Socially-distanced summer camp brings Israel to London
This summer we successfully ran a socially-distanced two-week summer scheme for 12-19-year olds with mild to moderate learning disabilities and autism – engaging over 70 young people through its activities.
With the support of UJIA, we were tasked with creating a fun and engaging programme around the theme of Israel. However, with the restrictions on large gatherings stemming from Covid-19, we had a huge challenge on our hands to enable a ‘physical’ scheme to take place.
Undeterred and to ensure the scheme was Covid-friendly, strict new rules were introduced.
Activities throughout the action-packed two weeks included:
- Israeli cooking with Master Chef Denise Phillips;
- Musical theatre session (as pictured below)
- Israeli dancing with international award-winning dance choreographer Ilai Szpiezak;
- a talk by former-IDF soldier Marc Goldberg who fought in the Second Intifada.
For many young people with learning disabilities, creating friendships can be a challenge, but with the specialist support of Langdon Brady Summer Scheme, young Jewish people with learning disabilities were able to make friends, take part in new activities and learn social and life skills.
For those members shielding or unable to take part in the physical scheme, the camp also implemented a virtual element by running activities online – from an interactive Hebrew workshop with Israeli actress Michal Banai to an Israeli-themed learn-to-draw workshop with cartoonist Paul Solomons. In addition, activity boxes – containing sand art, painting, quizzes and more – were created and distributed to the community, including schools.
Throughout the summer, over 70 individuals took part in Langdon Brady activities – the largest summer scheme we have ever run.
One parent said:
“Every year we struggle to find a camp for our son. He gets upset to see his siblings have fun at their perspective camps and finds it difficult to find a camp that interests him and caters for his needs. This year was a complete game changer where my wife and I were amazed by how excited he was to go every day. From aeronautical activities to crafts and baking, he just loved it. We are so grateful for this opportunity for him. It had such a wonderful, positive and uplifting impact on him.”
Daniel Sinclair, Youth Services Manager at Langdon, says “The Langdon Brady summer scheme 2020 was a huge success in fulfilling our mission of giving young people with learning disabilities and autism an opportunity to take part in a wide variety of activities, whilst allowing them to develop friendships, learn new skills and increase their confidence. It was hard work overcoming the restrictions imposed by Covid but the results were worth it.”
Langdon Brady is the young people’s branch of Jewish charity Langdon and provides social activities for young Jewish people with learning disabilities and autism. For more information about Langdon Brady please visit: www.langdonuk.org/services/langdon-brady or contact Daniel Sinclair, Youth Services Manager on 020 8731 1308 or email danielsinclair@langdonuk.org.