Teejay is an 8 year old boy who attends The Youthy’s VIBE sessions with his younger sister Kelsey and his mum Kay Dalkin.
VIBE (Versatile, Brilliant, Imaginative, Environment) is a youth club for young people with special needs and is run 2 evenings a week (Tuesdays and Fridays) from Five Lamps’ purpose built youth facility, the Youthy on Thornaby Road, Thornaby, Stockton.
Teejay battles with a number of physical difficulties and a visual impairment; however since attending the VIBE sessions he has presented himself as a happy and intelligent young man who never fails to take on a challenge or shy away from learning new skills.
Teejay started attending the VIBE sessions after his mum had heard about the sessions from other carers. Teejay and his sister have continued to attend regularly since.
Teejay has always found it difficult to make friends, but his mum feels that the VIBE staff have helped build his confidence and slowly his social skills are improving. Stuart Green, Five Lamps’ Youth Participation Worker welcomed Teejay to the sessions and he quickly became a favourite amongst the group. He has now started integrating with other young people and has built strong relationships with all the VIBE staff who have helped him develop his skills and he has made plenty of friends since attending the VIBE nights.
The improvement in Teejay was highlighted in the recent Youthy’s Got Talent show in which he sang and danced in front of 100 people, putting on a fantastic performance and showing his ever growing confidence amongst the group.
In addition to the impact the VIBE session has had on Teejay, it has also been a huge help to Teejays’ mum. Kay said
“The VIBE sessions give me a chance to relax and to see Teejay happy and enjoying himself is fantastic!”
Before attending the VIBE sessions, Teejay and his sister Kelsey did not do anything on a Tuesday and Friday evening and the VIBE sessions have given Kay and her family a regular place to go and an opportunity for Kay to have a much needed break from her caring responsibilities.
VIBE is funded by Children in Need