What we do on Saturdays.
For the last 15 weeks All Behaviour Consultancy has been supoorting Focus West London Saturday Club. Getting up on a Saturday morning to go to work after a full week supporting families, schools, adults in community based and residential based settings is tough.
Each week we wonder if we have the energy, if our brains will work, if we are going to be able to give our best to volunteers and children. As the children and parents enter, we remember the progress or indeed the challenges from the previous week. We recall the strategies that worked. We draw from our supervision meeting during the week and with enthusiasm look forward to trying new strategies.
Our team gets to work. Instantly we see and hear the joy in the children’s faces, we see and hear the gains that they make. We glimpse at the parents having protected time to talk to each other, have a hot (not lukewarm or cold) tea or coffee, get their laptops and phones out, chat about non Autism related things and each of these moments we draw energy and fulfilment.
With each moment we forget it’s a Saturday. The clock ticks and we wonder where the time is going and why its going so fast? We think of how much more time we need and how much more time the children need and indeed want! The sessions comes to an end. We are filled with the joy and the energy these beautiful children give us and with that we know we are deserving of a large glass of wine!
How you can support Focus West London.
Focus West London is a Saturday club for autistic children. Children learn vital play, social and language skills in a fun and child-centred environment. Every child is provided with a volunteer therapist trained in a highly effective behavioural intervention. Families also meet, support each other and have access to experts. The therapists that we train also benefit, not only from the training and experience gained from volunteering, but through job opportunities arising with the families that use the Club.
We hope from reading this you can see that Focus West London is an important service but it costs money. Focus West London is fundraising to make sure they can continue supporting these wonderful children with Autism, who are so full of potential. If you’re reading this and thinking “What a great project!” Please spare a pound or two, please take a minute to click this link and give to one of our fundraisers. Anoushka is pledging to give up screens and connected devices in exchange for sponsorship. We can assure you, from first hand experience, it will be worth your time and money.