PROGRAMMES & TESTIMONIALS
Inclusive Hub Weekend Session and Evening Hub Club:
On average we have over 70 people each weekend taking part in enjoyment-based boxing, exercise and social games. The participants all have some form of additional need such as: Down’s Syndrome, Autism, wheelchair users, hearing/visual impairment and can be experiencing social isolation. The ‘Hub Club’ is an extension of the weekend sessions and includes: refreshments, games and further 1-2-1 mentoring. This session also allows parents to discuss similar challenges and share best practice for dealing with young people with complex needs.
Impact: Development of personal skills and social inclusion. Feedback from parents recognises increased self-confidence, increased fitness and mental well-being of the young people who are attending. We have now increased provision for wheelchair users to ensure they are fully involved in the sessions. These sessions also provide respite and support for parents.
The majority of the young people attending Hub Club have never been to an evening Youth Club before. The format is more relaxed than the weekend sessions and allows them to develop social skills and personal interaction.
Weekday Sessions:
Our weekday sessions are focused on working with a variety of groups including: Mainstream and SEND schools, refugees (via schools), adult day care, supported living and 1-2-1 sessions for people with physical and complex needs. We offer bespoke packages of activities to each of these groups to improve social, emotional and mental health needs. These sessions can also result in work placements and further educational courses (on site) as well as signposting to other like-minded activities or education.
Impact: Social inclusion and mental well-being. Improved fitness and mobility. The ripple effect of this is a calmer home environment. Parents and carers report that the Hub sessions are crucial to the well-being of those who attend.
Lxxxx is going through a terribly anxious phase Liam. All of his team members who have been supporting him for almost 5 years and who are basically as close as family have resigned from the company. He is lost, scared and sad and protesting strongly, daily incidents reported pretty much. I hope he has been calmer at The Inclusive Hub but thought you all should be aware. I pray he’s OK at The Hub because if he lost that I don’t know what would happen.
C.H.O.I.C.E. Project (Offered to schools)
The C.H.O.I.C.E. project is a 10 week programme of mentoring, fitness and support which allows us to work with pupils in mainstream education who perhaps need help with building self-confidence or engaging with physical fitness and improving well-being; including post Covid issues and concerns. This also includes working with the schools to try and motivate pupils with poor attendance or those who are disaffected with school, or who are struggling with their behaviour in school to re-engage with their education.
Impact: Teachers report that behaviour and engagement with school has improved. Incidences of disruptive behaviour in lessons have lowered – so other pupils can get on with their work. The pupils report that they are really enjoying the sessions and look forward to coming. Pupils are sharing their difficulties in school with Hub coaches who are also acting in a mentors – in many cases the boys do not have a positive male role model in their life and are only exposed to toxic masculinity.
‘This is the best thing I have done after school ever; I love it’ Dxxx year 7
‘I make sure I am in school on Wednesdays so I can come to The Hub’ Jxxx year 8
‘My mum is made up I am coming here’ Mxxx year 7
‘Empowering Girls’ Project:
We have developed a seven week programme working with schools to identify young people, particularly girls, who are at risk of criminal exploitation and engaging with behaviour that can leave them vulnerable to various forms of exploitation. We are very aware that there is a lot of money and external agency support put into preventing boys and young men from getting involved in gang culture and criminal exploitation; but we are not aware of targeted intervention to support vulnerable girls – who are all too frequently the victims of grooming and other forms of criminal exploitation. These girls are frequently disengaged with school and education and we look to work with the school to identify particular areas that we can focus on.
We received funding to run a seven week ‘Empowering Girls’ project from September 2022. We worked with 36 vulnerable girls across three local schools.
Post funding we have continued to offer this programme and are currently involved with two local secondary schools.
Impact: The reports from pupils, parents and staff are all positive. Every school that we have approached has stated that there is a real need for this work with their girls; more so in the current social media climate of Andrew Tate etc. With the extra weeks of the project we have built in more opportunity for discussion and to educate the girls to make better informed lifestyle choices as they move into the adult world.
