enable GUIDE
EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION
Forward
Learning Nelson Mandela once said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Across the UK, educational organisations are going the extra mile to ensure disabled people can get involved. From evening classes to a degree, there is a path for everyone
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earning is an enriching activity to participate in. Further learning welcomes people from all backgrounds and abilities to advance their education. Students can expect to be supported during their time studying, paving the way for new qualifications.
CREATIVITY Releasing your creative side is part of the parcel with education – UK-wide, the creative arts are embracing the skills of disabled students. The iconic Glasgow School of Art (www.gsa.ac.uk) supports students with a variety of disabilities to ensure they get the relevant assistance during their time in education. Similarly, London’s City Lit (www.citylit.ac.uk) run a range of creative courses for adults with learning disabilities, including performing arts, acting and performance, all the way to percussion orchestra – education is bursting with creativity.
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THE OPEN UNIVERSITY One of the leading providers of further education is The Open University (OU). Offering a variety of different courses, over a time period that suits your individual needs, there is a degree or course for you. Depending on your ability, OU (www.open. ac.uk) offers comprehensive support and adjustments for students.
As it’s all distance learning, the majority of the course is done from home – so there’s less pressure, and access isn’t an issue. You may have to attend tutorials occassionally, but access is generally good. Many other universities offer distance learning options, so check out UCAS (www.ucas.com) or search online for opportunities.
GROUP SUPPORT As well as offering flexible learning options, OU has a disability group. The Disabled Student’s Group (DSG) is run by and for students with a disability, be that sensory, learning, physical or mental. And they’re not the only ones – universities and colleges nationwide offer groups for disabled students through their student unions.
AFTER HOURS Many FE colleges across the country and training centres offer evening classes, covering everything from A-levels to specialist interest classes like languages and wine tasting. Whether you get a qualification or not, undertaking learning like this in your own time always impresses employers. Search for courses in your area – and be sure to have a chat with them about your needs and requirements to make sure they can make adaptations to support you.
FUNDING When it comes to learning, it’s important to get the funding to support your studies. You may be able to apply for a Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) for further and higher education. To qualify for the support you must have a long-term health condition, mental health condition or a specific learnin difficulty undin di ers dependin on full or part-time study and does not need to be repaid – an extra helping hand to encourage more people to get into further and higher education. s education providers o er a wider variety of courses, more funding is made available and on-campus groups supporting disabled students appear, gaining new skills and ualifications is only a click away.
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