Oldham Athletic Community Trust are delighted to announce a brand new project starting up in January 2015 aimed at offering sporting opportunities for young people with autism aged 12-16 years.
The project will be based at the newly revamped Futsal Arena in the middle of the town. The Futsal Arena offers the young people a facility which is vibrant, fun and safe to enjoy their sports in.
The project aims to give young people the opportunity to play sport once a week and make friends whilst parents and carers are free to take a break knowing that the Oldham Athletic Community Trust staff are on hand to run the session. Due to the unique layout of the Arena, parents and carers can informally view the session whilst socialising with other parents and carers.
Each week, over the course of the two hours, the OACT staff aim to interact with each young person individually as well as aiming to help participants make new friendships. Sport is a powerful aid in building relationships and through fun and interactive sessions the OACT team aim to build up a friendly and inclusive atmosphere every week.
Dale Harris, OACT Community Coach, said: "It can be difficult for young people with autism to join in with mainstream sporting activities. This project hopes to break down barriers and allow young people the chance to participate in regular sport in a non-judgemental environment. It is a project that I am passionate about and proud to be involved in."
The Take A Break Project is open to all young people with ASD aged between 12-16 years who live within the Greater Manchester region.
The session aims to run every Wednesday 6-8pm at a cost of only £2.
For more information on attending, or if you are interested in volunteering on the project, please email martin.vose@oldhamathletic.co.uk.