The Park College

The Park College is a Special Needs College in Southwark for young people with a diagnosis of autism.

Our vision and mission statement is to:

Help young people with autism to prepare for independent adult life

Teach employment skills and to support students into work at the end of the course

Support students to realise their potential to work and to live independently

Encourage students to make informed choices and decisions about things that are important in their lives

Prepare young people with autism to move on to the next step in their independent adult lives           

Details of the services you offer:

Skills for work

Skills for work is a practical training programme for students working towards Entry level qualifications.
In the first year of the programme students develop work skills through a range of enterprise projects based at the college.

The enterprise projects are developed around the students’ interests and can include:

Cycle maintenance

Gardening

Creative art and design

Café work

In the second year of the programme students begin to specialise in their own work choices. They have opportunities for community-based work experience.

Students complete extended work experience placements during the third year of the programme and prepare for employment when they leave.

Students following the Skills for Work programme also study accredited Entry level courses including:

Functional Skills Maths, English and ICT

Preparing for Work

Independent travel skills are developed through all activities that take place outside the college including accessing health and leisure facilities in the local area.

Off to work

The Park College runs a one-year intensive work experience programme for students who have already completed a three-year FE college course. This training programme aims to support students in securing employment and to be able to independently plan their own leisure and community activities.

Students are supported by our job coaches in their work placements. Students aim to be working as independently as possible by the end of their course.

Students attend regular career development workshops at the college which focus on

· CV writing

· Understanding how jobs are advertised

· Job applications

· CV skills

· Coaching & mentoring