Buddies

The first Buddies satellite was launched in June 2004 at St. Wilfrid's School Youth Wing in Crawley, where our first group of 11 volunteers joined us. Our volunteer training programme is comprehensive and includes sessions about disability awareness, communication, equal opportunities, health & safety, child protection and confidentiality in addition to sessions on deaf awareness and basic sign language.

Suggestions for activities from the group have included everything from the everyday cinema and 10-pin bowling to events such as rock climbing and a day trip to London. The future is certainly looking exciting if not a little challenging, which is exactly how we envisaged the scheme, as the Buddies can choose and enjoy great opportunities that they may have never experienced before.

Having launched the Crawley scheme, another satellite for the Horsham area was launched in Spring 2005 and a third satellite for Mid-Sussex based in East Grinstead was launched at the end of the same year. The success of all three satellites demonstrates how essential this kind of scheme is for teenagers with a disability or additional needs so that they can enjoy local amenities and activities in their own leisure time with their own friendship group. Our young volunteers provide great enthusiasm and dedication in helping our Buddies to increase their social skills and self confidence.

For further information please contact Laura Fletcher and Sarah Scott.