Catterick Hub

Peer Support Groups
Sensory Explorers - YouthAbility - YouthAbility Young Leaders
SEND Guidance and Support
Drop in sessions - EHCAR and EHCP support - Tribunal support - 1:1 individual support - Sensory support
Inclusive Activities
Arts & Crafts - STEM - Sports - Games
Hands-on Skill Building
Cooking - Life Skills - Social Skills - Communication Support
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About
**Alternative text:** A group of children and adults sitting together in a military museum gallery, looking at and touching a soft item being shown by a staff member. Historic uniforms, medals, portraits and display cabinets are visible in the background.

our social groups in Catterick

Children and young people attending the Catterick groups take part in a wide range of inclusive, neuro-affirming activities, including:

  • Arts and crafts, such as painting, drawing, model-making, collage, colouring, weaving and themed creative projects.

  • STEM activities, such as experiments, volcano-making, building challenges, sensory science, problem-solving tasks and hands-on discovery activities.

  • Cooking and food preparation, including chopping, mixing, decorating biscuits, making simple meals and learning kitchen safety.

  • Sports and physical activities, including football, games, team challenges, movement activities and active play.

  • Gaming and technology activities, including shared video games, turn-taking, teamwork and digital play.

  • Sensory activities, including sensory tubes, textures, messy play, calming resources and regulation-based activities.

  • Social games and group activities that support communication, friendship-building and confidence.

  • Life skills activities, including independence skills, teamwork, planning, responsibility and learning everyday practical tasks.

  • YouthAbility Young Leaders activities, where young people help shape sessions, support younger members and develop leadership skills.

  • Day trips out into the community, helping children and young people access new places, build confidence and enjoy shared experiences.

  • Museum and learning visits, including opportunities to explore history, local heritage and military-themed activities.

  • Outdoor activities, including group projects, field games, nature-based activities and outdoor exploration.

  • Wellbeing activities, including emotional regulation, confidence-building, peer support and calm reflection.

  • Seasonal and themed sessions, such as Remembrance activities, celebrations, parties and community events.

  • Creative group projects, such as building displays, making decorations and working together on larger shared pieces.

  • Social time where children and young people can relax, talk, play, observe or take part in a way that feels comfortable for them.

Sensory Explorers

from 4 – 10 years old at the Risedale Youth Centre, Catterick Garrison, DL9 4BD

The session includes:

  • Independent and small-group activities that encourage investigation, exploration, and discovery
  • Learning approaches that adapt to each child and incorporate their strengths and interests
  • Activities that support creative expression, literacy, music, and more
  • Confidence-building opportunities to solve problems and make decisions
  • STEM learning that encourages future-forward skills
  • Exploring food and cooking skills
**Alternative text:** Colourful “Sensory Explorers” logo with large playful letters in yellow, pink, green and blue. A small brain icon, decorative lines, stars and a rainbow-coloured splash design appear around the text on a white background.
**Alternative text:** Colourful “Youth Ability” logo on a white background, with bold playful lettering in blue, pink, purple, green and yellow. A small multicoloured brain icon appears between the words, with a yellow dot to the left of the text.
**Alternative text:** Graphic logo on a white background showing the colourful “Youth Ability” logo with a small multicoloured brain icon, and the words “YOUNG LEADERS” underneath in large red capital letters.

YouthAbility and YouthAbility Young Leaders

YouthAbility: 10 – 16 years

YouthAbility Young Leaders: 14 – 25 years

A neuro-affirming group session for children and young people. The group provides a safe, inclusive and welcoming space where young people can build confidence, develop friendships, take part in creative activities and feel accepted for who they are.

Sessions are designed to support neurodivergent and disabled young people, as well as those who may experience anxiety, social communication differences, sensory needs or barriers to accessing mainstream activities. Activities may include arts and crafts, cooking, games, sensory exploration, wellbeing activities, social time, life skills, teamwork tasks and themed projects.

YouthAbility focuses on reducing isolation, supporting emotional wellbeing and helping young people develop independence at their own pace. The group is flexible, low-pressure and person-centred, with staff and volunteers adapting activities to meet individual needs. Young people are encouraged to take part in a way that feels comfortable for them, whether that means joining in fully, observing first, taking breaks or using alternative communication.

The aim of YouthAbility is to create a space where young people feel they belong, are listened to, and can enjoy positive experiences within their local community.

YouthAbility Young Leaders is a progression opportunity for young people who want to build confidence, leadership skills and a stronger voice within their community. The group supports young people to develop skills such as teamwork, communication, decision-making, problem-solving, responsibility and peer support.

Young Leaders may help shape YouthAbility sessions, suggest activities, support younger members, assist with setting up resources, contribute to group discussions and take part in community projects. The programme gives young people the chance to be seen as capable, valued and influential, while developing skills that can support future volunteering, education, training or employment opportunities.

The Young Leaders group is delivered in a supportive, neuro-affirming way, recognising that leadership can look different for every young person. Some may lead through speaking, others through creativity, practical tasks, kindness, ideas, organisation or quiet encouragement. The focus is on helping each young person discover their strengths and use them in a positive, meaningful way.

