Talk About
Talk About
Talk About is a youth group for young people with Down’s syndrome aged from 11-19. These sessions currently run fortnightly. During these sessions there is an hour of communication-focused activities, run by our “Symbol” trained co-workers. This circle group model follows on from the speech and language groups for younger children.
These sessions focus on communication, relationships, community and identity, and provide opportunities to:
- Meet up with friends and make new friends
- Socialise and take part in fun activities with facilitation
- Talk about their lives in a safe environment
- Get support with speech and language skills, including speech production, vocabulary skills, and social skills
- Practice skills in making and maintaining relationships, assertion, and self-expression
Young people with Down’s syndrome are showing the world how much they can achieve given the right support. However, many still struggle with low expectations of what they can achieve. They commonly find it difficult to understand social situations and react appropriately, with the added pressure of puberty and relationships, they can really benefit from having a safe space with professionals who understand them, to learn these vital skills.
Using a syndrome specific approach our skilled staff can help the young people express themselves to the best of their ability, whilst facilitating appropriate social and behavioural responses to new social situations. The young people will explore their own identities and how they interact with the world around them.
How young people manage social situations, relationships and challenges is key in enabling them to access their communities and build meaningful relationships with those around them.
The Talk About youth group also take part in a variety of activities throughout the year. These include online baking sessions, ten pin bowling, paddle boarding, surfing and canoeing.
