SUMMER PLAYSCHEMES

The work of Interplay goes on throughout the year but in the same way that large scale play and leisure initiatives bloom in the Summer school holidays, a large proportion of Interplay expenditure happens during those times.

Interplay works within established playschemes to provide support for around 7 young people with varying degrees of special needs in each playscheme. We work with up to 20 playschemes each summer throughout the two counties for the 8 - 11 age group as well as sometimes running integrated Under 8's provision. We provide trained staff to help integration and promote fair play for all abilities within the playschemes, although our staff do have special responsibilities when it comes to the particular needs of the young people we work with, whether it be help with feeding or changing, medication or just ensuring that the young people get the most from the scheme.

As well as working within local playschemes, Interplay organises and runs its own playscheme in the Sandfields area of Port Talbot. We also administrate the Ysgol Crug Glas Summer Playscheme.

Interplay has been gradually expanding its service over the years in direct response to demand from users, parents and voluntary and statutory workers. As the organisation grows bigger and becomes more well known, the way we work is experienced by more play and leisure providers. Thus resistance to integration and inclusion by other service providers decreases. It is hoped that the natural structure for new projects will have inclusion as one of their underpinning values. One aim of Interplay is to become an accepted model of good practice. Interplay not only provides a service for children with special needs - it also aims to break down stereotypes and outdated attitudes and helps to develop the value system of the whole community.

As well as summer schemes in both counties, Interplay sometimes participates in Easter schemes. As well as the leisure centre based schemes there are Activity Days schemes for the 12 and over age group. The Easter holiday is relatively short but still represents a time where the young people can become bored and look forward to some exciting safe organised play and leisure. There is by no means the massive demand that Interplay faced during the summer holiday period but Easter schemes can be quite popular. The lack of small community based playschemes during Easter limits the choices for young people, many of whom may find the large numbers and sporty preferences of leisure centre schemes less attractive. The Easter schemes usually run smoothly and employing experienced playleaders allowed the newly independent Interplay to have a very straightforward introduction to direct management of large numbers of workers. A pool of available trained and experienced workers is one of the key resources for the Interplay organisation. Unfortunately shortage of funding has meant that Summer schemes have taken priority over these smaller schemes in recent years, however the SWAT scheme should enable us to offer more support during the Easter and Half Term holidays.