One Year 11 cohort put together a ‘staff thank you’ at the end of the Easter term to say thank you to their teachers for all the support they had given them over their five years in school. They arranged the whole event and the feedback from teachers was that it was the highlight of their year. The girls were really nervous about it but stepped up to the challenge and made it a real success; even giving thank you speeches. The headteacher said that never in a million years would she have ever believed that this group of ‘challenging’ girls could have done something so special.
‘I never want these sessions to end; I have learnt so much and can see how easy it is to get caught up in all kinds of trouble’ Year 10
‘I was so scared about giving a speech and wanted to run away but you all gave me the confidence to get up in front of the whole school staff and say thank you (and I have been an absolute pain for 5 years!). I felt boss afterwards.
L year 11
‘I never used to come in on Mondays but now I do because I love our sessions and I am so much more confident.’
G year 10
Dr. Referral sessions:
We hold well-being and individual fitness sessions every weekday morning 8 a.m. – 11.a.m. The participants have been signposted to us as a matter of urgency to improve their physical and mental health. Some issues include: Parkinson’s Disease, spinal injuries, post-covid isolation, cardiac issues, weight problems and bereavement support. The aim is to provide a place where people can feel comfortable and confident to exercise, meet new friends and we offer volunteering opportunities.
Impact: ‘If I didn’t come to The Inclusive Hub I would be back to sitting in the house, depressed and not taking care of my fitness. I used to be a very heavy smoker and have recently had a triple heart by-pass, three years ago I had a stroke. I have a severely damaged ankle joint, following an accident and I also suffer with anxiety and depression. I have never been to a ‘normal gym’ and would not have the confidence to do so; I find the idea of them very intimidating.
The Inclusive Hub has made a huge difference to my fitness and general well-being: I really look forward to coming. This gives me something to get up in the morning for and I really enjoy the company of the other people there, everyone is so friendly and welcoming. We have a good laugh, and I can see a definite improvement in my fitness. For the first time in my life, I feel motivated to get out and keep fit and healthy. I attend The Inclusive Hub three times a week and I never thought I would still be doing this six months after first coming. I find the social aspect of The Inclusive Hub as important as the fitness; it is great to have this to look forward to every week.
If The Inclusive Hub sessions stopped, I wouldn’t go to another gym, I haven’t got the confidence to do that, or the motivation. My physical health would definitely deteriorate as would my mental health as my anxiety would increase which would lead to further depression. One of the best decisions I have made was to come to The Inclusive Hub.’
Women’s Group:
We have completed two ‘Women’s Turnaround’ projects, working with socially isolated women, vulnerable women and ex-offenders; using fitness and group support to give these women the confidence to regain their self-worth. The majority of attendees have since gone on to either employment, further and higher education or other training courses.
We have continued to host the Women’s Group as at the official end of the ‘Women’s Turnaround’ the participants asked that we could continue to meet. We offer a safe space for women who have experienced domestic violence, substance abuse, sexual abuse or who feel isolated and lack the confidence to join mainstream programmes. We have a range of expertise available and have delivered a variety of sessions e.g. nutrition and cooking on a budget, supporting children with Autism and ADHD, Personal well-being and mindfulness, yoga, jewellery making etc. We can signpost people to support groups and welfare charities and are looking to offer a weekly evening session.
Impact: A core group who meet every week and see this as their support network; real friendships have grown from the group. Several people have taken up training courses and have moved onto full and part-time employment. People have improved their personal fitness and made positive changes to their lifestyles. We have supported people returning from life-changing surgery, from a physical and mental well-being perspective.
School Holiday Activity Programme:
We have delivered 16 HAF (Healthy Activity & Food) school holiday activity camps – four of which have included distribution of food hampers. We put together a programme of exercise, education and enrichment and are developing a community element. Since being in the Thornton Rd. premises we have primarily targeted children with SEND to take part. This programme is fully evaluated and reports sent to Sefton Council and Liverpool City Council.
