At St Elizabeth's College, vocational learning opportunities are an integral element of the curriculum offer. We work closely with external partners to enable learners to have a diverse range of work-related learning activities available to them. Learners gain units of qualifications through these learning environments which help build a ‘passport’ to take with them when they transition from the College.
The College have recently developed close working arrangements with Hertfordshire Services for Young People, and as a result, we have an Information, Advice and Guidance Coordinator who comes in for 20 days per year. Our Coordinator is a specialist in supporting young people with Special Educational Needs, and holds 1:1 meeting’s with the learners as well as working with families to discuss options and links with their local authorities.
The Coordinator works alongside the lecturers, going into classrooms and supporting those who want to develop their CVs, all whilst offering impartial advice to support their transition. The aim is to help learners realise their goals and aspirations and to live more independently.
Using this information, we have secured a number of work experience placements onsite and within local businesses and we are continuing to progress this important part of our curriculum. Some examples of the types of vocational activities that learners undertook in 2023/24 include:
Church Farm - Learners attend this off site work related learning activity once every week and throughout the academic year. At Church farm learners can undertake vocational units of qualifications if appropriate or activities that support them to develop core skills for life such as: following instructions including health and safety and the use of protective clothing and equipment, working with a range of tools, caring for small animals and also horticulture. These skills are transferable in a range of settings and learners enjoy the opportunity to attend the working farm. They work as teams and individually, supported by College staff building their confidence, improving their communication skills and having fun at the same time.
Open Monday - Friday, our onsite Charity Shop Hidden Treasures Boutique provides learners the chance to gain experience in running a shop and all it entails. The shop is a setting which enables a range of important skills to be developed over time, including serving customers, cash handling, stock taking and undertaking health and safety checks, and furthermore providing a real life opportunity to develop customer service skills.
The Drawing Room provides a unique opportunity for learners to develop new skills, confidence and self-expression through the medium of art. The project provides an environment for people to explore their potential whilst receiving support and guidance from a team of specialist artists.
Learners work at their own pace and ability to produce high quality artwork through ceramics, printmaking and painting. The learners have created a range of work including cake stands, garden ornaments and plaques and clay self-portraits. The learners are involved in all aspects of the design process. The kiln on-site allows learners to work with raw clay and continue their design through to the finished glazed product.
Ashvale & the Orchard Project is our horticultural project. Based within the grounds of St Elizabeth's, the project offers experience in planting, growing and selling a wide range of produce both inside and outside depending on the season. Working in our orchard teaches the learners basic coppice skills through renovating the trees and site, and offers opportunities to learn about marketing and retail through harvesting and selling apples, making apple juice and helping to organise our popular annual Apple Day event.
Covering over two acres of land, and within our three-acre ancient orchard, the project produces flowers and pot plants, willow structures, seasonal arrangements and vegetables for sale at the Centre’s annual events and other local outlets. Learners are also guided through caring for our own free-range chickens, and educated on harvesting and selling the eggs.
All of the fruit, vegetables and apples grown at Ashvale & The Orchard Project are organically grown.
St Elizabeth’s Charity Shops provide a wonderful opportunity for the learners to further develop their work skills in a supportive and safe environment off site. The learners work alongside shop staff and members of the academic team to understand the processes of working in a shop in the wider community. The learners are supported to sort the generous donations, develop a new set of skills including maintaining positive interactions with the public, following work routines and understanding of how to stay safe in the work place.
Ware Library have supported the learners of the centre in the last academic year to undertake two different projects. The first role was to ensure that children’s after school Lego club had the correct resources and was accessible for the children from the community were able to participate safely. This involved lots of sorting and organising of the Lego and ensure the equipment was safe and of course lots of fun.
The second responsibility was to maintain the libraries garden area. The learners that supported with this project used tools safely to weed and maintain the garden areas so it could be accessed safely and so it could become a useable area that could be used more purposefully.
We have two themed weeks throughout the academic year. They are aimed to enable the learners to gain a better understanding of what their future goals and ambitions are and feel inspired by others. They are:
Aspirations Week – The learners are visited by a range of professionals that work within our local community. They come in to discuss their job role, their responsibilities and what skills are required for them to be good at their role. We have been visited by the Police, Fire Brigade, Doctors, barbers and the local Mayor.
Volunteer Week – The learners have the opportunity to decide where they would like to volunteer in the community or on site to provide a support to a company. Some of the learners worked in the training department, main reception and in fundraising to help count monies raised. Pets Corner, a local farm and the Learning Disability Festival in Harlow were also fantastic opportunities for our learners to volunteer this year. There was a role to suit everyone!
