THE YOUTH CLUB PROJECT

The Youth Club Project is a project for young people 12 - 19 with learning disabilities and other physical challenges who need support in becoming regular participants in a youth club. The project is currently funded by a three year grant from the Big Lottery as part of the Equal Access for Youth Project. The aim of Interplay in running the project is to provide support workers to help the young people associated with joining a club and to give them continuing support. The project runs in the Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot areas.

Aims of the Youth Club Project

• To enable young people with special needs to participate in local Youth Club activities.
• To support both the young person with special needs and the group, and to assess and solve  problems specific to the needs of the young person and the group.
• To provide the young person and the group with sufficient information and confidence so that independence from support workers can be developed.
• To break down barriers and stereotypes surrounding special needs so that future links are less likely to be met with resistance.

The Youth Club Project would allow young people with various special needs to attend existing Youth Clubs in both counties that Interplay works with. The young people already attending the Youth Clubs would be involved in the planning and development of this project, thereby reducing potential conflicts over new members being "imposed" on the club. Interplay supplies youth workers to provide support.

Outcomes

• A wider range of social and leisure activities for individual participants.
• Improved attitudes in the specific clubs joined by young people with special needs.
• Promotion of inclusion and integration throughout the clubs and on a wider basis throughout the local area.
• Respite for parents of children and young people with special needs.
• Learning opportunities for workers, volunteers and club members (both with and without special needs).