SensationALL and Children in Need

SensationALL provide therapeutic activities and specialist support for individuals with disabilities or multiple support needs (MSN), their families and associated professionals. To improve the lives of children and adults with disabilities by supporting them, we make specialist support accessible to the whole family in a tailored environment.

This year we were lucky enough to have secured three years funding from Children in Need, this funding has assisted the development of two groups to promote inclusion, social opportunities and empowerment of skills for children with multiple support needs and their siblings.

Inclusive Social Group

Previously only a monthly group, the Inclusive Social Group now runs every second week and is a social group for primary school-aged children with support needs (mainly autism and learning issues) and their siblings. It is run in conjunction with our sister social enterprise out of school care club, Schools Out! This gives us the opportunity to create a safe, supported environment for children with mainstream and diverse needs to play and learn from each other. A range of games, interactive activities and therapeutic rooms are available for all the children,  supported by experienced SensationALL staff. An added benefit for most of our families is that it is a drop-off session, where parents and carers are not expected to stay on-site, so providing a brief period of respite in an often challenging life.

Already it is evident how valuable this group is for families, some of whom travel almost 20 miles to attend. One mother said “It is one of the few places that we can come and I can leave my son, knowing that he is not only cared for in a safe place, but that he will be encouraged to engage with a range of peers, while learning to tolerate others and have unique opportunities to self-regulate with supportive staff in special facilities”.

One young sibling also said “It’s great that my brother has autism because it means that we both get to come here and play with our friends. I get to meet other siblings and have great fun!”

SocALLise Teenage Social Group

This group has developed rapidly over the last two school terms, increasing attendee numbers by 60%. It is attended weekly by academy-aged youngsters with various support needs (most being autism related). As well as this group being structured around usual youth club type activities like; pool, games, baking, sports, quizzes, and creative projects; the youth group get the opportunity to partake in community based visits and outings.

SensationALL Operational Team Lead, Suz Strachan says: “the focus for this group is to promote confidence, provide social and community based opportunities to increase vocational experiences and generally promote social skills and self resilience.”

One teenager said “I struggle to fit in, always have and SocALLise gives me a place to come every week where I can meet my friends and be accepted. I would probably just do nothing or sit in my room otherwise.” One of the parents expressed the difference it had already made to their teenage son: “…we have seen our son’s confidence increase and for a boy who’s default mode is reluctance, avoidance and negative thinking; the staff have quickly attuned to his needs and found ways to encourage his involvement in all the group’s activities.”

With less than 10% of income originating from service income, SensationALL rely heavily on grants, trusts and donations to ensure the continuation of life-changing groups like those supported by Children in Need and to help the development of their unique vision of an inclusive supportive hub for the North of Scotland.

SensationALL are very thankful for the opportunity to benefit from the support of Children in Need, not only in the form of funding, but also in their marketing and training support, which for a small, growing charity can assist with the empowerment of skills to ensure long term sustainability.

For more information on any of our groups and services, see our timetable here or contact us. #SensationALL

October holidays with SensationALL

We cannot believe it is just a week to go until the end of the first term and the October Holidays! SensationALL has had a busy few months and there has been lots of activity in the Old Schoolhouse, including some renovations and makeover of some of our rooms and outdoor area. If you haven’t visited for a while remember we have stay-and-play sessions every second Sunday and a morning drop-in session on the first Tuesday of the month.

For now, let’s see the holiday events programme!

  • Monday 15 October

Inclusive Social Group with Schools Out! Club from 2pm to 4pm; come and try some Lego therapy techniques encouraging service users to work alongside their peers on a Lego project. There will be choices available with free play construction and other games including interactive online games on the Smart Board and is £5 per child and is suitable for MSN children and their siblings.

  • Tuesday 16 October

Inclusive Social Group with Schools Out! Club from 1.30pm to 3.30pm for a Fairy and Gremlin session, where you can get creative making pixie dust and gremlin goo! We will also have a go at making our own fairy garden, with pot planting and stone painting and try and find all the different Fairy and Gremlin homes at the bottom of the garden (where the Fairies live). Use your match cards to see if you have found them all and take part in the multi-sensory experience and see if you can hear the flutter of the fairy wings and the chatter of the gremlins as well as tasting magical themed snacks and is £5 per child, suitable for MSN children and their siblings.

  • Wednesday 17 October

Music Mayhem in the Old Schoolhouse from 6.30pm to 7.30pm! This is a drop-in session for all ages and abilities and is £4 per family.

  • Thursday 18 October

Sensory stations (10.30am to 11.30am) and free play (11.30am to 12.30pm). Our sensory station activity will involve a ‘have a go’ variety of sensory tools, including massagers, weighted blankets and music. Get involved with creating your own fidgets such as scented jewellery and stress balloons! We will also have the opportunity to use the soft play and sensory room. £5 for the session, suitable for MSN children and their siblings.

Musical Performance with Aberdeen musician and performing artist, Sam Stephen from 1.30pm to 2.30pm. Get involved with our accessible production, including interactive music with plenty of chances to sing, act, sign and dance! £5 per child.

Free Play session with the SensationALL team in the soft playroom and sensory room from 2.30pm to 3.30pm. £5 per child.

Booking is essential for all activities (except for Music Mayhem which is a drop-in sessions) and is possible via email or telephone 01223 746699. The SensationALL top-up cards are valid for the holiday sessions too. #SensationALL

SensationALL & Schools Out! inclusive partnerships

This year we are celebrating our fifth birthday! We have achieved so much since we registered our charity back in 2012, now employing six staff and working towards the Community Asset Transfer of the Old Schoolhouse in Westhill too. In 2017, SensationALL have also set-up an associated social enterprise business, Schools Out! Club, to provide a much needed out of school care provision in Westhill.

It’s early days for this start-up organisation, nicknamed SOC Westhill; and numbers are on the rise as more families in the area become aware of it’s existence. The Schools Out! club has access to two multi-purpose activity rooms, a small soft play area, outdoor play space and a wide range of resources; just some of the benefits of operating from the same Old Schoolhouse facility as the associated charity.

From this partnership, a joint monthly after-school social group has developed, including children with and without support needs. Children who already attend the Schools Out! club have the option to join the SensationALL Social Group, which runs the first Wednesday of every month between 4.30pm and 6pm. This Inclusive Social Group is for primary-school aged children and their siblings; and is a safe environment perfect for building friendships, learning new skills and having fun.  

Diane Forbes, the manager of Schools Out! club says: “the joint group provides opportunities for more peer contact, a wider range of activities, socialising and fun!”.

Suz Strachan, Operational and Service Lead for SensationALL, tells us that the monthly Social Group “completely reflects the inclusive ethos of SensationALL and all that we are trying to achieve and promote in the local Westhill community”.

Suz continues: “We offer our service users a safe environment to enjoy themselves and more importantly, to be themselves whilst benefitting from specialist support from the staff to optimise valuable opportunities to socialise with peers.”

The Social Group is a drop-off and drop-in session on the first Wednesday of every month in the Old Schoolhouse, Westhill between 4.30pm and 6pm. The group is for primary school aged children and their siblings, and is £4 / person including snacks and refreshments. Contact SensationALL to book your space at info@sensationall.org.uk.

The Schools Out! Club is open for children from Elrick and Westhill Primary school and is a before and after-school’s club. Contact Diane directly for more information socwesthill@gmail.com. #SensationALL #SOCWesthill