This month, we have a special Spotlight all about InterAct, one of our SEND Sensation partners. Read on to hear from this amazing organisation…
InterAct supports children and young people living with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as well as the families, carers and communities who support them. Passionate that children and young people and their families should be able to lead happy and fulfilling lives, InterAct developed community connections to share skills, talent and time so that young people with learning disabilities were able to enjoy inclusive social, leisure, learning and fun opportunities that combine to aid personal and social skills development through a range of clubs, trips and opportunities.
InterAct currently delivers weekly evening clubs that last around 2-3 hours depending upon the age range in Chelmsford, Colchester Clacton, Jaywick, and Maldon. They also run an after-school club, based at a special school in Colchester. All the clubs run during school term.
In addition to clubs, InterAct arranges school holiday activity days with organised trips to a wide range of locations across East Anglia, London and the South East, including overnight residential experiences.
Club sessions involve a range of activities and events all facilitated by our sessional youth workers to encourage the development of independent living skills coupled with personal and social skills. The young people themselves are empowered to plan, decide and arrange these sessions; with their voice certainly being listened to and acted upon to ensure the services on offer match their needs and aspirations. Club activities are varied each week and typically revolve around arts and crafts, sports, dance, cooking, workshops from visiting experts and local community members as well as age-appropriate trips out (sometimes using local public transport) to various locations. This may include shops, restaurants, bowling, cinema, Laser Tag, trampolining or recreational parks. There is also local, community-based, volunteering opportunities with various groups and organisations.
During the school holidays, InterAct runs day trips Tuesday – Friday, 09.00-17.00 hrs each week. They arrange pickup points with their transport in Clacton, Colchester, Chelmsford and Maldon. These trips are varied and go to locations across Essex, Suffolk, London and the South-East; to beaches, parks and heritage estates, country parks, tourist attractions and large-scale events.
Upcoming trips over the February half term include:
- 18th Feb: A day trip to Stubbers Adventure Centre
- 19th Feb: A day trip to Roald Dahl’s Museum
- 20th Feb: A day out at Code Ninja
- 21st Feb A day out enjoying mini golf, dance workshop and much more