Sólás Charity

Sólás provides practical support and programmes for children and young people with additional needs. Its programmes fall into 2 main categories; (1) educational and (2) Personal Development.

Educational programmes include 'Back on Track' where our team of 60 retired teacher volunteers provide one on one support to children of primary age, at stage 1 or 2 on a school's Special Education Needs register. Over 45 schools across NI participate in this programme and over 400 children have been supported since this programme began. We also run a Kids Support Den at our premises in Belfast, several afternoons per week, where our student and retired teacher volunteers provide homework support to 40 local children with an additional learning need.

Our Personal Development programmes include After School Clubs for children with autism, aged between 4 and 11. One sessions are based at Donegall Pass CC and our premises at 284a Ormeau Road, Belfast. We also run a Saturday respite club for children with autism and we recently extended this to all-day Saturdays.

During July and August we run a 4 week summer scheme for children aged 4 to 11 with autism, providing play opportunities and trips Monday to Friday. We hold our annual Autism-friendly Family Fun day in South Belfast every September.

We run an Early Intervention programme for children aged 2 to 3 who have been identified as showing early signs of autism or an additional need.

We also run a youth club for young people with ASD every Tuesday and Friday evening during termtime. In 2018 this extends to Wednesday and Thursday also.

We provide respite and home support opportunities to many families in the Belfast council district, working with children in their home setting or taking them out into the community (cinema, cafe, bowling etc) to befriend and support them to cope better.

We are a small charity of around 12-15 regular staff along with bank staff and a large volunteering team, however our impact is huge and we are a lifeline for families in our local community who have come to rely on us greatly.