Yep! Supported Work Experience Week
EBP Youth Employment Officer Tim designed a supported work experience week for a group of ten Year 10 students with SEND needs.
Due to their additional needs these students, from Brannel School in St Stephens, would be unable to complete a work placement with one employer. However, they would still benefit from learning about some of the local industries and the employers in their area.
The week was to run alongside the Passport to Work Experience program, which was also partly run by the Education Business Partnership.
Tim explained: “After approaching employers across Cornwall I was able to provide the school with a healthy list of employers who offer activities spanning across several industries. Science teachers Jason Doolan and Jade Blackett then cherry picked the activities they felt would be most appropriate and consulted the students. They also spoke to parents on the plan for the week, seeking feedback also.”
The school also had access to a pot of money which could pay for resources and transport for STEM focused activities, which the school were keen to use and which helped shape the program.
Tim settled on the following employers running activities:
- School of Dough - Catering and hospitality workshop
- Geothermal Engineering Ltd – Renewable energy/CV writing and interview skills workshop
- Spaceport Cornwall – Space and aerospace workshop
- Cornwall Training – First Aid training/Networking for employment workshop
- Suez – Recycling workshop
- George Slater – Enterprise experience
Tim added: “Feedback from the week was great, with the students engaging well with most of the activities. The school want to repeat the program next year with the addition of some animal based activities from someone like the RSPCA.”
