On a typical morning at No Limits, things start gently. Learners begin arriving from 9:30am, some with parents, some with support staff, all settling into the day at the East Side Youth Centre in High Wycombe. The partnership with the centre is fairly new, but it’s already becoming a familiar place.
Harvey arrives with his parents. He’s 19, nearly 20, and in his first year at No Limits. He comes in three days a week and stays until 3:30pm.
Today, he heads into the kitchen to make a fruit salad.
Harvey brings out his communication device and scrolls through the options, choosing the fruits he likes and leaving out the ones he doesn’t. He pauses now and then, deciding, then moves on. He’s not sure about everything, but he’s happy to give it a try.
Before long, he’s sitting down with a bowl of fruit and yoghurt he’s made himself.
Across the room, Ahmed is watching cricket on his iPad. He’s also 19 and new to No Limits, coming in three days a week. He enjoys meeting people, though he sometimes takes a little time to settle into a new place. This morning, he’s easing into the day with a T20 match to soundtrack a sensory session. He’s a big cricket fan. Even though Pakistan lost recently, he still enjoyed watching.
Ahmed loves swimming and he’s already looking forward to going the local pool later.
Nearby, Sam is bouncing gently on a medicine ball, watching clips of You’ve Been Framed on his iPad, laughing to himself every now and then.
Once Harvey has finished eating, he helps with the washing up, putting the cutlery away before moving on.
Then he settles in with a puzzle. The bigger the better. He takes his time, turning pieces over, trying them out, working out where they belong.
Harvey lives locally and spends lots of time with his family. At home, he often cooks with his mum, helping to prep vegetables for Sunday dinner. His favourite food is chips, and he enjoys going food shopping, though clothes shopping is less appealing.
Weekends often mean football. Harvey and his dad go to watch Wycombe Wanderers, and he’s often wearing one of his favourite shirts.
He also enjoys swimming and bowling, spending time with friends and people he knows well.
His Programme Co-ordinator, Lucie, hasn’t been working with him for long, so they’re still getting to know each other. The plan is for Kelsie to join them, a little later in the day.
The No Limits team is a mix of people, some who have been here for years and others who have only just started. Everyone brings something different to the day.
Later that morning there’s an Attention and Autism session, led by Sophie, another Programme Co-ordinator. Some learners begin by watching, gradually joining in when they’re ready. Everyone takes part in their own way.
Harvey is also using his communication device to explore different emotions. He moves between words and images linked to feelings, food, sports and things he enjoys. If what he wants isn’t there, he types it in.
Later, he’ll head into town on the bus to visit a café.
He’ll take his communication device with him, using it to order and pay. He takes his time, making sure he’s understood.
These are the moments that matter. The more Harvey uses his device out and about, the more it becomes part of everyday life - for him, and for the people around him too.
We then join Sarah and the No Limits team at the site in Flackwell Heath, where she’s getting ready for an afternoon tutorial.
Sarah is 21 and in her second year at No Limits. She lives at home with her mum and dad and is thinking about future work experience. Some of her time is spent working on a laptop, building skills she can use later on.
She has strong opinions about music, especially if you ask her.
She loves Ozzy Osbourne and all things metal, and when she has the house to herself she’ll turn the volume up. Her playlist is varied too, with Michael Jackson, One Direction and Justin Bieber all making an appearance.
She’s also a keen gamer, playing Animal Crossing and FIFA. When she’s out, she enjoys bowling, the arcades and the occasional Nando’s with her mum.
At home, she sometimes watches Ozzy Osbourne concerts projected onto a screen.
This afternoon’s tutorial is a chance to look back on what she’s been doing recently. She’s been focusing on things like checking her wheelchair, doing exercises and breaking tasks into smaller steps.
When asked how things are going, Sarah smiles.
“I’m doing really well.”
The day moves on with a mix of sessions, activities and quieter moments. On Fridays there’s something called Snackaton, where learners make simple snacks while using Makaton signing.
Several learners, including Haroon, Natalie and Harvey, joined No Limits from one of the local schools we work with, in September, continuing their time in a way that works for them.
There are also events throughout the year, including sessions with another local school in which families can come along and see what’s been going on.
By the afternoon, some learners are finishing puzzles, some are chatting, and others are getting ready to head out.
Harvey will soon be catching the bus into town, communication device ready.
It might look like a simple trip to a café, but it’s part of his day, like everything else.
