Felix came along to a Cahoots camp these school holidays, as well as attending our social recreation program. He is a young man who faces exceptional challenges but has an amazing imagination. These school holidays he joined us as we did science experiments, painted sneakers, went to bounce and the best part was that he got to hang out with his camp friends for 5 whole days in a row.
His Mum says that, “Felix is so resistant to go out generally but when he is in a group and interacts with people similar to him he gets involved in new activities. He is in a mainstream school but doesn’t have friends because he can’t make a proper relationship, but in Cahoots he can find peers, people who don’t judge. Without camp, he has no experiences exercise and no interactions.
I definitely recommend getting involved in Cahoots. Some kids on spectrum might find it challenging, but I recommend it because it provides new experiences for the participant and respite for the parents. It also gives the child an extension and the chance to interact with children who are similar.
If you are considering supporting Cahoots financially or using their services, I suggest that you do. I have NDIS funding and am self-managed, but I think it’s important for those who don’t have NDIS funding and need it for their child are able to build relationships and to become more independent from their parents. Sometimes the parents do too much for their kids, but the volunteers at Cahoots volunteers give them space to help the kids step out of their comfort zone. They can’t stay at home forever. Sometimes they need to be away from parents to establish independent relationships with support, which is the most important thing.“
