Careers advice & guidance
Careers Advice & Guidance
SEND
Careers support for young people with SEND
Government research indicates that young people with SEND will struggle more than their peers to secure and maintain employment. Labour marketing sources also indicate that they tend to earn less even when compared to peers with the same qualifications but without SEND. Because of this, there is additional support in place across Wiltshire to help young people with SEND to overcome the barriers to employment that face them.
Support at Wiltshire College
Our students with EHCPs receive targeted support from the Careers Team. They are invited to careers guidance and advice sessions with qualified careers advisors before their annual reviews. On top of this, the Careers Team works with the Inclusion Team to provide careers related learning workshops where the curriculum can accommodate them, and employers and support agencies relevant to students with SEND are invited to our careers fairs.
Links to online support
Wiltshire Employment Support Team help young people with an EHCP or declared SEND needs aged 14-25 find and maintain employment.
Young Work Wiltshire Next Steps supports young people aged 16-18, not in education, employment in training, to find and maintain employment.
Aimed at young people with an EHCP and declared SEND needs aged 18-24, Wiltshire College run Supported Internships in tandem with Wiltshire Council. ‘The course provides individualised Study Programmes, designed to equip students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities with the skills they need to secure paid employment
Aimed at young people with an EHCP aged 14-25, or young people on the autistic spectrum aged 16-25, but with further eligibility criteria depending on the support you are after, Community Connecting can help with engaging with the local community, be that accessing public transport, finding voluntary work, using local facilities, and more.
Based just outside Marlborough, Herd Thyme provide animal assisted therapeutic services for individuals struggling with behavioural and/or emotional difficulties, including anxiety and depression. They also offer a selection of level 1 to level 3 qualifications including Functional Skills English and Maths, and have a tutoring programme to support students through GCSEs.
Located just outside Trowbridge, Larkrise Community Farm offer alternative provision placements for young people aged 8-25 with declared SEND needs.
Found between Bath and Bradford on Avon is Wick Yard, equine assisted learning supports young people aged 8-18 to develop their confidence and resilience. Clients will also take part in various activities to help care for the farm. Additionally, Wick Yard is also home to Art and The Outdoors (which offers outdoor art-based alternative provision), Alison Smith Counselling, and All8 Sensory Support.
The Riverside venue for Gul Outdoor Therapy is just outside Shrewton, east of Warminster and north of Salisbury. It offers alternative provision for young people with declared SEND or behavioural and/or emotional needs. This includes equine assisted services, bushcraft, outdoor cooking, gardening, and more.
Just a 20 minute walk from the city centre of Salisbury, River Bourne Community Farm offers a Next Steps programme for young people aged 16-18 with EHCPs. This includes workshops, AQA unit awards, and other qualifications.
Able Hands Together is just north of Salisbury and offers alternative provision for young people aged 9-18 with declared SEND needs.
Contact the careers leader
If you have any questions, or if you are interested in supporting the CEIAG offering at Wiltshire College, either by attending a careers fair on behalf of your place of work, or leading a workshop in a class, please contact careers@wiltshire.ac.uk.