EKFB’s Skills, Employment and Education team (‘SEE’) has launched its inaugural SEND campaign for 2022 offering schools that support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities an interactive learning programme.
Following the success of the 2021 programme, spearheaded by Speakers for Schools, the SEE team developed its own tailored learning experience for six local schools.
Building on previous feedback from the teachers and students from last year’s programme, the team has adapted the programme to make it more suitable for the needs of this group. The new campaign encapsulates a virtual work experience, showcasing the world of civil engineering and construction.
It’s been very difficult for young people to access work experience over the last two years, and for SEND students it’s been an even tougher challenge. The programme, which is running over six weeks will be covering several main aspects of EKFBs work, including health and safety, community engagement, EDI and the environment. There will also be a session on employability and a hands-on engineering activity.
To launch the new initiative, the SEE team delivered interactive treasure boxes of tactile goodies for the students to explore, offering a wide sensory experience. These boxes include colourful PPE, ‘fidget’ toys, wildflower seeds, textured gloves and marbles.
EKFBs Team Administrator, Victoria Hingley, said:
“Having spent time volunteering in a SEND secondary school, these schools are traditionally overlooked by employers for programmes like ours. They can be viewed as too much effort for little reward.
“Students at SEND schools often tend not to gain formal, traditional qualifications so evidence of participation and the confidence boost this programme gives them is very important.
“Here at EKFB, we have an opportunity to support our local communities and its specialised schools, something which is both rewarding and gives our organisation an opportunity to give back to those who are close to our works."
There are 100 students taking part across the six schools, and on week 3, the SEE team will be attending the schools in person to deliver an engineering activity. Participating schools are: Slated Row (Milton Keynes) The Chiltern (Dunstable), Chiltern Wood (High Wycombe), Frank Wise (Banbury), Bardwell (Bicester) and Purple Oaks (Northamptonshire).
SEE Coordinator, Laurie Michel, said:
“We’d like to reach as many young people as possible and continue to adapt the programme so it better meets the needs of these pupils. As a company, we promote the values of equality, diversity and inclusion and these values are reflected within the new learning programme.”
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