The Big Meet Up- Valentine Special
Background:
The Big Meet Up’s are designed to bring families together for support, connection, and fun. We offer termly events for young people, with a range of activities. From arts and crafts to sports, providing opportunities for children to explore their interests and develop new skills in a supportive and inclusive environment.
This Big Meet Up revolved around Valentine’s Day. We created this theme to promote love and positivity.
Our Activities:
We had a Valentine’s box-making activity, which they could give to a loved one of their choice, to encourage creativity. We also held a Valentine’s card making activity. These areas were well received by the attendees who enjoyed being creative and doing something different.
Football was another popular area at The Big Meet Up. The football zone provided a space for friendly competition and teamwork. We’ve found that playing football is a great way to burn off some energy and connect with others.
At SPW we recognise that the Big Meet Ups may be overwhelming to some individuals. Therefore, we always offer a sensory area filled with gadgets and sensory toys that can be used to calm and relax the young people. We also brought in Cody, the therapy dog, who provided a comforting and calming presence for people who needed it.
In the Loom-bands activity area, the young people were eager to create bracelets and keychains that they could either keep for themselves or give as presents to their friends.
We also had a board game table to provide an entertaining escape for families, which was well received.
Feedback:
At SPW we understand the importance of feedback and co-production. Therefore, we created three co-production questions for the young people to answer. These were:
What do you love?
How do you show people that you love them?
What do others do to make you feel loved?
We received some great feedback from the young people. Many expressed their love for their families, friends, and pets.
We also retrieved some quotes from parents and young people about the Big Meet Up:
“Ah I love this; I’ve just moved house with my daughter so feels like such a luxury to leave the house and do something nice and to unwind rather than lots of jobs and chaos”
“I enjoy teaching people how to make loom bands”
“The son came for the football”
“I’m going to make this Loomband bracelet for my friend”
“I want to make a Valentines box for my mummy”
“I can’t wait to do this again; will you be here next time?”
Looking Ahead and Next Events:
The Big Meet Up’s are always a success. We enjoy creating a safe environment for families to come together and have some fun.
The next Big Meet Up will be on the 7th April at Insole Court, Cardiff!
We hope to see you there!