When was the last time you simply enjoyed being amongst your community? For the majority of us, our sense of community is just as important to our wellbeing as other critical resources, like healthcare or stable employment. 

The importance of community connection is at the heart of the work we do at Crescent Care, supporting our clients to find opportunities to connect and grow alongside others. This is where our group and centre-based activities can make such a difference as a part of our holistic care approach – in these spaces, new friendships are built, community is developed, and people from all backgrounds are invited to belong. With activities designed to support both social and emotional wellbeing, community activities form a crucial cornerstone in our holistic support services – and it won’t be long before they’re the best part of your work.

What are the benefits of group activities?

Group and centre-based activities can quickly become the best part of the week for both our clients and our staff alike! In Crescent Care’s group activities, we create intentional spaces that are all about building social cohesion, confidence, and connection.

For many NDIS participants, there can be challenges in the way of building meaningful, long-lasting friendships and social connections. Without a strong community in place, isolation and loneliness can increase the risk of mental health challenges.

Our group and centre-based activities provide:

• Stronger social networks through shared experiences and ongoing opportunities to build friendships
• Support for mental health resilience, decreasing loneliness and increasing a sense of belonging
• A space to practice and develop social skills, communication skills, teamwork and problem-solving
• Increased independence through greater confidence and connections

Through carefully engaged group activities, we’re able to create safe, inclusive and welcoming experiences that support our participants and clients to build communities they can return to and contribute to time and time again.

There are even more great outcomes from these group activities: for families and carers, there can be the gift of peace of mind in knowing that their loved one has access to a safe, structured environment that grows their community connections.

Embracing creativity in group workshops

One of our favourite ways to grow community and enjoy new experiences together? Through the power of creativity. 

Our creative arts workshops are fun, engaging opportunities to explore painting and drawing, learn pottery, experiment with sculpture, and embrace new DIY projects. In these sessions, we’re able to create meaningful opportunities to engage and build new skills without pressure, using a shared creative focus as a natural way to connect and learn together.

As well as the social and community benefits of these creative workshops, participants can also:

• Improve their motor skills and hand-eye coordination through creative activities
• Enjoy the therapeutic benefits of creative engagement
• Increase confidence levels through learning new creative skills

For many of our clients, these creative workshops can quickly become their favourite part of the week. 

It’s all fun and games with team-building activities

Another way we build community with our NDIS participants is through social games and team-building activities. These can include:

• Puzzle challenges that spark collaboration, engagement and build new skills
• Team sports that allow participants to get active while they make new friends
• Team-building challenges that create easy social cohesion through shared goals 

With programs that cater to a variety of interests and abilities, we’re able to tailor our team-building programs to support a wide range of activities – all while allowing people to meet and connect in the process of enjoying themselves. 

Getting fit and making friends

If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s the importance of physical activity to keep our brains and bodies active and moving. Crescent Care’s community benefits from fitness and wellness classes that are open to all abilities, encouraging participants to break a sweat together while getting to know new people. Whether it’s a yoga class or stretching that’s designed to boost flexibility and relaxation, these popular classes allow people of all ages and backgrounds to increase their physical fitness while strengthening their community connections. 

Conclusion

At Crescent Care, our group and centre-based activities go far beyond providing regular activities. In these spaces, our community is welcomed into safe, accessible spaces and invited to build new skills and lasting friendships at the same time.

Through building creative skills, discovering new fitness abilities, or conquering team-building activities, our participants are able to grow their confidence, meet new friends and increase their community engagement levels. These activities are a cornerstone of our holistic approach, providing an integral complement to our broader disability and community services.

We’re proud to be a part of the lives of so many individuals and families across Sydney through our trusted support and community services. Learn more about how we can help you to live a full, connected life amongst your wider community today.