Earlier this year, Options in Life launched a brand-new Recreation group day. Already running on Monday, Thursday and Fridays each week, a new Tuesday group was established to support more young adults with learning disabilities and additional support needs.
Initially, we decided to pilot a small number of participants on the Tuesday group to help group members to build rapports and strong bonds with one another. On the first outings we had only 3 service users (Vicky, Nikki and Sophie) and after a few weeks Niamh joined the group too. The four girls have now bonded and are enjoying being in each other’s company and sharing new experiences together each week.
It can be very daunting for new participants to join one of our groups but we have discovered over time how best to bring new people together. It is fantastic when we can help them make new friends and hopefully stay in touch out with their group day.
Together the girls have tried and succeeded in new challenges set for them over the weeks at the various places we visit, none more so than with one of our most popular hosts, Willowgate Outdoor Activity Centre.
Willowgate offers an abundance of activities to our groups and each visit is never the same. In the summer months our groups tend to get out on the water but as our Tuesday group started in the middle of winter, they have enjoyed much warmer activities on land such as team building games, environmental work, archery and bushcraft skills.
The group recently spent time building bird boxes from scratch using woodworking tools that they had previously never used. The bird boxes were then hung up around the grounds so that later they can be checked to see if birds are nesting in them. The group has also been preparing the ground and sowing wildflower seeds to attract bees and butterflies to the centre.
As the weather is turning warmer, the girls were able to get their first experience out on the water where they were out paddling a Katakanu on the river Tay. A truly wonderful experience and enjoyed by all.
Over the next few weeks our Tuesday girl gang will be no more as some gentlemen will be added into the group. All our groups have a healthy balanced ratio of male and females. The current participants are excited for new people to join their group and cannot wait to share the skills and experiences that they have already enjoyed with their new friends.
If you would like to get more information about joining one of our Recreation days, please contact us via our website and we will be happy to help.
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