| Lessons in basics are a lifeline to students
FOR more than 90 Thanet College students a bungalow on the Broadstairs site really is the University of Life. He said: "I'm a student rep at the college and I love the lessons. The bungalow hosts full and part-time students, aged 14 to 60, and acts as a fully functioning household to teach them domestic skills. David Benson, 20, who has learning difficulties and Autistic Spectrum Disorder, has been attending for four years. There is a kitchen where they learn how to cook and wash up, a laundry room where they learn how to use the washing machine and a bedroom where they make the bed. Programme area manager Helen Fagg said: "It's just amazing. The Bungalow has been open for more than eight years. "It's very important," said Miss Fagg. Staff have even helped people with conditions as debilitating as Asperger's syndrome into work. Miss Fagg said: "It's really important that when they come to 18 and they go to stay in independent living schemes, we want to ensure that these students feel secure. Students also learn about travelling and using community services, from simple tasks like crossing the road to using public transport. "It takes time, it takes a lot of effort but to see the outcomes for some of the individuals who are here - to see some now working in the hospital in full-time employment - it's heart-warming. It's given me a lot of confidence. |
Saturday, 5 May 2012
Lessons in basics are a lifeline to students
