Breaking the Barrier evaluation

I am really excited to be supporting Lifeworks - as a volunteer - by evaluating the Breaking the Barrier 2018 (BtB) programme. Lifeworks is a Devon-based charity that works to make a difference to the lives of families with learning disabled children. BtB focuses on supporting young people with learning disabilities and their families to pursue outdoor sports; this year, surfing and cycling are on the programme.

The evaluation will focus on understanding the experiences of the young participants and their families (as well as their needs in terms of future BtB programmes). It will consist of quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the individual BtB 2018 events and of the programme as a whole. We are also hoping to evaluate the the experiences of the many volunteers - specialist instructors, enthusiasts and others - who make BtB possible.

Breaking the Barrier is a wonderful programme that has supported my son - he's nine and has Down's Syndrome - with his cycling, and started him on what I hope will be a lifelong and enjoyable surfing career. Here is a video of my son at the Bigbury-on-Sea BtB surfing event in June 2018. The video shows him going from sitting to standing for the first time (to the applause of the spectators)! Feeling proud 😃