Interest Link Borders is a charity based in the Scottish Borders. It received a £2,500 organisational grant in April 2023. This grant helped Interest Link achieve its aims to overcome the social isolation faced by 30 children and young people in Roxburghshire between the ages of 8 to 25 years who have learning disabilities and Autism by establishing one-to-one befriending and friendship groups.
Interest Link aimed to give these young people the same opportunities as their peers who do not have additional support needs and allow them to access personal development activities and experiences through the befriending service. The project also aimed to give the family and carers of the members much-needed respite.
Children and youth members met fortnightly in the evening at the Burnfoot Hub, Hawick, or Wild Woods outdoor centre. During these sessions members took part in a variety of activities.
The youth group also took part in Interest Link’s first two-night group trip to Amsterdam. The group travelled by ferry in partnership with Interest Link’s Central Borders branch.
“I’m much more confident to talk to now [...] because of the drama”
Participant
Other highlights included a performance of The Beauty and the Beast pantomime. Members performed in front of family and friends at the Heart of Hawick Theatre.
The Children’s Group also took part in exciting activities. An Outer Space project introduced the younger participants to space travel with an astronaut training checklist of physical fitness activities, an introduction to STEM subjects and a Robin Hood themed parents open evening – with mediaeval games!
There were also three in-school groups which met fortnightly enabling the project to reach members with higher support needs.
“Knowing your young person is safe and enjoying themselves gives the family peace of mind so that time can be spent chilling, shopping, visiting friends and relatives which can be tricky otherwise”
Parent of Participant