EXTRASUPPORT IF YOUNEED IT

For those of you who need extra support as you move onto the next stage of your education, thereare many different paths available.

Organisations and services providing support will work together to help you continue your education and training, or find ajob, and it gives you agreater say in the support you need and how it’s provided.

Thereare many options including staying on at school, going to afurther education or specialist college, applying for work-based training with an employer or training provider and voluntary work.

Your current teachers and those at the school or college you’reapplying to, will be able to give you information about educational support you can get.

It’sworth looking into specialist colleges as these offer extra facilities and one-to-one support you may not get at your local college or school. They might be helpful if, for example, you have sight or hearing difficulties, need medical care, or requirespecial equipment.

Universities will have many on-campus support services available to disabled students. Most universities, institutions and colleges have disability co-ordinators and advisors that areonhand to help.

Supported internships areanother popular routefor students withlearning difficulties or impairments. Tobeeligible you need aStatement of SEND, a Learning Difficulty Assessment, or an Education Health and CarePlan.

Internships areoffered by further education colleges, sixth form and independent specialist providers. They are unpaid and last for at least six months with the aim of getting apaid job.

These study programmes areput together to give each student the training, support and work skills they need to help them get employment.

Most of the learning is done in the workplace with hands-on experience. At the same time you will also have the chance to study for qualifications and other training or learning.

During the internship you will have a tutor and expert job coach to work with you and the employer

Youcan find out moreabout supported internships from your school, local college, social worker,transition worker,orfromJob CentrePlus.

Make Themost Of Additional Opportunities

TheDukeofEdinburgh’s Award

From theage of 14,young people canworktowards earningThe Duke of Edinburgh’sAward Notonlyisitanopportunity to discovernew interestsand talentsbut it’s also arecognised mark of achievement;respected by employers.

Thereare foursectionsto complete at Bronze andSilver leveland five at Gold.They involvehelping thecommunity/ environment, becoming fitter, developing newskills, planning, trainingfor andcompleting an expeditionand,for Gold only,working with ateamona residentialactivity.

Anyyoung personcan do their DofE –regardlessofability, gender,backgroundorlocation. An EPQ(Extended Project Qualification)

This asixth-formqualification that involves studentschoosing atopic,carryingout research, creatingareport(or ‘product’ andreport) anddeliveringa presentation

Thereare severaltypes of EPQ –studentscan writearesearchbased report,put on an event like acharity fundraiser, make somethingsuchasapiece of art or modelorput on aperformance such as amusical.Other options include producingapiece of creative writingormultimedia. Butalthoughthe choices arewide andvaried, studentsmustshow that it is academically useful, either relatingtotheir current course of study or future career.

EPQs arecurrentlygradedA*to Eand they areworth up to half an A-level, as well as UCAS points Many universitiesand employers look favourablyatEPQswhen assessingapplications.