Camberwell After School Project
Update August 2024: We are excited to announce four new prizes of art prints donated by local illustrators Camberwell Designs and Lydia Wood Drawings. See below for details.
Our Camberwell-based childcare service, which was formed 38 years ago to enable single parents to work, is facing closure. Camberwell After-School Project (CASP), was founded in 1985 by local mother, Carmen Lindsay and has provided affordable childcare to thousands of children ever since.
CASP’s mission is to advance the development and education of children, young people and adults by:
a) Offering appropriate play, education, care, family learning and out –of-school-hours
services for children; and,
b) Providing appropriate training and learning opportunities to improve the
employability, well-being and personal development of young people and adults.”
Without your support, we will be unable to continue supporting families in Southwark.
Affordable wrap around childcare services ensures parents can comfortably raise their ambitions by pursuing career progression or further studies. CASP supports parents who have lost their jobs to return to the workforce and stay in employment. Unfortunately, many families in other areas don’t get to benefit from clubs like CASP either because they’re prohibitively expensive or because they’re not available. Just that incidental daily face to face contact with our staff can give parents the confidence and reassurance that they are not parenting alone.
In 1985 no service existed locally that provided affordable out of school childcare provision. Carmen explains that setting up CASP was a way for single parents not to have to choose between working or not, after being faced with that choice herself.
“I was a parent in the community and back then in the ’80s, I was working for a predominantly male-run firm that didn’t have the option for part-time work. So when I had kids I was forced to quit my job. I found that lots of other single parents were facing the same problems.”
Carmen, with a group of local parents, acquired planning permission for a derelict site in Camberwell on Badsworth road and designed a building to house their childcare operation, which they had previously run from Crawford Primary School. The building was opened by MP for Camberwell and Peckham Harriet Harman in 1991.
To this day, CASP continues its mission of supporting families struggling with similar challenges.
In Southwark, where CASP is located, nearly one-third of households earn less than 60% of the national average income after housing costs.
“It really is the difference between being able to work and not working, and being able to support a family. It’s a lifeline.” - Shereen Chung-Blake, who has been bringing her son to CASP for a year.
“If CASP closed I would have to take a lot more annual leave which isn’t always available”- feedback from one of our parents
“It’s affordable compared to other local clubs. The kids really enjoy it – it’s helping me because I’m working longer hours.” - another mum, Abi who works as a mental health nurse
If the building had to close, Miriam, a single mother from Camberwell who has been working at CASP for a year, would lose her job and her childcare all in one. “When I had kids, it was so hard to find a job a allowed me to work around my children. This place is great. They go to school, then they come here, and then we all go home together.”
“It’s going to be really hard for me. I used to have my own shop but I lost it in the pandemic.”
“I would have to go back to the drawing board – no idea what I will do.”
During the period of austerity and the Covid pandemic, CASP lost essential funding and we urgently need to raise money this summer in order to continue serving our community.
Grassroots community projects supporting generations of families provide something special. CASP has developed strong links with local schools, allowing us to collaborate on shared concerns and prioritize individual children's needs. We provide holistic and flexible care tailored to the needs of children and their parents and carers. This includes emergency before-school childcare for a parent attending a critical job interview and flexible access to our breakfast service for families facing food insecurity.
Stable, flexible and trusted wrap around childcare is a lifeline to parents. It would be a huge loss to London if CASP were to close, and it would take decades to recreate the relationships we have built across the community.
What we offer:
- A hot meal and safe and happy learning environment before and after school
- Drop off and collection from two local primary schools
- Pre-school nursery
- Holiday Playschemes
- Homework support
- A range of extracurricular activities such as art & crafts workshops, sports, and cultural enrichment programs
- Programmes to support the employability of local young people and adults
Why We Need Your Support
CASP relies on the generosity of individuals like you.
Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference. Here’s how your contribution helps:
· £10 Pays for a days’ worth of healthy breakfasts for 10 children
· £70 Pays for a week worth of nutritious hot meals for 25 children regularly attending our after school club
· £100 Pays for a workshop activity for 25 children regularly attending our after school club
· £1,000 Pays for a coach hire for two day trips for children attending our summer playscheme
· £1,500 Pays for arts & craft materials and resources for our children during the next 3 months
· £30,000 Pays for the staff costs of running our holiday playscheme for 10 weeks in the year
Impactful Projects
Here are some ways we've already made a difference, thanks to supporters like you:
- Healthy Eating Project
CASP delivers engaging activities to help children learn about healthy eating, cooking and where their food comes from. A balanced diet supports children’s concentration and energy levels in school.
- Mindfulness project
By engaging in mindfulness practices, children can learn to slow down, pay attention to the present moment, and develop better focus and self awareness. This can help children learn how to manage stress, regulate their emotions, and develop a positive outlook on life.
- Special Education Needs Support
Most childcare providers main income comes from parental fees which will not cover additional costs associated with SEN provision. This year CASP has received funding from the National Lottery Award for All to hire a dedicated SENCO for children in our nursery. The SENCO will work with key professionals and parents to anticipate children's needs and ensure their transition to reception class is well-planned.
