Adem’s dance story

Adem is a 16-year-old, with autism, from Rushcliffe.

Adem’s family were keen for him to join a youth club to try to get him socialising with other young people. They wanted him to have the opportunity to take part in social activities and make friends, both of which he found difficult.

Adem’s mum said:

 “At first, Adem found it hard to express his feelings; he was sometimes verbally aggressive towards staff and other young people and needed a lot of support from staff.”

Over time, the staff at the youth club encouraged Adem to engage with others and discovered his love of dancing and singing.

Carol Greaves, a youth worker at the club, said:

“We would often find him in the disco room, so we decided to actively encourage him to join in. We also asked if he wanted to join in the dance group, which he agreed to. He absolutely loves it and is an active member.”

Adem has a talent for dance and the arts, so as well as the dance classes, he has individual tutoring to focus on his choreography and music/movement delivery. He has recently taken part in a performance at the Old Library in Mansfield with the dance group.

Adem has made many, many new friends since joining the youth club - the last count was 114! He is able to tell you all of his friends’ names and he seeks them out. He now needs very little adult support to get involved in the activities and mainly spends the evening with his friends.

Adem’s mum added:

“The link clubs have helped Adem’s confidence so much. He’s made lots of friends and he’s found his passion too. I’m really proud of him and we’re excited for him to study dance and the performing arts at college.”