Building Independence Through Practical Life Skills at Gate 🍽️
At Gate, cooking isn’t just about making delicious food. It’s a structured, hands-on way for the young adults we support to develop essential life skills, boost confidence and take meaningful steps toward independence.
Recently, the group have been getting creative in the kitchen, making everything from ginger biscuits and steak pie to coleslaw and fried chicken. Each session gives them the chance to follow recipes, measure ingredients, work safely with kitchen equipment and take pride in what they create. 🥳
By learning practical skills in a real-life setting, the young adults are building confidence, making choices for themselves and developing the independence they need for everyday life and their future. ⭐
🔗 To find out more about Gate, click the link in our bio and visit our website.
Independence looks different for everyone 🌳
At Treehouse, we create calm, supportive spaces where neurodivergent adults can explore their strengths, build confidence and develop skills at their own pace. Each part of the day is shaped around individual interests, helping reduce anxiety and open up opportunities for connection, communication and self-expression.
This short video follows Peter through his day at Treehouse and shows how the right environment can support wellbeing, learning and meaningful independence. 😊
To find out more about Treehouse, visit our website (🔗 link in bio)
The young adults in Gate have been working towards their ASDAN “My Fitness Challenge” certificate, putting their agility, balance, coordination and stamina to the test! 🏋♀
Over a series of sessions, each of them has taken part in a variety of exercises and obstacle courses, with activities chosen by the group themselves. This approach allows everyone to challenge themselves at their own pace while tracking personal progress over time.
It’s been fantastic to see the young adults supporting one another, celebrating achievements and pushing themselves to improve with each session! 💪
Vibe`s Scavenger Hunt & Life Skills Challenge 🔎
Before the Christmas break, the young people in Vibe took part in their very own Scavenger Hunt at Livingston Shopping Centre.
Split into two teams, they worked together to complete a range of challenges designed to build independence, including budgeting, comparing prices and confidently navigating a busy public space.
Activities included a shopping challenge with a set budget, value-for-money tasks, and creative photo challenges that encouraged teamwork and problem-solving. The teams supported one another throughout and did an incredible job managing their time, money and responsibilities. 🥳
We’re really proud of the confidence, teamwork, and independence the young people showed. It was a brilliant way to wrap up the year! 🎉
The young adults in Gate have been learning all about fire safety recently. 🔥
Taking their learning outdoors, the group discovered how to safely build and manage a fire. With guidance and support, everyone had the chance to take part – adding kindling and arranging the wood, keeping the flame going and making sure everything stayed safe and controlled. It was a great opportunity to practice practical skills, follow instructions and work together as a team.
And of course, no fire-building session would be complete without roasting marshmallows at the end! 😋
We’re delighted to share that the pupils in our Sensational Learning Centre successfully ran their very first Community Café on campus! ☕🍰
The aim of this café was simple: to give pupils a real opportunity to build confidence, try out new roles and experience what it feels like to work as part of a team. And they did just that!
Throughout the afternoon, pupils:
• Welcomed and served customers
• Helped prepare food and organise the space
• Practised communicating with others in a friendly, real-life setting
• Supported each other and worked together to keep everything running smoothly
A big thank you to everyone who came along and supported the pupils. We’re incredibly proud of what they achieved, and we’re already looking forward to the next one! 🥳
Some great progress from the young people at Vibe as they continue developing our garden area! 🌳🌸
They’ve been working on the space around our shed and getting more plants into the ground, including pansies, carrots, and aubergines.
They also came up with a creative idea to reuse an old toilet as a planter! 😆
Projects like this are a gentle way for the young people to build confidence, try out practical skills, and re-engage with learning at a pace that works for them. Gardening gives them a calm space to focus and it won`t be long until they see their efforts grow. 👏
The Donaldson Trust`s Christmas Roundup! 🎅
What an incredible month it’s been! From a festive Christmas panto to delicious Christmas lunches, the team and the people we support have fully embraced the Christmas season. Here’s just a glimpse of all the fun we`ve had over the last few weeks.
As Christmas draws near, we can’t help but feel proud of all we’ve achieved and the wonderful moments we`ve shared. Now, it’s time to relax and recharge for another exciting year ahead! 😄
