SEND Job Club
The Job Club aims:
- Employment focused person-centred planning working towards paid employment.
- Raising the aspirations of students, their families/carers, staff teams and employers.
- Increasing student’s skills, confidence and understanding of the world of work.
- Promoting independence, social inclusion and drawing on community-based support where ever possible.
- Understanding the local employment market and expanding partnerships with employers to support students both inside and outside the school.
- Working closely with students, parent carers and partners with the development and delivery of the Job Club Programme.
- Supporting West Sussex ambition to help more young people with additional needs to get into employment by sharing practice across all Job Club Programme areas.
“Opportunity for All”
Employment focused & Raising aspirations
In essence, the MGC SEND Job Club has provided a focus for “what” we want success to look like and the process “how” we will support more young people, with SEND, into the work place.
There is strong process to support all student’s future choices and transition via the college Annual Review framework and support. As such, all students and their family receive key information about individual progress and attainment linked to aspirations. As part of the process the class teacher is able to map future planning and support to ensure the student is working towards those goals, each year.
In April, the college held its “Next Steps” event (as part of the wider college “Careers Week”). This year had three elements to underpin the person centred planning; An afternoon session, timetabled for EVERY CLASS to visit the event and interact with:
- Education providers
- Employers
- Day service providers
- West Sussex, Surrey & Kent Support
- Employer Support
- Skills Builder Partnership
Over 40 stall holders (annex 1a) were invited to attend the Next Steps event via Eventbrite with opportunity to a networking session catered by the FE Café. Attendees will then stay for an evening session whereby college students and family could visit the event. In 2023, there was over 50% sign up to the event by families across the college.
Key Stage 3
Currently, all students participate in a wide range of STEM activities and begin to identify ‘Essential Skills’ as set in the Skills Builder Framework. Staff identify and support the development of skills within the 8 areas and Skills Builder is now identifiable across the college & linked to curriculum learning activities. Visits are linked to the new QUEST curriculum learning and KS3 students begin to form ideas around their future and possible work related aspirations. Inspirational speakers advocate “Opportunity for all” and students have further encounters with employers at the Next Steps event.
Key Stage 4
All students identify education providers and pathways post MGC. For 2024, these will include training, vocational qualifications and supported internships or apprenticeships. Where appropriate, students currently access impartial & personal career guidance, develop their CV and application / form filling skills. For 2024, vocational profiles will expand across the college and be embedded in line with individual transition information (such as communication & medical passports).
Students have, at least, one experience of a work place with opportunity to continue a meaningful vocational programme as part of an onsite or off site work experience. Visits continue to be linked to the new QUEST curriculum and essential skills (Skills Builder Framework) are identified and developed to promote aspirations of work or training beyond MGC. Inspirational speakers, including previous MGC students advocate “Opportunity for all” and students have further encounters with employers at the Next Steps event.
Key Stage 5
All students continue to work around aspirations and making positive choices about pathways beyond MGC. These include appropriate education providers, training and support. Where appropriate, students currently access impartial & personal career guidance, develop their Record of Achievement and application / form filling skills. For 2024, vocational profiles will expand across the college and be embedded in line with individual transition information (such as communication & medical passports).
Students have, at least, one experience of a work place with opportunity to continue a meaningful vocational programme as part of an onsite or off site work experience. Visits continue to be linked to the new QUEST curriculum and essential skills (Skills Builder Framework) are identified and developed to promote aspirations of work or training beyond MGC. Inspirational speakers, including previous MGC students advocate “Opportunity for all” and students have further encounters with employers at the Next Steps event.
By the end of the academic year, 2022-23, successful student transition will include: