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Community Inclusion, Health, Independent living skills, employment
Community Inclusion:
At Victoria College we feel it is really important that our students are seen and valued as equal citizens wherever and whenever possible. We have two minibuses that we use for our visits.
Our Community Inclusion programme allows students to visit their local and wider communities, to experience a wide variety of places, cultures and local attractions. These are linked with the students Independent living skills topics and work awareness.
By visiting one place over a number of weeks, progress can be identified in how the students identify and anticipate different aspects of their visits. We believe that the community visits are vital to our students, giving them opportunities to practice skills learnt in the classroom, to meet different people and volunteer on projects within the community.
Community inclusion also includes welcoming visitors to the college and taking part in our charity fund raising events over the year.
Health:
Many of our students require additional health support with medication, eating and drinking and postoral management. Prior to enrolling at the college, the health team will assess the needs of the students and attend transition meetings. They will work with students, families and other professionals to ensure their daily needs in college are met. A nurse will attend community inclusion visits when nursing support is required.
Staff are trained in dysphagia, to support students with oral eating and drinking and manual handling for postural management. The physiotherapist who attends college part time, prepares programmes for students as needed, they will use a range of equipment over the week to support their requirements. Medical staff will support students with enteral feeds.
Our programme includes integrated therapies, physiotherapy, speech and language, hydrotherapy and rebound therapy.
We have a multi-sensory room which has a dual purpose for learning and as a space to relax.
Metal health and well being is supported through RPSHE, tutorials and meet and greet where students are able to share through their preferred method of communication and how they are feeling each day. Small group sizes and high staff ratios enable effective key working.
Independent living Skills:
Independent living skills are taught through topic-based subjects, linking with community inclusion when relevant. For example, the topic of safety has road crossing targets that are practiced in the community. Shopping can be practiced in college and then these skills can be used and assessed in the community. Making choices and having their voice listened to, are key independent skills that our young people require.
The Life skills room has height adjustable and a range of adapted equipment.
Other topics include teeth cleaning, living arrangements, transport and travel and friendships and relationships.
Assessments can take place both in and outside of college and the didgital platform We Track Me is used to show progression made by each student.
Employment:
Students learn about employement and the work place through termly work awareness weeks and opportunites to take part and work on projects in the community. Recent projects include creating a “beach” themed area in a local primary school playground, buiding insect houses for local community outside areas, working to groom and feed horses at a stable and working at a community allotment to plant, weed and harvest vegetables.
The work awareness weeks allow students to meet visiting guests who speak about, and demonstrate, their roles in their place of work. Students also learn about skills that are needed in the work place. They also explore work through sensory activities and making, marketing and selling goods.
Our careers advisor will meet with students and carry out interviews during these weeks and also attends the transition event each year.
Visits to future day provision for our students leaving college and transition days in to college are other areas of the Gatsby Benchmarks that the college ensures students have the opportunity to take part in.