Chelmsford College learning programmes

Chelmsford College has always prided itself on its diversity and has a commitment to be inclusive by design, removing barriers individuals may have in accessing education and training.

In the last two years we have designed a curriculum that aims to do just that, and, as a result we have attracted both young people and adults onto learning programmes that they may have felt unable or unwilling to join previously.

We are working with some of the most vulnerable and marginalised groups, including young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), previously home-schooled due to anxiety or mental health issues, or job-less adults that are having to cope with the cost-of-living crisis.

Within these groups we have identified that a significant proportion are from the gypsy, roma and traveller community. Through active listening and dialogue with the individuals and their advocates, we have looked hard at ways to support and motivate the young people and adults on programme and as a result, this group now out-perform their peers in terms of being retained on their course and achieving their qualification.

The programmes on offer are:

Ambition: this is an outreach programme aimed at job-less adults living in social housing and/or within the traveller community in Essex. The programme focuses on skills for employment, personal development and independent living. It is delivered in local community centres, often within the social housing or traveller communities that they live in.

The programme helps builds their confidence to be an active member of society, as well as helping them progress into jobs or self-employment.

Gateway: this is our programme for young people and attracts a variety of individuals (many from the gypsy, roma and traveller community), who have difficult home lives, may have been home schooled or who are living independently, with many suffering from anxiety or other mental health issues.

Some of the programme is delivered off-site in Chelmsford to provide a more calming environment, and many classes are team taught with specialists who generally have a youth work background. The students have access to a therapy dog and often work in our ‘secret garden’ an outdoor teaching space that is part of the National Nature Park initiative.

The young people mostly progress onto a Princes Trust programme, apprenticeships or full time vocational courses.

The key factors to success we consider are:

• Design the right curriculum and be prepared to be flexible on deliver times, locations and content
• Provide the right support, use specialists that have worked with or come from the communities you are supporting
• Persevere with individuals and don’t give up on them, don’t be constrained too much by funding and eligibility criteria and performance measures