Beacon Award Winner 20062007

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The Open Link Project

• Beacon Award Winner 2006-2007
• Edexcel Award for Lifelong Learning

Award winner 2006-2007
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The Open Link Project

• A suite of holistically created educational
  courses, underpinned by a commitment to widening
  participation/ inclusion agenda.
• Specifically designed to attract an
  under-represented sector of our community

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Aims of The Project

• To ensure that all our learners are
• no longer on the periphery of life but
  experiencing it (building a sense of and a
  belief in their own identity and who they want to
  become.)
• Everyone taking part in the project will feel
  ownership and pride in the work!

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Course Aims

• Totally learner centred courses with,
  communication, collaboration, enjoyment, fun,
  progression LEARNING at the heart
• Designed to encompass a real understanding of
  individual learning whilst focusing on shared
  goals between learners, tutors and stakeholders
• A negotiated, flexible approach for individuals
  to feel safe, to experience learning and if
  necessary to re-enter courses at an appropriate
  time and place.

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Yeovil College working in collaboration within
our community
OPEN LINK COURSES
LEARNERS
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Open Link Learner Profile

• People with Mental Health difficulties-
• Can include- Severe and enduring illness,
  feelings of insecurity, loneliness, failure,
  difference, lacking confidence, trust skills,
  reliance on medical/mental health teams,
  unstructured lives and routine
• ISOLATION on the periphery of life!

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Open Link Structure
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JoinedUp Courses

• In the Community
• Holistic Art
• Art Techniques
• Jewellery Making
• Horticulture
• Creative D.I.Y
• Creative I.T
• Healthy Living and Cooking
• Creative Basic Skills
• Four Leaf Clover Project

• In Yeovil College
• 1st Steps
• 2nd Steps
• 2nd Steps Plus
• Art Plus
• Jewellery Plus
• Gym

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The Open Link project offers support and freedom
to grow
...within safe, individual, realistic and
achievable goals.
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Vision for the future

• More creative ideas for celebrating learners
  successes
• Influencing the Equality Diversity/Inclusion
  Agendas within Yeovil College and the surrounding
  community
• More collaborative Open Link projects- linking
  experiences, new ideas, shared finances, etc
• Increasing staff skills through joint CPD
  opportunities
• Sharing our good praxis with other educational
  providers
• Convince others (whoever they may be) that this
  type of educational practice really does
  positively change lives!

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Open Link Offers hope and success
to those who face real barriers to learning
within their daily lives
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Proof from our students!

• I have a reason for getting out of bed.
• Its lovely you can come to these and youre a
  person again
• "Im enjoying what Im achieving. I never
  achieved anything really beforebut I am now."
• Id like to continue learning because I think
  everybody must try to learn something. They must
  have some aim in life.
• Im now happy to move into employment. I feel I
  have a lot more to offer although its a
  long-term goal I didnt think I had any skills,
  but coming here has made me see I do have some
  skills and can work on the ones I havent got.
• These facilities undoubtedly give invaluable
  support and enhance day to day living for many of
  us. Long may it continue!

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Proof from our Stakeholders!

• there has been an amazing transformation
  educationally. You almost wouldnt recognise him,
  he dipped his toes in and away he went!
• there are options plus a safety netthey need
  and are using lots of different skills without
  really knowing it.
• its fantastic to see someone whos been on the
  ward actually in college, smiling, mixing,
  looking confidentlike any other student on
  campus!
• ( in discussion with Pauline Murphy - NHS Mental
  Health Trust, Marsha Miles -South Somerset MIND
  and Mandy Chant RETHINK- Goldcroft Housing 2006)

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Learners no longer on the periphery of life
but experiencing it!