Gateway Award

Gateway is a social and recreational skills club for adults with learning disabilities giving participants a nationally recognised award that rewards achievement and personal development. Participants gain confidence, are challenged, learn important life skills, and gain new interests through workshops about lifestyle, healthy eating, fitness, hobbies, health & safety, first aid, volunteering and adventure challenge. Individuals must complete 20 hours of each module to obtain the Bronze Award.

Why they need our service

The emphasis is on learning new skills, as one participant said of his volunteering experience, "I would of been too scared to work in a cafe, but because I had to volunteer it gave me more confidence to ask, and I'm surprised because I'm really enjoying it now". Sometimes the skills learnt result in really positive lifestyle changes, "next time when I choose between two meals when I'm shopping I can look at the GDA label to see which has more fat in it".

Plan and expected results

Participation is a great way of encouraging less confident people to experience success in areas where they have preconceptions of failure or fear, achieve an award, and at the same time learn new life skills, gain confidence, make friends, and have fun. Our plan is to increase class size by two more people if we get sufficient funding, and even to expand to two sessions a week to cater for the different levels of ability within some of the workshops.

Latest activities and projects

Kirsty's Krafts

This is a popular arts and crafts social group that meetings once a week on a Tuesday morning. Learning-disabled adults get together to make gifts, cards and seasonal items whilst having a coffee and a chat, whilst fully supported in their activity by a support worker and volunteers. read more

Paul's Karaoke

Paul's Karaoke is a group that does what it says on the tin! Adults with a learning disability meet twice a month to sing karaoke in a safe and supportive environment. read more

Gateway Award

Gateway is a social and recreational skills club for adults with learning disabilities giving participants a nationally recognised award that rewards achievement and personal development. Participants gain confidence, are challenged, learn important life skills, and gain new interests through workshops about lifestyle, healthy eating, fitness, hobbies, health & safety, first aid, volunteering and adventure challenge. Individuals must complete 20 hours of each module to obtain the Bronze Award. read more

Childrens' Activity Group

Arts and crafts are an integral part of the club as children of all abilities can contribute and get pleasure from these activities. The club also offers activities such as games and drama and occasional outdoor activities that are tailored to the very different needs of the participants. read more