All the students at Oakwood Court College take part in the Supporting the Community. At the start of each term the students are offered a number community based activities from which they identify three preferred choices. Grouped according to their chosen preference, students are timetabled to work for the duration of the term often working as a team.

The Supporting the Community gives students the opportunity to try a number of different activities commonly offered in the voluntary sector.

By giving the students the experience of working within a number of different community situations they are in a better position to make an informed choice about whether or not they wish to pursue such activities lster on

The course helps students to develop employability and vocational skills within the voluntary sector.  It is hoped that this will ease a student’s transition into employment or volunteering.

The importance of the voluntary sector for our learners is that it offers a realistic activity post-college which can enable them to:
•    make a positive contribution to the community
•    achieve within a work setting
•    find an interest that they enjoy
•    form relationships with others
•    develop the skills which will allow some of the students to further their progress into employment

The course also aims to enhance the students’ perspective of themselves from someone who receive support from others to someone who give support to others.

Overview:

The course focuses on building skills that can be used to support the community. The programme utilises the college campus, the local community or even , wider still, to enable students to understand and contribute to global issues.

Objectives:

To develop general and specific employability skills.

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• To develop vocational skills in a number common voluntary based activities.

  Anticipated Outcomes
  
  

• The students will improve their ability to demonstrate a number of key general employability skills.

• The students will improve their ability to demonstrate a number of specific employability skills.

• The students will improve their ability to demonstrate a number of key vocational skills in a number of common voluntary based activities.

• Embedded Functional Skills

  The member of staff identifies which of the student’s SMART targets can be addressed during the session and embeds them as appropriate within the session.

• Equality and Diversity and Every Child Matters

  Access to the course is open to all students who attend Oakwood Court College, providing their behaviour does not impinge on their/colleagues health and safety.

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  The course is able to meet 23 of the 28 descriptors outlined within the Every Child Matters strategy.

• Accreditation: (detail potential accreditation including Examining Bodies and Levels).
  
  

• In-house accreditation:

  • Students work towards objectives set by the College.
    
    

• External Accreditation:

  • The Millenium Voluteer or Volunteer certificate.

  • Detail:

  • External accreditation: The Millenium and Millenium Certificate recognise and celebrate the hour’s students have volunteered for.