Together, YouthAbility and YouthAbility Young Leaders help create an inclusive Catterick community where neurodivergent and disabled young people can feel safe, make friends, grow in confidence and have their voices heard.

EmployAbility

16 – 25 years

EmployAbility is a neuro-affirming group session supporting neurodivergent and disabled people to build confidence, develop employment skills and explore future opportunities in a safe, inclusive and understanding environment.

The group is designed for people who may face barriers to work, volunteering, training or education, including confidence, anxiety, communication differences, sensory needs, past negative experiences, disability-related barriers or uncertainty about where to start. EmployAbility provides gentle, practical support at each person’s own pace.

Sessions may include activities such as:

  • CV building
  • interview preparation
  • job searching
  • workplace communication
  • understanding reasonable adjustments
  • confidence-building
  • teamwork tasks
  • life skills
  • volunteering pathways
  • employer expectations
  • supported employment planning

The group also creates space for peer support, discussion and sharing experiences in a non-judgemental setting.

EmployAbility recognises that employment and progression look different for everyone. For some people, the first step may be attending a group, building routine or increasing confidence. For others, it may be preparing for volunteering, applying for work, developing independence or learning how to ask for support in the workplace.

The aim of EmployAbility is to empower people to recognise their strengths, understand their rights, build practical skills and feel more prepared for the world of work, volunteering or further learning. Sessions are inclusive, accessible and person-centred, with support adapted to individual needs.

**Alternative text:** Colourful “Employ Ability” logo on a pale blue background. The text is in bold blue, green, yellow, pink and purple letters, with a multicoloured brain and cog icon above the word “Employ” and a yellow curved line underneath.
Support

we meet kids where they are.

Social Support

**Alternative text:** Two young people sitting indoors playing a football video game on a large TV screen using game controllers. The room includes gaming equipment, shelves, a PlayStation logo on the wall and other activity resources.

NDC supports social interaction within groups by creating safe, neuro-affirming and low-pressure spaces where children, young people, adults and families can connect in ways that feel comfortable for them. Group sessions are structured to encourage friendship, communication, teamwork and shared interests, while recognising that social interaction looks different for every person. Participants can choose how they engage, whether through conversation, creative activities, games, cooking, sensory play, peer support, practical tasks or simply being present alongside others. Staff and volunteers help reduce barriers by using clear routines, visual supports, flexible communication, sensory-aware environments and gentle encouragement. This helps people build confidence, develop relationships, reduce isolation and feel a stronger sense of belonging within their local community.

Communication Support

Children sitting together on small chairs and on the floor in an indoor play area, eating snacks and socialising. Colourful tables, craft materials and a soft play structure with a red slide are visible in the background.

NDC supports inclusive communication within groups by recognising that everyone communicates differently and that spoken language is only one form of expression. Staff and volunteers use a flexible, person-centred approach, offering visual supports, clear instructions, symbols, gestures, demonstrations, written information, sensory-aware communication, BSL, Makaton, AAC and extra processing time where needed. Participants are never pressured to communicate in one set way; they can join in through talking, pointing, showing, drawing, using communication aids, observing, movement, play or shared activity. Group leaders adapt their language, reduce unnecessary demands, check understanding gently and create predictable routines so children, young people and adults feel safe, respected and included. This helps remove communication barriers, builds confidence and ensures everyone has a voice within the group.

Emotional Support

A young child wearing a yellow painting apron sits at a table doing a messy painting activity. They are using broccoli and a paintbrush to apply yellow, orange and red paint onto a colouring sheet, with paint trays and protective table covering visible around them.

NDC provides emotional support within groups by creating calm, safe and non-judgemental spaces where children, young people, adults and families feel accepted, understood and valued. Staff and volunteers take time to build trusting relationships, recognise individual needs and respond with patience, empathy and reassurance. Participants are supported to express feelings in ways that work for them, whether through talking, creative activities, movement, sensory resources, quiet time or simply being alongside others. Groups are flexible and low-pressure, with breaks, regulation strategies and gentle encouragement available whenever needed. By validating emotions, reducing anxiety and promoting a sense of belonging, NDC helps participants feel more confident, connected and emotionally safe within the community.

Supporting Independence

**Alternative text:** A group of people sitting around an outdoor fire pit, roasting marshmallows on long sticks. Flames and embers are visible in the centre, with a large cooking grill suspended above the fire.

NDC supports learning life skills and independence within groups by creating practical, supportive opportunities for children, young people and adults to build confidence through everyday activities. Sessions may include cooking, food preparation, tidying up, making choices, following routines, managing personal belongings, taking turns, planning activities, using money, travelling safely in the community, problem-solving and developing responsibility. Staff and volunteers break tasks down into clear, manageable steps and offer visual prompts, demonstrations, encouragement and adapted support where needed. Participants are given time to practise skills at their own pace, make decisions, try new experiences and build independence in a safe, neuro-affirming environment. This helps people develop confidence, self-esteem and practical skills they can use at home, in the community, in education, volunteering or future employment.