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The Arsenal Foundation has helped to fund Playscheme, a holiday club for Deaf children run by Deaf charity Remark! Community. Rahat Ahmed, 26, and from London, tells us how it benefits the children and parents alike.<\/p>\n
\u201cI work for Remark! Community as a community coordinator and outreach officer. I ensure we reach all corners of London and the surrounding areas to provide opportunities for new members. As a community coordinator, I organise and run events for our members. As a proud member of the Deaf community myself, I love seeing other Deaf people enjoy our projects and feel included.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always been involved in the Deaf community, and have always found it to be very social. I used to be a support worker, working with Deaf clients, from children and youth to the elderly. However, I knew I wanted to challenge myself to make a bigger difference that would be felt within the Deaf community.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur Playschemes run during every school holiday, including half-term, on three to four weekdays, depending on the holiday. The sessions run from 10am to 4pm.<\/p>\n
\u201cMembers are divided into two groups so activities can be age appropriate. The younger group is for Deaf children aged six to 11, and the older group for ages 11 to 16. We run a range of fun activities and trips to get them out and socialising with other Deaf youth. Workshops can be creative, including activities such as graffiti or drumming, or practical and skills-based, for example cooking and baking. More physical activities have included a martial arts self-defence workshop and an aerial and acrobatic skills workshop.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2025, the highlight of our trips was our experience of\u202fEmirates Stadium, of course! Many of the children who attended are huge Arsenal fans and were super-excited to visit the stadium, the interview room they\u2019ve seen countless times on TV and the changing rooms to see the Arsenal players\u2019 kits. They were also lucky enough to visit the London Dungeons, Flip-Out and the Oxygen trampoline park at the O2.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur organisation champions itself on being Deaf-led, so we have Deaf coordinators who oversee the Playscheme, one being myself. We are supported by Playworkers and we also have hearing communication support workers who facilitate communication from English to BSL and vice versa if required. Playscheme also relies on the support of volunteers, which encourages both hearing and Deaf people to get involved.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe aim of Playscheme is to reduce isolation and build confidence for Deaf young people, while our activities are centred around receiving equal access to new experiences, challenging oneself and being more active. These aims work in cohesion to foster their Deaf identities. Our members benefit from this massively, as most of these spaces are not accessible to Deaf children.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne example is KR, who has attended Playscheme for many years. When he joined, he struggled to communicate with Deaf peers and was not confident using sign. Through regular attendance, encouragement and support from staff and peers, he is now an incredibly popular member and has developed a newfound independence. As an Arsenal fan, he was particularly excited to attend Emirates Stadium and he has had the opportunity to train with Arsenal in the Community as he received funding from his local council. <\/p>\n
\u201cPlayscheme is also invaluable for Deaf parents, especially parents expected to work through the holidays. They know that their Deaf child is not only in a safe environment but also surrounded by their Deaf peers and staff who are able to support them appropriately.<\/p>\n
\u201cMoreover, for hearing parents who may not be able to provide rich communication at home, they know that their child is in an environment that boosts their social skills as they interact with peers and raises their confidence as they try new activities that are sometimes not accessible outside of Playscheme. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo many young people look up to the players as role models and the club to set a positive example. Not only does the club help charities, but it also spreads awareness and the need for social change. <\/p>\n
\u201cInaccessibility is something I have experienced as a Deaf individual, and Arsenal\u2019s support to local charities and organisations makes football more accessible to all. With some of the negative rhetoric surrounding football as a sport, Arsenal\u2019s support creates such a positive impact for all.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more information visit remarkcommunity.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/article>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\nCopyright 2026 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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