Mini Spec, Spectrum and Oasis are our youth clubs for children and young people who have an autism diagnosis and attend mainstream education. The groups are suitable for children in year 4 all the way up to year 13 so there's plenty of room to grow with them! 

Mini Spec:

Mini Spec is a youth club for children who are in years 4-6. Attendees will have an autism diagnosis and attend a mainstream school. This club aims to increase social interactions while having fun. It is a great place to blow off steam after a long day at school and there are lots of opportunities to work on independence with the tuck shop.

Recently we have worked on baking skills and tried different cooking activities, which was a new experience for lots of the children. We also had fun setting up and completing an obstacle course. We have practiced patience by playing games such as bingo, but members have also gained the confidence to shape the sessions themselves and got everyone playing 'Simon says'. You can also guarantee there will be at least one game of tag each week! The group has really grown over the past few months and it's been wonderful to see lots of friendships forming.

Spectrum:

Spectrum is a youth club for children in years 7-9. Attendees will have an autism diagnosis and attend a mainstream school. Spectrum aims to provide a secure environment to develop socialisation skills and explore having a bit of independence. We run different activities to encourage interaction with staff and between peers, this may include board games, competitions and baking together. 

With lots of new children joining Spectrum recently, it's been great to see older members taking the new members under their wing. The group have found confidence with each other and this has meant they've been able to choose the games they want to play. We've been running lots of small competitions which has proved popular (especially with the winners). Sessions often end up with games in the garden and are always full of laughter.

Oasis:

Oasis is a youth club for young people in years 10-13. Attendees will have an autism diagnosis and attend a mainstream education setting. Oasis aims to provide the opportunity for socialisation and independence in a secure environment. It provides young people a break from the stress of education and is somewhere they can feel comfortable talking about any emotions they may be feeling. We provide structured activities but also like to encourage the group to make their own decisions about how they would like to spend their time. Staff are there to work with attendees on key life skills and preparing for adulthood. 

We've been having lots of fun and playing plenty of games recently at Oasis, we've particularly been enjoying quizzes and board games. We've been trying new things, such as baking, and building the confidence to tackle recipes independently. The group have grown in confidence and are now great at shaping the sessions in a way that suits them. Oasis is a relaxed club and the young people who attend love socialising, chatting and playing games. 

Find out more about respite at Swings & Smiles