What to expect at a Tiggers Session

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Trampolining

Each Tigger has a trampoline slot of half an hour, within which they get 15 minutes ‘bounce’ time. This reduces waiting time and allows those with high energy to have a more ‘intensive’ bounce period, if required.

Sports volunteers assist by ‘spotting’ and coaching the Tiggers whilst on the trampoline. Parents may also be asked to ‘spot’ for their child and must remain in the hall and responsible for their child.

The sessions are supervised by at least one, and often more, qualified trampoline coaches. We have input from a qualified trampoline club coach. Sports volunteers also work towards trampoline coach qualification.

Members are assessed and encouraged to work towards and achieve Awards under the British Gymnastics Scheme.

Before or After

Either before and/or afterwards, Tiggers can use the soft play and bouncy castle. This helps with ‘waiting time’ and gives an opportunity for social inter-action.

Play volunteers support the Tiggers in developing social skills such as turn taking, behaving appropriately, conversation. We have input from qualified Play Therapists.

A Session

A Tigger ‘session’ is one hour. Tiggers are welcome to come before their ‘slot’ on the trampoline, or stay after their trampoline time to use the soft play and bouncy castle, but the total hall time is one hour. This is to ensure that all children get the quality session they need, respond to those children who cannot cope with too many people and make the sessions manageable. By parents co-operating in this it makes Tiggers a good experience for all the children.

Sensory Room

Following the session time some Tiggers choose to spend time in the sensory room which is set to a calming environment of low lights and soft music. Parents are asked to accompany their child in the room, which will have a Tigger volunteer present. (Parents beware, you may doze off!).

Child Safety

All approved volunteers have a clear Criminal Records Bureau check at advanced level. All probationary volunteers have applications in process. Volunteers have to serve 3 month’s probation, provide two satisfactory references, attend for a minimum amount of agreed time and show enthusiasm and commitment to become an approved Tigger volunteer.

Volunteers attend appropriate training in Autism and topics relating to working with children with disability and behavioural challenges.

Volunteers are easy to spot because they wear orange polo shirts with ‘Play’ written on the back or black sweatshirts with ‘Sport’ written on the back.

Some parents also volunteer to help manage the sessions and they also wear orange ‘play’ polo shirts.

You are welcome to ask any volunteer, at any time, about anything to do with Tiggers. If they don’t know the answer, they will find someone for you who does.

All volunteers have safety as their first priority, so if they ask you to stop doing something or to do something, you must do as they say and ask about it later. If you do not do as a volunteer requests, you may not be allowed your trampoline time.

Read the Trampoline Safety advice>

When you arrive

When you get here you will be greeted at a table where a Tigger volunteer will ask you your name and your timeslot.

You will then pay the money for your session and be given a coloured circle and matching tabard (you can choose the colour).

Faces on places

You will see that next to the trampoline there is a noticeboard with ‘Now’ and ‘Next’ on. Under each word are faces of Tiggers in circles.

You will be advised if it is time to put your circle on the ‘Now’ or ‘Next’ area.

You will have your photograph taken so that next time you come, your face will be in a circle.

Specialist Introductions

You will be introduced to one of the qualified coaches and asked to complete a form advising the coaches of your child's particular preferences and needs. This sheet will be given to whichever coach is going to be working with your child at every session they come to. This way the children get consistency but don't get too 'attached' to one particular coach. If anything changes you can alter the 'advice to coach' form at any time.

Within your first few sessions you will have had an opportunity to observe the hall and activity and then you will be asked to help one of the volunteers completed a risk assessment for your child to have as safe an experience as possible at Tiggers. If anything changes you can always request to update the risk assessment.