Shaw Trust have been providing information, advice and careers guidance for over 25 years. Throughout this time our staff have gone above and beyond to support young people in removing barriers to achieve their goals.
This National Careers week we would like to share with you the story of T.
T was a year 11 student who was having a hard time in an alternative provision setting following a permanent exclusion from school. T’s Mum was receiving support from their local GP to obtain an autism assessment. T spent most of their time in education struggling every single day.
T aspired to work within the construction industry but needed direction on how to take the next step. A Shaw Trust careers adviser began working with T and helped review local colleges offering construction courses.
During this time T encountered some barriers in applying due to having an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for his autism diagnosis. Whilst applying, T’s EHCP hadn’t been updated, and much of the information on it did not reflect T’s recent progress following their autism diagnosis. As a result, T’s applications were both rejected.
Our adviser was able to reach out to the Local Authority’s SEN case manager to raise concerns over the outdated information being shared with the local colleges that could impact T’s future. Through doing this, our team were able to secure agreement to have the EHCP re-drafted and re-submitted. The revised document reflected a more positive and accurate picture for T. Over a period of more than two months, collaborative efforts with T, their Mum, the school, the borough and chosen colleges ensured that both T and their Mum’s voices were consistently heard and represented.
The updated EHCP was shared with T’s preferred colleges, resulting in two conditional offers. Unfortunately, T was rejected by their first choice, but we supported T to process this set-back and visit their second-choice college, including an arranged meeting with an SEN staff member upon arrival. The visit was very positive, and T was offered a place. They have been attending college regularly and are thriving in this environment.
Through being open and honest with T, Mum and key partner organisations, our staff were able to provide T the right level of support to address and overcome barriers, helping them to get on the first step of their career path. Supporting young people in overcoming barriers shows them you CAN dream, and you CAN achieve.
This National Careers Week remember You CAN!
There is plenty of help and support that you can access here: Youth Resources – Shaw Trust
