This projector will provide opportunities for sensory play and relaxation for autistic, neuro divergent and children with disabilities. Loaded with 300 games which promote social interaction and team games, the projector will also ease transition in and out of the centre for children who can find this difficult.
Description
Local Priority:
- Improving local facilities to allow for more social, learning and creative activities
- Improving local playparks and greenspaces
Since 1986, The Yard has supported thousands of disabled children and families through inclusive play and family support, guided by the belief that disabled children deserve equal opportunities to build confidence, make friends, learn new skills, develop their independence, and most importantly, have fun.
We are currently renovating our Mid Craigie support centre to accommodate the growing number of families that are approaching us for support. Approximately 37% of our current members in Dundee live in the East End in deprived areas like Linlathen and Mid Craigie, where 20% of young people aged 0-15 have a long-term health condition or disability (Census 2022). This represents a significant intersection between disability and poverty, and a real need for low-cost support services likes ours that blend whole family wellbeing support with accessible play activities. This renovation will improve access to a much-loved local play space through more fit-for-purpose facilities and the introduction of new services running throughout the week. In addition to the social, learning and creative activities that disabled children will be able to access through play, parents and carers will also benefit. Through on-site family support activities, such as peer support groups, educational workshops, a community larder and more, they can meet and learn from others in similar situations, discover creative new ways to support their child, build confidence, and feel less isolated. Through this development, we hope to go from supporting 337 families per annum to approximately 500 by the end of 2026.
Funding from the Dundee Neighbourhood Capital Fund would fully fund the purchase of a portable interactive floor projector, for flexible sensory play around the centre. Sensory play is popular among all who attend The Yard, and it has been recognised as a vital component of childhood development. However, it is particularly beneficial for the many children who visit The Yard who are autistic and/or have sensory processing difficulties. This floor projector will provide opportunities for sensory play and relaxation outwith our dedicated sensory room, making the benefits of sensory play more accessible to all. It is pre-loaded with 300 interactive games and activities, including team games that promote social interaction. Moreover, as transitions can also be difficult for many autistic and other neurodivergent children, a portable floor projector would also be used to ease transitions in and out of the centre by giving them something fun to focus on as they arrive and leave.
We have delivered services in Dundee since 2015, after local families told us that there were few accessible leisure and social activities for their disabled child within their area. Since then, we have established our service and reputation, building partnerships with other local organisations, both in the East End and across Dundee more broadly. For example, we are integrated into the Linlathen Fairness Initiative, a Scottish Government funded pathfinder project aimed at reducing poverty in Linlathen.
The renovation of our Mid Craigie centre follows an extensive consultation period, which started back in 2017 with the commissioning several independent evaluation reports, with one report focusing specifically on how we could better meet the needs of the local community. Within this report, consultants interviewed 13 parents and carers and 17 external stakeholders (public and third sector professionals), and delivered a workshop with 10 pupils with additional support needs from Kingspark School, in order to identify our priorities for service expansion and the design of the new centre. Through this process, they identified that “families want a bigger, more extensive service that would continue the non-judgemental and empowering environment while opening up to a more diverse range of children.”
More recent conversations with families using our Dundee service revealed that transitions between activities were a common challenge for many children. We carried out some research into resources we could use to help families with these transitions and found that a portable floor projector could be a good solution. Upon discovering that these projectors often include a wide range of interactive games, that could encourage our families to connect with one another through shared play and teamwork, we decided that it would be an invaluable addition to our new space.
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