T is a care leaver who is currently not in education, employment or training. As a young person with autism, T has found traditional college environments challenging and has struggled to find an educational setting that works for him.
Since beginning to work with T, we have focused on helping him build his confidence, independence and skills through practical experiences and opportunities that reflect his interests.
Building Independence
One of the first areas we worked on with T was developing his confidence in travelling independently. We completed travel training with him, supporting him to understand and use public transport safely and independently.
We also helped T to access a bus pass, giving him greater freedom to travel, attend activities and explore opportunities within his local community.
This has been an important step in developing T’s independence and opening up new possibilities for him.
Discovering an Interest in Technology
We referred T to a coding course delivered jointly by Pedestrian and Mindera, providing him with the opportunity to explore technology and develop new skills in a supportive and practical environment.
During the course, T developed and built his own one-player platform game. He also created the musical score for the game, allowing him to combine his interest in technology with his creativity.
T really enjoyed the experience and demonstrated his ability to learn new skills, work on a project and see an idea through to completion. He gained confidence throughout the course and was awarded a certificate of achievement for his participation.
The experience also helped T to recognise that there are different ways of learning and developing skills outside of a traditional college environment.
Exploring the World of Work
T is now taking part in a retail placement with M&S, arranged through his Work Coach. This is giving him the opportunity to experience a working environment, develop workplace skills and gain a better understanding of what he enjoys and what type of work might suit him.
T has also been volunteering with the local Canal Trust as an assistant lock keeper. This has provided him with another opportunity to develop practical skills, meet new people and experience a very different type of working environment.
Looking Towards the Future
T is currently exploring different opportunities to help him understand what he might want to do in the future. He is considering the possibility of adult education when he turns 19 and is using the opportunities available to him now to help inform that decision.
Rather than being expected to follow a traditional education pathway that has not worked for him, T is being supported to try different things, discover his strengths and build confidence at his own pace.
T’s Journey
T’s journey demonstrates the importance of providing care leavers with opportunities that are flexible, practical and tailored to their individual interests and needs.
From developing the confidence to travel independently, to building a computer game, creating music, undertaking a retail placement and volunteering as an assistant lock keeper, T is gaining valuable experiences across a range of environments.
Most importantly, he is discovering what he enjoys, developing new skills and beginning to build a clearer picture of what his future could look like.