A big shoutout to Liam from our Treehouse service who recently took a fantastic step forward in his independence and confidence by making a delicious lasagne completely from scratch! 🍝👨🍳
Cooking is just one of the many hands-on activities helping Liam work towards his SQA qualifications, where he’s exploring areas such as Reduce, Reuse & Recycle, Developing Positive Relationships, and Working with Craft Tools.
Through these experiences, Liam is also gaining practical knowledge in baking, food preparation, and personal hygiene – building life skills that empower him to grow, achieve and thrive every step of the way.
Amazing work Liam! 🥳
🔗 To find out more about our Treehouse service, visit our website: https://www.donaldsons.org.uk/treehouse/
We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who joined us for our Gate Open Evening last night! 😄
It was wonderful seeing you all exploring our spaces, meeting our team, and discovering how we support neurodivergent young adults (16+) to grow in confidence, build their independence, and shape a future that truly fits them.
We’d also like to shoutout our incredible team for making it all possible – your dedication and care are what make Gate such a special place for young adults to grow and thrive.
But don’t just take our word for it – the voices of the young adults we support, like Corrie, say it best. 👇
If you weren’t able to make it, don’t worry – we offer year-round intake and are always happy to talk about how we can help your young adult to take their next steps. 👣
🔗 Find out more about our Gate service and how to enquire on our website, link in our bio.
#LifeAfterSchool #Transitions #NeurodiversitySupport #AdultServices
Jamie who is supported by our Treehouse service recently worked with our Wellbeing Practitioner, Mark, using old boxes and recycled materials to create something truly his own. From cutting and sticking to painting, Jamie brought his ideas to life, designing buildings for Spiderman to swing between as he watches over the city. 🎨😄
Creative activities like these aren`t just for fun, they:
✅ Encourage focus and attention,
✅ Provide sensory stimulation and regulation,
✅ Stimulate imagination and creativity,
✅ And overall provide a real sense of accomplishment.
At Treehouse, we know that giving space for creativity to flourish helps neurodivergent people express themselves and develop skills. It’s more than just making things – it’s about growing potential.
🔗 Find out more about Treehouse on our website: https://www.donaldsons.org.uk/treehouse/
Meet Corrie, one of the amazing young adults we support at Gate. When she joined, she wasn’t sure what her next steps after school would look like. Now, she’s discovering new skills, building her confidence and exploring new opportunities she never imagined. 😄
At Gate, we believe every neurodivergent young adult deserves the opportunity to thrive, find their place in the world, and build a future that fits. Our specialist, neurodiversity-informed support is designed to guide young adults toward independence, confidence, and wellbeing.
So if you’re wondering what comes next for your neurodivergent child after school, this is your chance to discover how Gate can support their journey. 👇
Come along to our Open Evening and meet the team, explore our spaces, and hear more stories like Corrie’s:
📅 Thursday 20th November
⏰ 5 – 7pm
📍 GATE, The Donaldson Trust, Preston Road, Linlithgow EH49 6HZ
To register for the event, click the link in our bio. 🔗
It`s Book Week Scotland 📚
This annual celebration takes place across Scotland, where people of all ages and walks of life come together to share the joy of reading.
For us, reading plays a pivotal role in the lives of the people we support. They open doors to learning, creativity and personal growth, and for neurodivergent individuals, it can be a powerful tool for enhancing focus and communication. 💬
Whether they`re setting reading goals or using books and stories as a creative outlet and ways to express themselves, we see first hand just how important books are!
We`d like to give a special shoutout to @jkpbooks who champion neurodivergent voices by publishing work by neurodivergent authors. Thanks to their generous donation at the start of the year, the people we support have been able to explore these fantastic reads for themselves. 😄
Exploring Future Careers with Skills Development Scotland 🎓
This Scottish Careers Week, we were joined by Dave and Gordon from Skills Development Scotland for a hands-on session all about drones and the growing careers connected to them.
The workshop showed how drones are becoming an everyday tool in the world of work – from surveying building sites to emerging uses in delivery services. It was a brilliant way for the pupils in our Sensational Learning Centre to see how new technology is opening up real job opportunities right here in Scotland. 💡
Sessions like these are incredibly valuable, giving pupils a chance to explore how industries are evolving and discover the exciting paths their skills and talents could lead them down in the future. A big thank you to Dave and Gordon for visiting us! 😄
#ScottishCareersWeek #SkillsDevelopment #FutureCareers
Celebrating #WorldKindnessDay in Vibe 🌍
The young people in Vibe recently spent some time thinking about what kindness really means – and how we can show it to others, whether it’s a friend, a stranger, or even someone we find it tricky to get along with.
They came up with some wonderful ideas and shared touching stories about times they’ve given or received kindness. They also took a moment to recognise the small, everyday gestures that can make a big difference. 🥰
To bring their ideas to life, the group visited Dunelm to take part in the Festive Tree of Kindness. They chose two tags – one for a 12-year-old boy and another for an 89-year-old woman – and carefully picked out thoughtful gifts, which they’ll soon return for delivery. 🎁
It’s a great reminder of what World Kindness Day is really about – connecting with others, spreading joy and showing that even small acts of kindness can make a big difference. ❤️
Kindness isn`t just good for others – it`s good for you too! 🥰
The pupils in our Sensational Learning Centre are putting this idea into practice through their new Kindness Post Box initiative, launched in the lead-up to #WorldKindnessDay. 🌍
Each pupil has the opportunity to drop a message of kindness to someone else – a simple “thank you”, a note of encouragement, or a kind act they’ve noticed or performed. 📝
The aim is to give pupils a chance to pause and notice kindness – both the kindness they receive and the kindness they show to others. Writing a message helps them reflect on how their actions make a difference, and builds confidence by encouraging them to reach out in positive ways. It’s also a gentle reminder that kindness isn’t just something we talk about; it’s something we do, every day, in small but meaningful ways. ❤️
