Options Angus - work experience for young people with learning disabilities
Introduction
Options Angus introduces young people with learning disabilities, who are approaching school leaving age, to real work situations through work experience placements of their choice. Options Angus provides the young people with opportunities to develop their decision making ability and become better able to make realistic, informed choices when planning their future.
The project delivered by Enable Scotland and Angus Council (Education) was sponsored by The Big Lottery Fund. The young people involved attend the eight senior schools in Angus. Strong links with businesses in the community are an essential component in providing the young people with a good learning experience in the workplace.
The initiative
Options Angus began in August 2002. Its purpose is to help ease the transition for young people with additional support needs from school to the world of work and to encourage them to consider the options that may be available in realising their future aspirations and potential.
Before the pupils begin any work experience placements they work as a group, or on a one-to-one basis, to complete (with support) a personal and vocational profile and a health and safety workbook. A logbook is used by the pupils to record the tasks they perform in the workplace.
The young people are shown a DVD, produced by the project, showing people at work in various settings. The DVD contains five sections:
- Leaving school
- What is work?
- Why do we work?
- About work:
- Skills at work
- Health and safety at work
- Angus
Each section is followed by discussion with question and answer sessions.