S-Club Sessions in Maidstone provide welcoming social groups for young people with Down's syndrome, aimed at supporting independence, communication and friendship. The club is split into three integrated strands: smiLE therapy, skills sessions and social time, giving participants a mix of therapy-led learning and practical, age-appropriate social opportunities. S-Club is suitable for young people aged from their early teens to early twenties and is designed to reduce isolation while building confidence.
The smiLE therapy strand focuses on communication, helping young people become actively responsible for their own learning, preventing or repairing communication breakdowns, and using a hierarchy of strategies to get messages across clearly. Sessions also teach ways to clarify information, work respectfully with peers and practise socially appropriate behaviours such as greetings and waiting your turn. The skills sessions are PSHE-focussed and curriculum-led by a specialist Education Lead, covering friendships, relationships, bodies and appropriate behaviour through fun, practical activities.
Social sessions give young people time to hang out, practise new skills and make friends in a supportive environment. S-Club runs in blocks of 10 consecutive Saturdays with a typical day running 10:00 to 15:30, and group session times are emailed individually. Sessions take place at Maidstone Community Support Centre on Marsham Street, Maidstone ME14 1HH. These weekly blocks offer a structured, friendly way for young people with Down's syndrome to learn, connect and grow.
