An afternoon of activities entirely conceived, organised and run by four teenagers with learning disabilities took place on Tuesday 8 August at The Leonard Sainer Centre in Redbridge. The teenagers, who are the four members of Norwood’s recently-formed Young People’s Focus Group , laid on a range of activities for their peers, who included Norwood service users from London and Berkshire. As well as participating in music, sport and art sessions, the service users watched with delight as the local fire brigade gave a demonstration and offered them the chance to have a go at using some of the equipment.
The Young People’s Focus Group was formed earlier this year in order to bring together young people from a range of Norwood services, giving them a platform to air their views and also enabling them to take charge of organising events for their fellow service users. The four group members are Robyn (16) and Lauren (16) who both attend Unity, Norwood’s recreation service for children with disabilities, Daryll (13) who spends time at Buckets and Spades Lodge, Norwood’s respite care facility, and James (18) who lives at Ravenswood Village, a residential community in Berkshire run by Norwood, and attends Norwood’s Annie Lawson School, which provides special education services for pupils with learning disabilities.
Their first event was attended by 48 service users from Unity, Buckets and Spades and the Annie Lawson School. Speaking at the end of the day, James said : “I liked the event, it was very good. My best bit was the seeing the fire engine.”
Sonia Muscovitch, Development Manager for Norwood’s services in Hackney and Redbridge , was delighted with the success of the event. She said: “ The Focus Group members worked very hard to ensure that their peers had a good time and judging by all the smiling faces, they certainly achieved their aim.”
For further information please contact David Wosner, Public Relations Officer at Norwood on 020 8420 6942 or email david.wosner@norwood.org.uk
