Spark Connections Limited

The creative industries project (Spark) will identify individuals’ motivation and use one of the key areas in Creative Media to explore and build on individual skills. This will be creating a film, scriptwriting, directing, acting, model making, jewellery/ costume design. It is known that many adults with additional support needs are motivated to learn when it is something that is their interest or passion. This project concentrates on this focus and builds skills and knowledge. This subsequently empowers the individual, helps them grow in confidence and enhances self esteem. The project will bring young adults together to create a group project in film allowing each individual to concentrate on their motivation and build other new skills around that. The project will bring in outside expertise and training to upskill individuals in scriptwriting, filming and editing. The scriptwriting will be delivered by a published author and we will work in partnership with Baby Grand productions to train in detailed aspects of film, directing , acting and editing. This will benefit the young adults taking part in the project by giving them new and enhanced skills which will then contribute to further activities within Spark Connections or employment/volunteer work elsewhere in the creative industries. The final project will be assessed and the outcome and the completed movie will be screened to the local communities, family and friends. We are currently working alongside the SQA to get this course accredited so that the individuals will also attain a qualification at the end of the project. Benefits to the community will be numerous ; Young Adults – will be trained by experienced individuals/ company to give them the skills to go on and create other film and video projects. The project will give them purpose and will help reduce the isolation they currently experience by offering them a place to go during the week, work on a project and meet like minded people with a passion for everything creative. This will enhance their self esteem, reduce their anxiety brought on by their autism/additional support needs, increase their confidence in their abilities and purpose in life. They will create an end product that they will have been actively involved in from start to finish and will experience seeing this on the big screen. It has been identified as a project that is needed in the community as we already have regular members who come weekly to the organisation. We have been approached by social work and community organisations as they too have young adults who will benefit from the project. There is already a membership that have a willingness to learn and who are keen to be part of this project. It will also mean that with funding we can expand this project to accommodate more young adults to take part.
Sparks is community led and because of demand we started the Teen Group and Sparkies both for neurodivergent young people. The Teen Group is for 12 to 17 year olds and the Sparkies group is for 7 to 11 year olds. We receive no funding for these groups and must ask parents for a contribution to help run.
Here are some of the comments made by parents;

My son is 10 and is AuDHD and dyspraxic. He is very sociable, loves to be included in things but also can get overwhelmed and struggle in group situations, finds physical activities tricky (and to be honest, demoralising) due to his coordination, and I often see the challenges he faces in these situations when having to ‘mask’ his true self.

We’ve found it really tricky to find suitable groups where he can socialise and make friends while still feeling comfortable and feeling that he can be himself. Sparkies has given us exactly that! After only a couple of months, he’s made such great positive connections not only with his peers but also with Tricia, who is amazing with him. It seems like it’s a very safe space for him to be his true self, but also one where he can freely explore and develop his interests.

It’s been so fantastic for him - providing that social safe space he’s been really needing, but also giving him the chance to develop positive connections, feel a sense of belonging and therefore support his self esteem and emotional well-being - and I hope he is able to continue going for a long time!

Nicola (mum)

Harlo my son age 7 on the pathway to be officially diagnosed with “PDA” autism & adhd. Now I searched the area to find Harlo a safe space for him the flourish and become himself where no judgement was made for Harlo to be just him. What did I find a dead end at every turn. I was heartbroken for Harlo as he was loosing his spark more and more each day. I was given a name of an exceptional woman who I had heard was the most knowledgeable and already did a lot in the community. I contacted her directly on fb but unfortunately in our area there was nothing for Harlo’s age. I just wanted my boy back as this constant battling with everyday life was heart wrenching to watch. He was loosing the part of him that made him magical because normal children just didn’t understand him and would knock him down with there words and actions because he wasn’t like everybody else. Then this amazing woman created a group called Sparkies because she seen there was no support for Harlo’s age in this area. I just want to highlight here how much this woman has became the best part of Harlo’s week. The relief the moment Harlo walked through those doors and he felt the moment he met Tricia I honestly don’t have the words apart from thankyou from the bottom of my heart he was finally safe to be just him. Now I know there is more funding available to support these young children and I really do hope with you meeting these incredible individuals how special this place is to each and everyone of them. This needs to be the start of something more to support our community and could be even more with the right funding in place. I really do hope it’s the beginning of help, love and support so our children need to be able to cope in everyday life. Sparkies for Harlo is a place where he can be in the most magical world because he isn’t being judged and he is encouraged to be just be himself now as a mother that’s all you want. We are forever thankful that Tricia did this for Harlo and his friends because the council and school personally haven’t. We will always fight for the happiness and safe place for our children but they could be supported more; children should never have to fight for what is right the community need to be more knowledgeable of what this amazing woman has done for my son he brought him back to life. Thankyou

My name is Thea Marley and my 14 year old daughter Jessica attends the Teen group in Sparks Connections.

We heard about Sparks Connections from our mental health case worker from CAMHS Udston. It has been a godsend and even although she still has many struggles it quite honestly has changed her life.

When Jessica first joined she struggled to make friends or even interact with people her own age. She wasn't attending school which at this point was over 2 years & virtually never left the safety of her house.

With Tricia and the help of other volunteers Jessica has made many friends at Sparks and now even helps others when they join. She is now back to school attending a few hours a day which would have been unthinkable this time last year. Jessica says she can be completely herself there and always looks forward to going each week and takes part in all the activities that are organised.

Jessica is truly a different child now, Sparks is an inspiration to all the kids and adults who attend there.

My husband and I are so grateful to have found Sparks and cannot thank Tricia and the team enough.


Sparks Connections is an invaluable resource not only for the members themselves but for their families.

Both of my teenage children are members of Sparks and have been since they started high school. Sparks is very much part of of weekly routine. Transition to high school is predominantly an extra challenging time for young people with additional support needs and having Sparks as another safe space as well as home has been of huge benefit to them. They could easily have gone done the route of shutting down and not leaving the house but the incentive of their Sparks groups throughout the week helped prevent this.

The confidence the young people have in Sparks, and in turn in themselves, is immeasurable. They are free to be their authentic selves and they support and encourage each other to do just that. Tricia is fabulous at ensuring the groups are tailored exactly to the members needs, interests, motivation and she is always looking to the future and supporting everyone to live their best life as opposed to just running a social group a few times a week.

The variety of groups is also a huge benefit as are projects where the groups are mixed as the teens see the adult members happy and successful which inspires them.

There are very few opportunities in the community specifically for young people with additional support needs but we are very fortunate to have found Sparks.

My daughter Rachael attends Sparks on a Friday. She enjoys being involved and included . She enjoys the company of the other guys, they laugh and joke with her, she can just be herself, fully accepted. The group gives her purpose on a Friday, often traveling there and back by bus. She keeps her connections with the group and enjoys the varied activities they do.