Connecting London Community at Saturday Hangouts

Saturday Hangouts is a fun fellowship program at The Salvation Army London Village for teens and adults with developmental disabilities.

The drop-in program started in May and is designed to empower young people to meet up with friends and family in a casual setting. Saturday Hangouts runs twice a month on alternating Saturdays for age groups 16-24 and those 25 years and older.

Supervised activities include use of the gymnasium, playground, pool and games room at London Village.

“Saturday Hangouts is a regular opportunity for participants to connect with others, improve their quality of life and deepen social connections,” says Sherry Rowland, Program Director at The Salvation Army London Village.

The program fills in a social gap for people with disabilities who may not have as many opportunities to hang out with friends compared to other teens and adults. This can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation, which could increase the risk of anxiety and depression.

“Saturday Hangouts is for people that are little bit more independent and can develop real friendships. We’ve got some great activities planned to facilitate creating those friendships and relationships,” says Art Mathews, Executive Director at London Village.

Saturday Hangouts is funded with $23,500 from The Salvation Army Canada’s Innovation Grant program. Sign up for Saturday Hangouts at www.salvationarmyvillage.ca/saturday-hangouts.