Friendship Circle Herts is changing lives one friendship at a time

For families of children with additional needs, the biggest challenge begins when the school day ends.

Finding holiday clubs, after-school activities or community events where a child feels comfortable can be difficult, leaving many parents feeling they have nowhere to turn.

Friendship Circle Herts was founded to change that.

The Borehamwood-based initiative, established by Rebbetzen Leah Hoch, who co-leads the Jewish Life Centre with her husband, Rabbi Chaim Hoch, brings together children with additional needs and trained teenage volunteers, creating friendships that organisers say have transformed the lives of children, parents and young volunteers alike.

What began as a pilot project supporting just three families at the end of 2023 has grown into a thriving community. Today, around 50 children take part in its programmes, supported by more than 60 teenage volunteers – up from just 26 a year ago.

This summer marks another significant milestone with the launch of Friendship Circle’s first dedicated day camp.

For Leah, however, the journey started years earlier.

There’s no agenda, there’s no need for them to do anything or be anything. It’s just there for them to be themselves.

Before returning to Britain, she worked with Friendship Circle programmes in New York and California. After moving to Elstree and Borehamwood in 2011, she always hoped to introduce the model locally through the Jewish Life Centre.

The idea became reality after a family moving back from Manchester asked whether anything similar existed in Hertfordshire.

“I knew there was just nothing like it,” Leah told Jewish News. “I just saw how much the need is there.”

The first Friends@Home pilot paired teenage volunteers with children for weekly visits in their own homes, giving them time to play, bake, read or simply spend time together.

As demand grew, Friendship Circle introduced its monthly SENsory Sunday sessions, creating a calm, welcoming space where every child is matched with a teenage buddy while taking part in sensory play, music, arts, cooking and interactive activities.

The emphasis, Leah says, is not on therapy or achieving goals. “There’s no agenda, there’s no need for them to do anything or be anything. It’s just there for them to be themselves.”

She recalls that some children initially would not even walk through the door: “Slowly, now these kids run in. They know the environment, they know the space, and they’re just so excited to meet their teen and be there.

Programme coordinator Fran Masser, who joined Friendship Circle last September after 15 years working in early years education and supporting children with special educational needs, said many families were looking for opportunities beyond the classroom.

“There was a need for the support outside the educational setting,” she said. “I really wanted to give them opportunities outside of school and show inclusivity.”

Today, Friendship Circle introduces parents to one another, signposts families to specialist organisations including Kisharon Langdon and supports the Mounty Brady Teen Club in Borehamwood.
For Leah, the programme’s impact is best illustrated through the stories families share. One girl who had refused to attend after-school clubs now happily goes to dance classes because her Friendship Circle buddy teaches there, while another child described “Friendship Circle” as their community.

“It changes things for the family; it really does,” Leah said.

The confidence you get from giving is something you can’t learn anywhere. You’re not learning it in a classroom. The only place you’re learning it is being hands-on.

Many volunteers develop confidence, empathy and leadership skills through spending time with their buddies.

“The confidence you get from giving is something you can’t learn anywhere,” Leah said. “You’re not learning it in a classroom. The only place you’re learning it is being hands-on… The goal really is to create a community of inclusion.”

Teen volunteer Gabrielle Kutner said volunteering had become “the highlight of my week”, adding that every SENsory Sunday and Friends@Home session leaves her smiling because of the impact it has on both her and her buddy.

Fellow volunteer Talia Hartstone said Friendship Circle had given her “a confidence I didn’t know existed”, while helping her build genuine relationships with both children and fellow volunteers.

Parent Elisabeth Gasc said Friendship Circle had become “a second family”, giving her daughters friendship, confidence and belonging while ensuring the whole family felt welcomed, accepted and supported.

The charity will launch its first Friendship Circle Day Camp this summer. Every child will be paired with a dedicated teenage buddy while enjoying trips, STEM workshops, sensory experiences and creative activities. Although the camp costs around £120 per child each day to run, fundraising has reduced the family contribution to £45 a day, with confidential financial support available where needed.

Alongside celebrating the charity’s growth, Leah believes navigating statutory SEND support remains “a minefield for families”.

“The GP tells you one thing, health visitors tell you another,” she said. “It’s very not clear-cut on the direction of where you should go and what the support is out there and what’s available.”

“I think there is a lot that could be done better,” she added.

Comparing the UK with the United States, Leah said her nephew, who has Down syndrome and lives in New York, receives a level of government support she believes is simply unavailable here.

“They’re not going to move because there’s nothing like that support,” she said.

Friendship Circle means so much more than activities or events… The Friendship Circle truly feels like a second family.

Despite those frustrations, Leah praised the work of Jewish charities and community organisations that have stepped in to help families.

“I think everyone is doing their best,” she said. “Everyone is trying as much as we can.”

Looking ahead, Friendship Circle hopes to expand alongside the Jewish Life Centre’s planned new premises, including the creation of a dedicated sensory room where children who become overwhelmed can regulate in a calm environment before rejoining activities.

For Leah, Friendship Circle has always been about much more than organising activities. It is about creating a community where every child feels welcomed, every family feels supported, and every young volunteer discovers the power of inclusion through friendship.

To find out more about Friendship Circle Herts, including its programmes, volunteering opportunities or how to support its work, click here.