Celebrating Work Experience for Norfolk Students with Complex Needs

I was at Norfolk Ski Club, Trowse on Monday, July 13 at an celebration event to mark the completion of an 18-month project run by The Exchange (Norfolk Education Business Partnership) http://www.norfolk-exchange.org.uk/, introducing Norfolk students with complex needs to the world of work. The event was both inspirational and moving.

Students and staff from seven schools, Alderman Jackson, Kings Lynn, Chapel Road, Attleborough, Fred Nicholson, Dereham, Harford Manor, Norwich, John Grant Caister, Sheringham Woodfields and Sidestrand Hall near Cromer, presented their achievements and experiences over the last 18 months. The formal business was followed by a ‘tubing’ session on the Trowse ski slope (see photo of tubing).

The project, funded by the Learning & Skills Council (LSC) and co-ordinated by Laura Sides for The Exchange, provided the students with a series of work placements and experience days at businesses and local authorities throughout the county. These included catering with Pizza Express, John Lewis and the Rocket House Café, Cromer, visits to Lotus, Norwich Airport, Norwich Theatre Royal and Norwich City Football Club and working with Haven Holidays, B&Q, The Range, Future Radio and King’s Lynn Borough Open Spaces team.

Tom O’Connor, Chief Executive, The Exchange explained: "Laura Sides, our project manager, worked with the schools, introducing them to businesses and helping them arrange all manner of placements and visits. I would like to thank the employers that supported our scheme. But we need many more to come forward and give complex needs students the chance to experience the world of work. As well as being of great benefit to the students, staff also develop new skills and find it very rewarding as they help the students learn and develop."

Steve Pond, Pizza Express, St Benedicts Norwich said: "It is a pleasure working with the students. Their enthusiasm and energy is so infectious. It is also beneficial for the business to be seen to be taking an active role in the community. It has raised awareness of social diversity amongst staff at the restaurant."

Michelle Howe teacher at John Grant School Caister said: "The Exchange project has really helped our students get prepared for the work environment. We had very successful placements at B&Q and Haven. The Haven placement has developed into an extended gardening work experience. Bringing all the schools together at the end of the project to share ideas has been a wonderful way to end the project. Our students really enjoyed the chance to go ‘tubing’ at Trowse."

Feedback from parents
"The way The Exchange, the employer and the school all worked together to co-ordinate the support for him was fantastic. He has enjoyed every single minute, and I really feel now that he has a place in the world of work, which is something I was unsure of before."
"More funding should go into inclusion related projects. There is only so much the schools can do and offer, therefore it is important for other agencies to be involved in creating more opportunities for these young people as they will not be in school forever."
"The project has shown that our children need to have more community based activities, it helps them to integrate and feel more of part of their community."