Our project is aimed at encouraging South Thames College learners who happen to have a disability or learning difficulty to give serious consideration to applying for an Apprenticeship Scheme with the opportunity for work experience prior to any application. At the same the project focuses on local employers with the purpose of negating any myths and perceptions they may have regarding the employment of supported learners as well as how employers can make reasonable adjustments to accomodate them. Two seminars had been organised for local employers and invited learners who are supported through our Learner Support Services.

The 2 morning seminars were held at South Thames College venues (the first at our Wandsworth High Street Campus, the second at Merton Campus) in the week commencing 24th February. Over the 2 events we welcomed over 20 representatives of employers and other guests, and were delighted that over 30 students also attended, as well as support workers who were assisting our learners who were partially sighted/blind or deaf/hard of hearing. I attach the seminar agenda for employers.

For the first part of the morning the learners had their own session with colleagues from our Business Unit. The workshop provided relevant information about the Apprenticeship/Traineeship scheme, work on developing an individual CV, examining the application form, and for some plucky learners an opportunity to stand up and talk about themselves and their career aspirations.

Two seminars we are organising are central to our project where we will be host to local employers and our learners who we support from our college's Learner Support Services. Both are morning seminars, the first on Monday 24th February, and the second on Friday 28th February. We are fortunate to have excellent facilities on site both at our Wandsworth High Street Campus and Merton Campus of South Thames College, and enjoy great help and support from our Marketing &Facilities Teams and the College caterers. Externally, Christine Alexander of 'Deaf First'/Oak Lodge has offered important advice as well as providing equipment for the seminars.We look forward to welcoming the BSL Communication Support Workers from 'Deaf First' who will be assisting our learners at the seminars. My Learner Support college colleagues will also be supporting on those days.

So, our planning is nearing completion with the seminars nearly upon us!

Ian Aldridge (Project Co-ordinator)

ian.aldridge@south-thames.ac.uk

South Thames College's project is focused on encouraging our learners who have a disability or learning difficulty to apply for the Apprenticeship Scheme through work experience opportunities, and through 2 seminars we are hosting in February (in college)to engage with local employers to dispel myths and wrong perceptions that some may have regarding the employment of people who happen to have a disability or receive learners support.

We have had an encouraging response to our "We Can Work It Out" seminar invitations given to learners who are studying across a whole range of potential apprenticeship subjects, from catering to engineering, from IT to hairdressing. At the same time we are starting to receive responses from local employers who have been sent invitations via our college's Business Centre (Jamie Stevenson is head of this unit). We are fortunate to have the services of Ellen Atkinson who will facilitate both Seminars, Ellen has great experience both in the arena of Further Education as well as Employment^definition and Disability^definition.

Early in February an item will be published in 'Snippets' the college's in-house magazine, describing the background to our EDIF^definition project and it's purpose as we look forward to the seminars on 24th February and 28th February.

Ian Aldridge (Project Co-ordinator)

ian.aldridge@south-thames.ac.uk

Our EDIF^definition project at South Thames College situated in south west London is aimed at encouraging learners with disabilities or support needs to apply for the apprenticeship scheme once they have had work experience opportunities. Equally the project is also focused on dispelling the myths and wrong perceptions some local employers may have regarding the employment of people who happen to have a disability. We are concentrating on 2 seminars for local employers and learners. We have recently met with the facilitators for the seminars (organised for the end of February 2014) and have been able to design the agenda for those 2 mornings. At the same time invitations have now been sent to local employers across 6 London boroughs, and with the help of Learner Support colleagues and tutors also to learners who we have identified as being interested in the apprenticeship scheme. The logistical and practical arrangements for the seminars such as rooming arrangements, catering, public address systems, student ambassadors to meet and greet our guests, and arranging communication support workers for our learners with a hearing impairment are in hand.

Can't wait!

Ian Aldridge (project co-ordinator)

The South Thames College project is aimed at creating work experience opportunities for learners with disabilities through local employers in south west London and then eventually towards the apprenticeship process. Our employer/learner seminars are set for the end of February 2014 and planning for them is well under way with identified learners being sent information about the project and invitations to either one of the seminars. Our Business Centre is contacting local employers. Our project's Assessment Manager Dan Simons has provided some very helpful information including an employer questionnaire focusing on issues related to recruitment, retention and work place adjustments in relation to potential employees with disabilities.

Our college planning team together with our seminar facilitator meet early in January to finalise the 'agenda' for our half day workshops.

Hello again from South Thames College. In my previous Blog I briefly described our 2013/14 project based on the premise that disability is no obstacle to employment. We aim to encourage our learners who happen to be disabled or have a learning difficulty to be confident enough to apply and successfully attain an apprenticeship through work experience with local employers. At the same time we aim to support local employers by negating and removing the myths and perceptions surrounding the employment of people who have a disability. We plan to have the agreement of employers to organise work experience opportunities. So, we are in the process of organising 2 seminars at 2 of our college campus and inviting local employers and learners who will be interested in the apprenticeship scheme. We have dates arranged for the end of February 2014, a facilitator has been identified for both seminars and we are in the process of finalising the inviatation letter and questionnaire for employers. Then we will make personal contact with identified learners to establish their interest in work experience prior to applying for an apprenticeship scheme.

Ian Aldridge (project co-ordinator), email : ian.aldridge@south-thames.ac.uk  or telephone 0208 918 7482.

My name is Ian Aldridge and I am the project co-ordinator for my college's EDIF^definition project. South Thames College, situated in S.W. London attracts learners who have disabilities and difficulties from several London boroughs including Wandsworth, Merton, Lambeth, Sutton and Richmond. Like other 'EDIF' colleagues this is my first (ever) blog and I'm very pleased to be part of the EDIF2013/14 community. Through the agency of seminars our project is aimed at dispelling myths and wrong perceptions that local employers may have about disability or learning difficulties being an obstacle to employment particularly in the case of Apprenticeships. So, I need to get cracking on in speaking with learners and with the help of our college's Business Development centre contacting those local firms.