Background:
In 2002 the Trustees of St Thomas’s Network looked to see how it could best meet the needs of young people in the 14 – 16 year old age group. The Youth Room at the Centre was vacant during the day, and so this was thought to be an ideal base for a group of students to use. The group we wanted to support was those who had been excluded from school, were at risk of exclusion or who, for some other reason, did not have a school place.
The project (then called Link 2 Learning) had to be set up as an Independent Day School and to pass the rigorous registration by Ofsted. This was done by 2004.
A sample of Dudley Youth Achievement Foundation polices. Click on any of our policies below:
Safeguarding Policy, Behaviour Policy,
The Objectives of the project are:
To maintain a unit for 14 – 16 year olds who do not have a school place, either because they have been excluded or are at risk of being so, or who have experienced difficultly settling into the school system. During their time in the unit we would hope to:
- Re-engage the young people with learning
- Prepare them for return to education
- Enable them to gain qualifications in the unit
- Set up work placements for them
- Introduce them to the Foundation Learning programme at the Network with a view to joining it when they are 16 yrs old.
The way forward:
We have become a Youth Achievement Foundation, to help young people raise their aspirations, realise their potential and to have their achievements recognised via non-formal education programmes and activities. Our aim at Dudley Youth Achievement Foundation (YAF) is to promote innovative non-formal education programmes for and with young people working with them to develop their potential. Our curriculum ties in with Youth Achievement key premises
1) Learners are individuals
2) Learners benefit from having a personal mentor
3) Personal development is best done by relationships
4) Experimental learning is the most appropriate method and developing
5) To replace to downward spiral of educational
Programme Design and Operations of Project:
The project is student centred. Activity starts from the ‘known’ and progresses in ways which will develop the students self-confidence, self esteem, skills and areas of knowledge. The programme is designed by staff and students together building on their interests in order to engage them. This year we have introduced a Thematic approach to learning; using topics that are either topical or mapped to young people and embedding English, Maths and ICT into them. Read more about how we make learning matter.
Watch a video about BBC Lifeline Appeal for UK Youths
The facilities of the Network as whole are available to the group. This includes:
ICT
Skills for Life Learning centre
Music Studio
Hall for sports
Multi-use Games Area
Community Café
The programme runs from 9.00am – 1.00 pm and 1.30pm – 3.00 pm each school day. On Friday afternoon we have an open door for parents/carers to come to talk to us. Dudley YAF aims to have 6 members of staff who work to meet the needs of the programme.
In 2008 they had their first real Ofsted Inspection with a satisfactory report. (You can read the latest report here)
