Personal Development and Skills
Personal Development and Skills is a programme that has been designed to enable people with a learning disability or autism to build confidence in managing their own lives. It provides opportunities for growth through skills development, and includes travel training, sports, arts and employability.
What issues are experienced?
Once someone with a learning disability or autism leaves formal education there is the issue of what comes next, especially if they are not at the stage of considering employment.
To put this in context, there are over 5,000 adults in the community living in either supported or independent living who do not have a social and life skills network. Lacking the skills to do things in their lives, such as manage their money or be able to use public transport, hinders their independence and stops them fully transitioning into adult life.
How do we address this?
Our Personal Development and Skills Programme offers sessions designed to develop an individual’s life journey. We deliver a range of skills-based sessions that enable greater independence, along with activity-based sessions that enhance confidence, facilitate new friendships and develop practical and emotional skills. The programme covers key Personal Development areas, including employment, travel training, sports and well-being, relationships, personal safety, creative and performing arts, and practical DIY skills.
Our skills-based sessions
Our approach is centred around building on what people ‘can do’ and working in partnership to set goals, celebrate progression and explore new opportunities, all designed to help achieve greater independence.
Sessions include:
- Employment and Work Skills
- Travel Training
- Online Safety/Cyber Resilience
- Relationships
- Money Skills
- Healthy Lifestyles, including healthy eating and physical activity
Our activity-based sessions
Our Activity Groups offer sessions that develop social and communication skills, assist with building meaningful friendships and enable continued personal development.
Sessions include:
- Drama
- Sports
- Music
- Cooking
- Therapeutic Arts
- Mindfulness
The programme vision
The Personal Development and Skills Programme’s vision is to offer people the opportunity to:
- Build lasting and meaningful friendships
- Thrive in new-found independence and confidence
- Create new pathways for future personal development
- Be a part of and contribute to something special
- Take control of personal wellbeing
- Feel comfortable, healthy and happy
