WATCH: Life skills course helps islanders with learning disabilities flourish

Thursday 17 June 2021

A group of students have shared how a special course at Highlands has helped them flourish in day-to-day life.

The college’s Life Skills course offers a range of opportunities and life experiences to teenagers with a learning disability, autism, or those who need extra support.

There are currently 17 full-time students aged 16 to 21 on the three-year course.

They study maths, English, ICT, as well as developing a variety of “personal and social skills” designed to increase their independence and employability.

'Life Skills' coordinator, Helen O’Connell, explained the course provide a “half-way” between school and the real world whilst the team aims to “try to make the future of these young people the best it could be."

Video: 'Come To Where We're From' is a video about the Life Skills course, which was created with the help of funding from ArtHouse Jersey.

Steve McGinness, Head of Preparatory Learning, explained “team work and communication” are among the main skills the students are taught on the course as well as independence so that, at the end of the course, “they are ready to go into employment”.

Having worked on the course for several years, lecturer Simon MacDonald was keen for more people to learn about the “fantastic programme” and the “amazing young people” on the course.

“It’s been very successfully run but very quietly,” he explained.

“It’s a fantastic provision, we would love the island and the community to know about it, and also about the incredible work and growth the students go through in their three years of learning.” 

Pictured: Paul Bisson and Simon MacDonald are both lecturers on the 'Life Skills' course.

To help spread the word, a 12-minute video has been produced by fellow lecturer Paul Bisson has now been produced, sharing clips of the students during classes or on excursions around the island.

It also includes commentary and footage captured by the students themselves in what is intended to be a "colourful celebration of their achievements".

The project started in March 2020 and completed this year, with the students viewing the final film for the first time last night during a screening at Highlands' theatre - coinciding with Learning Disability Week, which is this year themed around art and creativity.

The pair hope the video will help more people realise the course’s worth but also see the “value of what those students are capable of and what they need from us and the community”. 

Pictured: “It really lets the students’ personalities show," Paul said of the video.

They also hope it will encourage local organisations to support the course like Beresford Street Kitchen, the Salvation Army and Mencap already do.

“It’s about shining a light on a provision not many people know about," Simon said. “It’s full of life and full of joy, we’re really proud of it. It has a lot of heart, who does not want to see that?”