Impact: We have provided over 1000 meals over the HAF events so far. We are also supplementing the funded provision to give meals to the parents as well as the eligible children. This year we also provided 25 Christmas dinners for families in need. We have built partnerships with local providers e.g. Gateway Collective, to introduce the children and parents to activities and resources that they might not have encountered e.g. gardening, cooking, story-telling workshops etc.
Violence Reduction Programme:
We have delivered three 12 week after school Violence Reduction Programmes which was in collaboration with Merseyside Police, Fire & Rescue Service and Shelter. This programme has helped us to sponsor a local football team, provide clothing/sportswear kit, reward meals out, education and training courses and life skills courses. There are also opportunities for work experience.
Impact: Behaviour across the football team has improved and incidences of violence are now non-existent. There is a real camaraderie across the group and the training sessions have been widened to allow some of our older Inclusive Hub weekend boys to attend; which has done wonders for their confidence and self-esteem. Some of the boys have now enrolled on college courses and others have returned to 6th form school provision.
Parent Support Group:
Being the parent of a child/young person with additional needs can be very challenging, and sometimes over-whelming. We recognise that our parents at The Inclusive Hub are the absolute experts at navigating the complicated and overly bureaucratic systems that allow them to access the correct education, benefits, healthcare etc. for their child. We also recognise that during the weekend Hub sessions there is not always the opportunity for parents to meet and talk about issues and challenges, and so get practical support. We have put in place a Hub parent meeting, once a month, to provide a space for parents to meet informally and talk to each other over a cup of tea and to create that much needed support network.
If any parents want to use the gym facilities, they welcome to do this before the session starts.
Impact: Reduced social isolation and practical, hands on support.
‘When my son was diagnosed with autism, 19 years ago, we were more or less told, ‘he has autism, read this leaflet’. We have had to fight every step of the way to try and get the support for him to try and give him the best life possible. You feel incredibly isolated and as though you are the only people going through this. I only wish we had had something like this support group back then. Unless you have lived this experience you have no idea of how hard every day is. If I can give something back to the group that makes someone else’s life a bit easier, then I am happy.’
‘Having this group has made a real difference to our lives. I am a single parent with two autistic children and it is tough; you feel so lonely. Being able to come here and talk with other parents who are going through the same issues has really helped.’
‘I have got lots of friends but their kids don’t have any additional needs so they don’t understand what it is like – no two days are the same and sometimes I have just had enough. I have met people in the Hub who I can ring and talk to who know exactly what I am going through – that is so important to me.’
Work Experience:
We use fully trained professional coaches to deliver our sessions and all are DBS checked and experienced in working with people of all needs and abilities. We have experience in working with young people with ASD and other neurodivergent conditions, and recognise the individual approaches needed to build trust and effective relationships. Our staff have had training from Henshaws in working with visually impaired people, up to date Prevent training, Mental Health First Aid, Youth Leader Level 1 & 2, Safeguarding and have completed Food Hygiene training to allow us the deliver the HAF programme.
Impact: Allows the young people, who have been in Special Education for most of their school life, to take steps to a more independent life in the adult world. Our first placement, James, is now at the end of a two year FE course at a local college and is getting paid work from the Inclusive Hub as a coach. He is about to start his Level 1 England Boxing coaching training and he also supports the other young people who are on Work Experience with us. The parents of the three boys currently on placement are relieved that they can come to the Hub as they are confident that they will be properly looked after, and supported, by people who understand the needs and challenges for people with autism. The young people themselves report that they love coming to work on a Wednesday and that they look forward to it. They are part of our team.
We use fully trained professional coaches to deliver our sessions and all are DBS checked and experienced in working with people of all needs and abilities. We have experience in working with young people with ASD and other neurodivergent conditions, and recognise the individual approaches needed to build trust and effective relationships. Our staff have had training from Henshaws in working with visually impaired people, up to date Prevent training, Mental Health First Aid, Youth Leader Level 1 & 2, Safeguarding and have completed Food Hygiene training to allow us the deliver the HAF programme.
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