Sam- My journey with Leeds Mencap
Sam is 20 years old and currently attends Friday Club where he is reconnecting with friends he made when he was younger.
Sam first started attending our Junior Youth Club at age 9 when it was held at Londesboro Terrace. He went on to attend playscheme until the age of 18, always enjoying his time with us, going on trips and accessing lots of different activities.
Playscheme enabled Sam to have friends close by who understood his needs and accepted him for who he is. He made close bonds with two other young people, always asking whether they were attending when he came to playscheme. Staying with them through the different age groups helped ease his anxiety, as he knew there would be familiar faces at playscheme alongside the staff.
As he moved into the older age groups, staff were able to arrange for these young people to attend on the same days as Sam, which always enhanced his enjoyment and social opportunities. These young people acted as a bridge for Sam; by naturally modelling positive interactions, they helped him connect with others and widen his social circle at playscheme.
Sam's friends would often ask after him if he wasn't there on the same day, and they would check in on him if he was having a difficult moment. These friendships always helped Sam ease back into the main group.
Sam loved going on trips and exploring new places with his friends, such as Stockeld Park. He even helped guide the group around by holding his toothbrush aloft for everyone to follow!
Over his time with us, Sam took part in a wide variety of trips and activities, which gave him fantastic opportunities to experience the wider community. He has also joined in on events at Leeds Mencap with his family, including family fun days and visiting Santa.
Reflecting on Sam’s journey and his recent return to Friday Club, his mum shared:
“You’ve been a lifeline of support for all of us. Sam’s really enjoyed coming back and being with his old friends, he never forgot them and spoke about them often.”
