We have established a new careers guidance service, designed to meet the specific needs of our pupils.
Our new ‘Futures Team’ is made up of eight highly-trained Regional Futures Advisors. Each has a level 6 or 7 qualification in Careers Guidance or is a supported apprentice, complemented by specialist expertise in working with young people who have additional or complex needs.
The team is busy constructing a bespoke Special Educational Needs (SEND) Careers curriculum, which will revolutionise guidance by offering students the opportunity to achieve a qualification whilst preparing for their future.
The Futures Team
Each Advisor covers a distinct region of the UK, with responsibility for a maximum of 10 schools each. The offering includes:
- A 1:1 interview with every student annually, to ensure that each young person’s voice is heard.
- A 1:1 meeting with each Year 10 and 11 student between September and December of the school year.
- Support in identifying and sourcing meaningful work experience opportunities.
- School and staff support through training, assessment, consultation and implementation of strategy and provision.
- Annual audits of the provision, to ensure each school is meeting and complying with the Careers Development Institute and Gatsby benchmarks.
Our advisors will also be a consistent and accessible point of contact for both students and school colleagues. They can always deliver training and guidance whenever needed, and providing as many sessions as a student needs to make an informed decision on their future.
The Futures Team is able to offer more 1:1 time with students, and to make that time more meaningful and effective. Our approach is holistic and comprehensive, looking beyond careers alone, to consider hobbies and independent skills and interest. By understanding how best to engage the young person in planning for their own future, our advisors will be able to identify opportunities that will really inspire students.
In addition to this, the Futures Team will work with students to obtain exciting and impactful work experience opportunities that is also at times supported by the Dream Big Foundation. It is our aim to ensure that every student is able to pursue their vocational passions, regardless of how unique the goal. Existing examples include:
- Aeronautical experience
- Specialist sports courses
- Robotics
- Taxidermy
- Sound production
Many of these opportunities have been tailored to accommodate the individual needs of our young people. We are able to provide 1:1 support, in a comfortable setting, to allow students to really gain the best from their experience.
By meeting with each student as early as possible in the school year, we are able to spend as much time and energy as possible on finding the right opportunity for them to Dream Big.
Find out more about the Futures Team by contacting kelly.guthery@ofgl.co.uk
We are here and ready, to help young people prepare for their best possible future.