31st March 2021
By Jordana Lyons, ABA Supervisor
Over 25% of disabled people say that they do not have choice and control over their daily lives.[1] Across BeyondAutism we promote the concept of a learners’ ideal week. By providing choice and opportunity, learners can feel empowered and live their life in a way that suits them.
Sincoln is one of our Sixth Form students at South Thames College. Each week Sincoln creates a timetable for the week ahead based on his interests. His ideal week involves working on his social enterprise making and selling occasion cards, accessing the community by going to shops and cafes and having time at home with his family.
A key focus of empowering our learners is making sure that when they leave education, they have the relevant qualifications and experience for their next steps. Across this academic year Sincoln has experienced a range of vocational opportunities and built upon his portfolio by gaining AQA Award Units across Sixth Form’s key strands. Throughout the year, he has given feedback about which vocational activities he enjoys and has made a choice about what he would like to do going into year 14. This feedback is an important stage in supporting Sincoln to make choices about his ideal week going into adulthood.
The Sixth Form curriculum has enabled Sincoln to explore his interests and make an informed choice about what he wants to specialise in moving into year 14, Art and Design. He will continue to build upon his portfolio, gaining AQA award certificates, giving him the skills to support him to find a work experience placement or supported internship within this specialist area as well as developing his skills to continue his social enterprise of making and selling cards.
By listening to our learners’ aspirations we can support them on their path to their ideal week. Visit our Sixth Form pages
[1] ONS Opinions Survey 2011. Cited at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disability-facts-and-figures/disability-facts-and-figures