Parent Yvonne Nolan says she “knows the difference” the work of the Difference Days organisation has made for students at Saplings Special School in Rathfarnham, Dublin.
On Tuesday of last week, the Difference Days team completed a “life-changing” project at Saplings School, which supports 30 students, aged four to 18, with a primary diagnosis of autism.
Nolan’s sons, Rory and Dylan, have been attending the school since the age of eight after both received diagnoses of autism at 2½.
“The team has created things we never thought were possible,” she said. “We wanted this to happen and it’s what we wished for and we can’t believe it. It just feels very surreal that it’s happening.”
RM Block
On the day, they created a zen den – a free-standing multi-use sensory room – raised beds and accessible pathways in the school’s garden.
“It lets the students live their best life because you’re giving them opportunities to explore larger spaces,” she added. “They’ve got the zen den where they can regulate; all of that makes a huge difference for them because then they can be in the moment.”
Founded by Denis O’Reilly, Difference Days facilitates companies organising team-building days with a social purpose. The company provides funding and their employees volunteer labour for projects in the likes of schools, women’s refuge centres and community centres.
Roman Przewoznik, originally from Poland, has been principal of Saplings School for the past three years after joining the school 10 years ago.
“Eighty per cent of our students are nonverbal. They require additional space and more age-appropriate spaces. So, giving them that space is the best gift we can currently give them.”
He explained how it was “a dream for many years to open up this side of the garden”.
“We’re feeling truly honoured because Difference Days has come to our school. They are not only giving us all these amazing people to work here, but they are transforming the garden all in one day and we didn’t have to pay for any of this.
“The garden is very much at the heart of our school because this is where the children can go and enjoy themselves – it’s transforming.”
On the day of the Saplings project, 70 volunteers helped, including O’Reilly and his team, tarmacadam contractor DM Morris, transition year students and some parents.
Some elements, such as the zen den, were funded by SMBC Aviation Capital.
The organisation was set up 15 years ago by O’Reilly, from Sandycove. At the time, his wife Angela told him there was no funding to do up the grounds of a centre their son Charlie, who has Down Syndrome, attended.
Following that, he approached a company he previously set up team bonding activities for and enlisted them to help him with cutting back some foliage, painting and decorating.
“That was the start. We didn’t have a name for it. We just made it happen. And now it’s been going for 15 years and we do around 20 big projects a year,” he said.
