Vision Statement

“TEENS+ believes that young people with complex additional support needs and communication difficulties will obtain long-term benefit from the provision of tailored, education-based programmes designed to support their transition from school to adult services”

Aims

1. To deliver a high-quality educational programme individually tailored to provide each individual with learning opportunities, stimulation and support within a highly-structured setting
2. To establish and run a 4 year full-time project, providing person-centred post-school education for 6 young people leaving special schools in Edinburgh
3. To promote personal development and social skills
4. To work in partnership with other agencies, including health and therapy services
5. In the longer term, to provide a sustainable model of good practice which could be adapted throughout Scotland
6. To make sure that the views of the young people are listened to and incorporated in the design of the project
7. To prepare these young people for their future within adult services

Objectives

The programme will

• Be tailored to each young person’s needs and abilities
• Be based on educational principles within appropriate learning environments (core base and wider community resources)
• Include 4 core elements:- communication, language and number skills; sports and leisure; creative arts; and life skills
• Be monitored and reviewed within a system of personal learning plans
• Be an age-appropriate experience within a group learning context
• Be supported by facilities such as access to IT

To promote personal development and social skills the project will:

• Focus on each individual’s strengths and abilities
• Develop a substantial volunteer programme to maximize each young person’s potential for developing personal relationships and interaction skills by recruiting volunteer buddies to work alongside them
• Provide a safe and structured environment within which each young person will be encouraged to express their views
• Include young people with a range of needs and abilities
• Utilize community resources to provide wider learning opportunities

To involve the young people themselves, the project will:

• Build on prior knowledge and skills that young people have gained in their school education programmes and give the opportunity to work towards individual targets
• Always ensure that their views are sought, using whatever communication support is necessary, when making decisions that effect their experience of the programme
• Work with their family, key workers or other relevant persons to ensure that the project has the best possible understanding of what the young person’s views are
• Involve each young person in the process of annual review of their personal learning plan

To prepare for the future the project will:

• Establish links with further education establishments
• Devise and manage suitable work placements, working through intermediary organisations, where appropriate
• Promote community-based activities
• Support development of independent living skills
• Jointly work with students and parent/co-ordinator in developing future plans