Providing social opportunities that help children and young people with additional and complex needs to build confidence, make friends and grow in independence
Estimated Cost
£100,000
We require financial support to run the following services: Adult Day Services, Holiday Leisure Schemes, Weekend Breaks, Teen Club, Youth Clubs and After School Clubs.
SNAP's project is important because many children and young people with additional and complex support needs, and their families, continue to face significant barriers to taking part in everyday community life. Without specialist support, many are unable to access local activities, build friendships or develop the confidence and independence that their peers often take for granted. Families also experience high levels of stress and isolation, with limited opportunities for respite.
Our project provides safe, inclusive and highly supported opportunities for children and young people to take part in leisure, social and community activities across Inverness. This not only improves their health, wellbeing, confidence and independence, but also reduces social isolation, strengthens family resilience and enables parents and carers to continue in employment, education or simply have essential time to recharge.
SNAP directly contributes to the Inverness City & Inverness-shire Area Place Plan by improving health and wellbeing, reducing inequalities and strengthening community participation for children and young people with additional and complex needs. Our services help deliver the Place Plan's ambition for Inverness to be an inclusive, healthy and family-friendly place where everyone has the opportunity to participate in community life.
Through regular visits to parks, green spaces, leisure facilities and community venues, children and young people who might otherwise remain excluded are supported to become active members of their local community. This promotes more inclusive use of public spaces while increasing confidence, social connections and participation.
The project also supports the Place Plan's vision for a modern, connected and sustainable city. We use hybrid working, digital communication and accessible online systems to improve communication with families, reduce unnecessary travel and strengthen efficient partnership working across the third sector, allowing us to maximise resources while maintaining high-quality support.
Ultimately, our project helps create a stronger, more inclusive community where children and young people with additional support needs are visible, valued and able to enjoy the same opportunities as everyone else, while ensuring their families receive the support they need to thrive.
Positive Impact
To broaden social opportunities and help our children and young people build friendships, communication skills, and increase independence.
To support ongoing learning by structured play and leisure activities.
To deliver fun, creative experiences that promote wellbeing, confidence, and a sense of belonging in a community.
To offer meaningful respite that parents and carers can rely on, contributing to sustained family resilience.
Key Milestones and Next Steps
200 children and young people were supported by SNAP in 2025
Carers were provided with 440 opportunities for respite through our weekend breaks in 2025
During the school holidays in 2025, SNAP delivered 280 hours of our Holiday Leisure Scheme
We were honoured to be named Charity of the Year at the Highland Heroes Awards, reflecting the dedication of our team and the trust placed in us by families.
Awarded an ‘Excellent’ rating by the Care Inspectorate.
SNAP’s next steps focus on strengthening and expanding our daytime services, securing a permanent home for this provision, and developing outreach opportunities across the Highlands. By building a stable base and extending support into rural communities, we aim to reach more children, young people, and adults with additional needs, ensuring families across Highland can access high‑quality, inclusive opportunities.
SNAP Family Feedback
Families across the Highlands consistently describe SNAP as a lifeline - a trusted, relationship‑based service that makes a profound difference to their children’s wellbeing and to family life:
“ The personal service they give parents, families and guardians is beyond exceptional.”
“What has always made SNAP so special is the staff in the way they provide care, compassion, equality and the way people are made to feel.”
“The work SNAP does for so many families in the Highlands is fantastic.”
Together, these comments highlight the deep trust families place in SNAP, the exceptional quality of support provided by staff, and the lasting impact on children, young people, and the wider community.
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