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Derwen is urging more Shropshire businesses to support us to transform our students’ future employment prospects by offering just an hour or two for a weekly work placement.

Student work placements are a vital part of most of our students’ learning.

As students progress from working in our on-site commercial areas, they go on to weekly work placements in the community when they are ready. So, College has been reaching out to Shropshire businesses. We are asking them for just a couple of hours a week to help change the future of a young person with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

It is important that work placements are relevant to students’ learning pathways and future ambitions. Therefore, the college is keen to work with charity shops, designers and printers, theatres, garden nurseries, cafes, restaurants and housekeeping businesses in Shropshire, preferably in or near Oswestry or Telford.

The work experience team are also looking for some specific placements local to Shrewsbury, for students at the college’s Walford-based site. They are particularly keen to hear from Shrewsbury-based florists, gyms, leisure centres and horticulture enterprises.

Just a few hours a week in a work environment provides vital experience for students. This helps them towards employment and a more independent future. Students are supported at all times during their placements by a Derwen College job coach and can be a real asset to a business.

Can you help support life-changing opportunities?

Work experience co-ordinator Abi Baker said:

Only 6% of young people with learning difficulties go into work, which is an incredibly disappointing statistic. Derwen College’s mission is to create opportunities for young people who may have special educational needs, but have proved they are able and willing to work. This enables them to enjoy job satisfaction and also to live more independent lives.

“Our external work placement programme offers life changing opportunities for our students to undertake meaningful, real work experience which is relevant to their learning and future career hopes.

“Businesses that we work with also find it a rewarding thing to do. Offering work placements to a person with a learning difficulty promotes diversity and boosts a company’s reputation for being community-minded and inclusive.”

To find out more about how you could help change a young person’s future prospects, please contact Abi Baker on abi.baker@derwen.ac.uk


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