SCOTLAND’S newest charity has been founded to provide summer breaks for young people with learning disabilities from next year.
Called SuperTroop, the charity has been co-founded by staff members at Edinburgh University in order to “provide magical new experiences and opportunities for independence for children and young people with disabilities.”
The charity will be offering specialist holidays at a range of locations across Scotland, and currently SuperTroop is working to recruit members to the organisation, as well as finishing the process of registering with the Care Inspectorate, and raising funds.
SuperTroop stated: “Our holiday managers are developing policy and procedure and in autumn 2017 we will start identifying potential holiday-makers from the local community. In particular, we will develop suitable training models for volunteers and recruit experienced and qualified ‘senior helper’ and ‘group leader’ teams to support the pupil helpers.”
Board chairman Max Boyd-Brown said: “Thanks to the combined expertise of our volunteer managers, we have a unique opportunity to make a new and valuable contribution to the local Edinburgh and Lothians community in providing specialist holidays for young people who don’t often get a chance to go away without their families”
The organisation’s first trip will take place in summer 2018. Through a partnership with Fettes College in Edinburgh, 16 young people will spend a week at the school’s Dalmeny boarding house in July next year.
SuperTroop say they will recruit a team of young, enthusiastic volunteers who will work one-to-one with the holidaymakers. Volunteers will be drawn from pupils attending Fettes College.
They will be supported by an experienced group leader and senior team to provide care for the young people on holiday.
SuperTroop’s long-term plan is to expand its activities across Scotland. The charity aims to provide breaks in other locations with specific resources, such as giving young people from urban centres a chance to visit the Scottish Highlands.
The charity was established by Dr Sue Fletcher-Watson of the University’s Patrick Wild Centre, which carries out research into autism, fragile X syndrome and intellectual disabilities.
SuperTroop’s other cofounders include James Boardman and Laura Butterworth of the University’s College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.
Dr Fletcher-Watson said: “Although I love my work as an autism researcher, it can be agonising sometimes seeing how far removed our academic focus is from the day-to-day challenges of families. SuperTroop is a chance to use my knowledge and skills to help people right here, right now.”
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