding
The engaging network of services supported by Shared Care Better Breaks has been an immense help to The Cafe Holiday Clubs over the years. This has been encouraged and supported via facilitated sessions and key working groups which we feel has helped us developer service and build confidence in our ability to provide the very best service possible to those carers and cared for people we engage with.
Project Outcomes
Outcome
70 children and young people with disabilities from across Glasgow and the wider community will have had improved access to participate in fun leisure and recreation activities of choice with their peers, developing current friendships and making new friendship
Results
70 children/young people had improved access to leisure activities across the 9 weeks school breaks of 2018. Project 1: an average of 25 children attended The Café Holiday Club sessions and Project 2: an average of 12 young people attended the Ozzy's Holiday Youth Club sessions.
Case study
12 year old Dy has a diagnosis of autism & moderate learning difficulties, but most concerning aspect of Dy's condition was his behaviour and inability to control his temper, frequently striking out at Club leaders and other children. This behaviour had caused Dy and his carer(s) many challenges as he strived to pursue his passion of playing football. Dy was new to The Cafe Holiday Club for 2019 and participated through both the Spring and Summer Breaks. Dy did not participate during the October Break as he was at that time encouraged and supported to attend a programme of mainstream activities delivered by our coaching provider Ultimate Soccer. This was a good news story for Dy, his care provider, wider family and The Cafe Holiday Club. Dy's carer said that the move back to mainstream activities - particularly football - was made possible by the one-to-one support that Dy received during the weeks he spent at The Cafe Holiday Club. In a thank you card received from Dy his carer says, "Dy has made lots of friends at Club and through the support he has received he now feels he is able to go to the Ultimate Soccer Camp for the October week." This transition was possible as Dy had become familiar with the coaches at Ultimate Soccer, learning new skills and developing behaviour strategies to help him deal with controlling his reactions to personal interactions with other children whilst participating in sport with specific emphasis on football. Dy's primary carer says that she is delighted that he is now able (with ongoing support) to concentrate on his football and hopes that he will soon be able to join a small football team.
Outcome
70 children and young people with disabilities and their carers from across Glasgow and the wider community will have increased wellbeing and reduced stress through improved access to physical health and wellbeing information and support to participate in activities of choice.
Results
We delivered a minimum of 9 hours/maximum of 21 hours service to enable carers to participate in activities of choice. We also provided space and opportunity for carers to meet to discuss issues that affect their wellbeing and to promote peer discussion and support to overcome these.
Case study
Hx has attended both our General Clubs and The Cafe Holiday Club for a number of years. Hx has considerable health challenges, learning needs and selective mutism. Hx's carer reports that the service is a valuable resource providing the short break respite that she needs over the long breaks. Hx is a very happy young women, but suffers from considerable bouts of anxiety which her carer reports is much lessened when she is at Club as she benefits greatly from the structured routine and the social interaction with her peers. Hx's carer reports that this in turn is benefits both herself and Hx's extended family as they are able to participate in other activities as a family group and Hx is more relaxed when at home. Attending Club provides Hx with positive outcomes, providing routine, healthy exercise and alleviating stress at home. Hx's carer also reports that the informal meetings with other carers has helped her keep abreast of other activities and information that is useful to her as a carer.
Outcome
50 carers of disabled children from across Glasgow and the wider community will have time to access activities of choice free from their role of carer.
Results
We delivered a minimum of 9 hours/maximum of 21 hours service to enable carers to participate in activities of choice. We also provided information on the leisure and recreation opportunities in the area and facilitated access to these where and when appropriate.
Case study
Kx is the parent of Ky a 15 year old who has been at The Cafe Holiday Club for a few years now. As Ky has grown into a young man his primary carer Kx has reported that she is finding the caring aspect increasingly difficult as Kx has grown into a strong young man and he has bouts of physical aggression which she relates to his age and development stage. Ky has a great time Club, he is very sociable and enjoys the opportunity to run around freely and participate in games and sport. Kx reports that after a full day (2 sessions) at Club Ky is much more relaxed at home - feeling tired and less agitated or aggressive. Kx has said that she would not survive the long school breaks if Club was not available to Ky. Kx now reports that she is engaged in other activities of choice including training fro the Kiltwalk to raise funds for the Club.
Outcome
50 carers will have the opportunity to engage in (supported or self-directed) social activities with other carers to exchange challenges and good news stories to develop peer support networks.
Results
Our advisory group continue to build on previous years successes by engaging more people in the development of topics for the group. We have both formal and informal opportunities for parents/carers to meet over the 9 week periods.
Case study
Ay is a 10 year old who was new to The Cafe Holiday Club for 2019. His primary carer and parent Gx reported that the Club has been a life-line for her and her family. Gx said that Ay's diagnosis was challenging for the family to deal with and they found it even more challenging finding a safe space for Ay to go to outside home and school. Gx said that she recognised some of her concerns were due to her being overprotective, but she also said that Ay had been to one other service, but she had not felt that he had been supported sufficiently to participate in the activities offered. Ay needs support to eat and he needs regular changing (toilet needs). Gx said that as Ay is very quiet and she felt at the previous service he attended that he was often simply left out as others were more able to participate without the level of support he required. Ay settled well into The Cafe Holiday Club and Gx now reports that she feels more relaxed and enjoys her short-breaks. She also reports that the contact; both formal and informal with other carers has boosted her confidence in herself as a care provider and has given her support to chase the financial support she feels she should have been given.