Safe Place and Belonging

Perhaps the most special aspect of our programming is the community we create. We always say that when we moved into our centre in Hashemi just over two years ago, it allowed us to give a physical space to match the emotional space we had created with this community of girls. 
The girls refer to Squash Dreamers as their second family, and treat each other as such. They will often refer to our centre as ‘al bayt’ meaning house, or home in Arabic. Unfortunately, many of our girls live in places that don’t feel like home, or in environments that give them emotional security. It is a privilege that we are able to offer that at Squash Dreamers. We check in with every girl regularly, and if a child needs a chat, a hug , or just a quiet moment, they can always find it in our office. We offer wellbeing check-ins to all girls, and keep an eye on those who might be struggling at home or at school, giving them a non judgemental ear whenever they need it.
Squash Dreamers seeks to meet every child at her point of need, and offer her whatever support she requires to reach her full potential. For some children, that is an academic push to increase their grade average, and for others, it’s simply a kind adult who will listen to how they are feeling. 
We are incredibly proud of the community we have built at Squash Dreamers, and are forever grateful to our incredible girls who sustain it with their love, joy, and courage.

Mental Health Sessions

Each week, we provide the girls with mental health and wellbeing sessions, which seek to support their emotional health. These sessions are intentionally designed to create a safe and supportive space where the girls can better understand themselves, reflect on their emotions, and develop important life skills such as self awareness, confidence, leadership, and positive communication. The sessions encourage open discussion, teamwork, and self expression, helping the girls grow both personally and socially.
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In the past year, we have covered:

Self care
Dealing with jealousy and anger
What it is to be a refugee

 Leadership
 Social media and phone use
 Cultural differences

Building self confidence
Communication and public speaking

Nutrition

A massive part of our wellbeing programming is the food we provide for our participants. We increased our food support to provide meals at every session in 2023, after a number of children and families reached out to ask for support and some fainted during sessions, as they hadn’t eaten before coming to programming due to their families being unable to afford to provide three meals every day.
At the end of every session, we enjoy a meal together, cooked by our amazing community liaison Miss Shadia. This includes salad or green vegetables, chicken, and a source of carbohydrates. They also have a snack on the bus, and are given a piece of fruit as they leave.

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