Outline of organisation and area of work

National Star College is a provider of specialist further education, training, personal development and residential services for people with physical and learning disabilities and acquired brain injuries. We have a broad range of students and have created three programmes of learning. These maximise the outcomes that can be achieved by our students, regardless of their disabilities.

For students with the potential to gain paid employment after college, we will tailor a programme to develop their communication, team-working and numeracy. In practice this will involve a wide range of work-based placements that will help them to decide what they want to do and gain relevant skills and experience.

This study is focussed on students who are enrolled on our Work Outcomes programme. These students have learning or physical disabilities and are supported by a team that includes a Job Coach.

Scope of the study

The purpose of the study is to report how Job Coaches use teamwork to support students to gain transferrable work skills at the Greensteps Enterprise Centre and the Elmscroft Café which are located within Cheltenham and Gloucester.

The sixteen students involved in this study are all aged between 18 and 25 years and are all on our Skills for Work programme which is delivered over either a one- or two-year duration.

The study discusses:

• What facilities/environments work best to enable students to practice work skills in a safe environment and why.
• How the Job Coach works with the Tutor to enhance student teamwork and other transferable work skills.
• What happens next to support them into work once the student gains skills, confidence and work qualities?

What takes place

All Work Outcome learners are timetabled to internal work placements and, where possible, access external group placements, then individual placements when confident to do so.  Some learners benefit from accessing a range of all 3 to maximise their work skills development opportunities and increase confidence.

All Work Outcome learners have access to Job Coach workshops and key work skills themes, in addition to work-based learning activities, theory sessions and work placements.  Having a Job Coach assigned to a Course Tutor group offers opportunities for the Job Coach and learner to build trust and rapport and use time with learners in sessions for Information Advice and Guidance and particular work on CV building, job application completion and interview preparation.

What facilities and environments work best to enable students to practice work skills safely 

StarMart (on site shop), Bistro and Customer Services areas within the college continue to be popular and effective internal work placements, but we added Horticulture to the list last academic year, with a large polytunnel.  Once more established, the learners will grow food for the Bistro to use-this will promote seasonal knowledge and increased awareness of how to plant and nurture produce.

The Skills for Work programme is based at Green Steps Enterprise Centre, which has promoted increased learner independence for learners cycling, walking and/or catching the bus independently.  Learners can also access a variety of shops in the vicinity, to purchase materials and equipment for the practical projects and upcycling and go to the local shops to purchase food and drink at lunch time.  The Enterprise Centre is also more central to a range of group and individual placements, so serves well as a base to meet at the beginning and end of the day.  Skills for Work learners maintain the grounds and the building; learning how to use a variety of tools and equipment for carpentry, painting and decorating and grounds keeping.

Elmscroft Community Centre

This Community Centre is situated on a residential area in Gloucester and provides students with a safe environment to practice their work skills. We have a regular weekly booking and set up a pop-up café in the centre one day a week. The students pre make cakes and baked goods at college and then take these to the centre to be sold. Students are responsible for planning, creating and making the menus, setting up tables and chairs, laying tables with cutlery, making hot and cold drinks and sandwiches to order, serving customers, taking payments and cleaning duties.

At this centre, a variety of skills are learned and experienced. Students practice their customer service skills, teamwork skills, learn to work under pressure, learn how to sell products, practice working in a team, use their communication skills, manage complaints, learn about safety and hygiene requirements etc.

The Job Coach role

Coaching and mentoring both focus on improving performance and developing an individual. Neither is about ‘telling’ someone what to do, but about building confidence, skills and attributes to address a specific area. Our Job Coaches work on a 1:1 basis or with small groups of students and they support learners to develop opportunities to enhance their skills, knowledge and work performance (including behaviours and attitudes). This is achieved by supporting students to complete work related activities at Greensteps where students have access to the building and the grounds which they maintain, decorate and service and where they practice the use of tools and equipment whilst being supervised. The model allows learners and staff to work collaboratively to develop and apply effective strategies to support learner development for learning and work. Performance conversations and check-ins with the student gives Job Coaches the opportunity to agree goals and give feedback to the student and the Tutor. Job coaching provides insight into other aspects of the students’ career development, such as their professional strengths, their ability to collaborate with others effectively and apply what they learn in new situations.

Job Coaches:

• Link between student and employer
• Support students to meet their aspirations
• Provide opportunities to learn work skills in a realistic working environment.
• Upskill and develop current skills in preparation for work opportunities
• Travel Training
• Source work placements to offer learning opportunities, volunteering and work experiences (as a pathway to gain paid or sustainable voluntary employment)
• Transition planning
• Securing sustainable outcomes

The Tutor role

The role of the Tutor is varied, and it is vital that they work closely with the Job Coach. Duties include:

• Working with students to help them gain their accreditation
• Developing students’ Work Skills
• Supporting students to help them gain more independence
• Helping students developing their voice
• Empowering and developing autonomy
• Supporting students to learn new skills
• Helping students to further develop the skills they already have
• Embedding functional skills

Our student report layout has embraced the focus on ‘student targets and the Job Coaching team now develop standardised and individual targets for each learner, in line with the year, course and work outcome aspiration. Though in the early stages, the sequential layering and approach to targets indicates positive strides in supporting the learner to achieve their transition aspirations. Our Tutors work closely with the Job Coaches as all students will be working towards improving maths and English levels and will be completing an accredited qualification in Employability Skills. The teaching is primarily associated with classroom learning where the theoretical knowledge is provided to the students, therefore, the Job Coaches share evidence of student achievement with the Tutor to ensure that all criteria, goals and targets are met.

What happens next?

We empower students to work as independently as possible and give them the confidence to access a meaningful occupation in the community. We achieve this by creating and delivering workshops in a supported environment to develop transferable skills in preparation for the workplace. Our programme includes support to produce a CV, cover letter and teaches them how to complete an application form to a good standard. Students learn about personal and professional boundaries, timekeeping, e safety and travel training is given if required. Interview practice and techniques, including mock interviews, prepares students and helps them feel comfortable and confident during a real interview. Mock interviews provide opportunities to prepare answers to some common questions that an interviewer may ask which often include questions about experience, skills or background. We are delighted that many of our students achieve sustainable work after college because they have the knowledge, the qualities, the qualifications and the abilities to fulfil a wide range of employment roles.

One of our students, said “Thanks so much for the opportunity, I never thought I would ever have the opportunity to try to work and I have made friends and now have a social life too”.