“My son loves going to after school and the play scheme services and I can understand that my son, even though he has autism, loves this place because all the people there have so much patience with the kids. I feel very confident that my son is there because I know that he will be fine, which is super important to me in his condition. Also, as I am a single mother, this has helped me in the course of studying and working at the same time. It's a great place and I really hope they don't close it down.” –feedback from a parent who has used CASPs services for 3 years
- Work experience program
This year Team London Bridge has funded a twelve-week work experience program for ten unemployed Southwark residents aged 18 and older shadowing our childcare and administrative staff. The program aims to boost self-confidence and equip residents with the necessary skills to re-enter the workforce.
- Young Achievers Project
Funding enabled the delivery of our 5th Young Achievers Programme, a 10-week mentoring program for African Caribbean boys aged 11-15 who live in Southwark. The program aimed to change disruptive classroom behaviour and help participants focus on their education. The boys attend workshops on developing listening habits, ambitions, self-esteem, and anger management skills. Parent workshops also help parents understand the social climate that creates anxieties for parents of young black boys.
“It was beneficial in my life and everywhere I go” – Israel
How You Can Help
Your support is invaluable. Pledge a donation through Crowdfunder and be in with a chance of winning one of our prizes. Share our campaign with your social media networks.
Join Our Community
Becoming a donor means more than just giving money. It means joining a community of passionate individuals committed to making a positive change. As a donor, you will:
- Receive updates on our progress and success stories.
Be invited to our 40th anniversary celebration - Have the opportunity to volunteer and get involved.
Thank You
Thank you for considering a donation to Camberwell After School Project. Your support enables us to continue our work and make a meaningful impact. Together, we can achieve great things and create a brighter future for families in Southwark.
For more information, please contact us at www.caspuk.org
Prize Draw
Match the minimum donation below and leave a comment referencing your print of choice to be entered into the prize draw. Winners will be randomly selected and contacted on the 8th of September 2024.
So many of our families have mentioned the impact that CASP has had for their children, and we are proud to share these testimonials with you explaining the benefits of CASP and what our closure would mean for them.
“CASP plays a huge role in the development of my young child, it allows us to have that balance of parenting and time as a family, in generation where most children are used to electric media - CASP do what I believe kids should have - only thing to improve would to do so more of it - like trips to farms etc “ – feedback from parent who has been using CASPs services for 2-3 years
“I would be very sad - my child really enjoys his time at nursery & has built good relationships with staff & childrenMy child attends nursery so I can go to work if it closed I would have to find alternative childcare or it would interfere with my job.”
“I would have to take a lot more annual leave which isn’t always available. I would be devastated if CASP closed. My child mainly goes in the summer holidays and the opening/closing times work well for me and my workplace. It’s affordable and my daughter loves attending”
“I would lose my job“
“Having to find another holiday club that offers the same opening hours CASP does. I have used the service many years back for my son who is now 21 and I am now using CASP for my daughter. CASP is the nearest holiday club to keep that offers provision within working hours, so it would be a big shame and a big inconvenience if it were to close.“
“Emotionally very sad. First, it would affect my son, who would be sad about not having to go anymore, and also, as I am a single mother, this has helped me in the course of studying and working at the same time.”
“Reduced income, living penny by penny, my child not engaging or having that social experience or learning. I would be distraught, we rely on CASP - it would make life extremely difficult for 2 working parents and take away so much development of my child“ - feedback from parent who has been using CASP for 2-3 years
“We would miss the after school activity and the children would miss their friends.” - feedback from parent who has been using CASP for 2 years
“Mi hija estaría muy triste al perder su ambiente que tiene en la guardería“
“Start from zero, get to now a new place, get to now new staff and friends.“
“I would be disappointed if CASP closed as I think it's an important community resource”
“CASP is the best nursery compared with the other nursery’s I have been to.” – feedback from parent who has been using CASP for 1 year
“This great place deserves to remain open, there are many children involved who already know each other there and I know that this closure would affect them emotionally.“ – feedback from parent who has been using CASP for 3 years
“The impact it would have on not only the children but the families are unimaginable” - feedback from parent who has been using CASP for 2-3 years
“The staff is very helpful. and give very good advice.” – feedback from parent who has been using CASP for 2 years
“Por favor no cerrar, busquemos soluciones y no dejemos a los niños en el aire” – feedback from parent who has been using CASP for one year
“Hope you stay open.“
“That would be very sad if CASP closed”
“Muy triste“
“Very sad”
Our children attending CASP also wanted to add their voices to this Crowdfunder
“I had fun and made lots of friends. I liked the trips and the crafts that we did. I really like the staff too they are friendly. My mum always tries to pick me up early but I always want to stay until the end “
“I liked it as I made new friends. I loved going on trips.”
Ellington, age 9, shares:
“I first joined CASP three years ago. I love playing outside, reading books, and doing word searches. I've made three good friends at CASP who go to other schools. I’ll miss CASP when I go to my new school. You should join CASP if you like fun, exciting, and friendly times. I would return to CASP any day.”
Thank you to all our supports who donated to our previous CrowdFunder appeal in 2023. Its because of your support our essential childcare services are still running.
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