Leisure Projects

One of the primary aims of Guideposts’ work in Hertfordshire is to enable individuals with learning difficulties to broaden their horizons. All too often however their world is limited not through their own choice but through the lack of support and opportunity that is available to them.

The delivery of services that meet individuals’ needs however requires the input of the individuals themselves to express their own preferences about what they would like. A survey of people with learning difficulties was commissioned by the Locality Planning Team in the Welwyn and Hatfield area, with the aim of finding out what social activities they took part in and what barriers existed to stop them fro doing what they wanted.

A group of local voluntary and statutory organisations, plus four volunteers who have learning difficulties, came together to conduct the survey so that local needs could be assessed.

The findings clearly indicated that social isolation and difficulty in accessing social and community activities are major issues for people with learning difficulties. The result was that the group decided to set up the Welwyn and Hatfield Leisure Project, and Guideposts successfully fundraised to set up and run this project.

The aim has been to provide the support and transport necessary for small groups of people with learning difficulties to take part in community social activities of their choice, creating new friendship groups and community presence in diverse leisure pursuits such as badminton clubs and swimming clubs.

There have been regular monitoring meetings of the leisure project by the service users themselves. The success of the project has led to a new leisure project being set up to work with people in the East Hertfordshire and Broxbourne area. Both of the leisure projects complement the work of the Community Activity Scheme and the Friendship Scheme.

For further information on our Leisure Projects please contact us at:

Guideposts Trust
Learning Disability Services
3-5 Cross Street
Ware
Hertfordshire
SG12 7AH
Tel 01920 484946
Fax 01920 469618
E-mail: guideposts.ware@guidepoststrust.org.uk