SCL and the Future Freedom Project: changing lives in collaboration with Speakers for Schools and The Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC)

Earlier this year, the SCL Employability and Skills team delivered three workshops in conjunction with social mobility charity Speakers for Schools and the Greater Essex Careers Hub (part of the national network of careers hubs from the CEC) to empower young learners to explore options for their future careers.

In a mix of virtual and in-person events, Josh Hill, Director of Work Based Learning and Matt Winch, Group Quality Lead at SCL, met with a group of learners to explore the pathways to employment in sport.

Market Field School is a Colchester-based community special school that caters for students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Moderate Learning Difficulty.

Market Field School and College was part of the Future Freedom project, which involved working with 8 different SEND schools and colleges across Essex. The project supported 278 SEND young people, giving them structured work experience with a range of organisations including SCL.

The project with Market Field School was made up of three workshops, the first delivered as an online session on the 23^rd of January to introduce roles within sport and education, providing learners with an overview of where and how they could build a career in the future.

This insightful session was followed by an in-person workshop on the 27^th of February, delivered by Josh who shared his personal career journey and encouraged students to explore the concept of transferrable skills and how they might use them in the workplace.

On the 26^th of March, Matt delivered another face-to-face session, focusing on further career development and sharing his take on his role within sport.

The project was rounded off with a visit to the sports department at the University of Essex on the 30^th of April, where the Market Field learners were shown the job opportunities available in their local community.

Following a group of inspiring sessions, students came away equipped with new knowledge and skills, including information on apprenticeships and post-16 routes, employability skills and key industry insights.

The wider Future Freedom project involved working with 8 different SEND schools and colleges across Essex. The project supported 278 SEND young people, giving them structured work experience with a range of organisations including SCL.

Josh Hill, Director of Work Based Learning at SCL, said: “Working with Speakers for Schools and the Greater Essex Careers Hub through the CEC on the Future Freedom Project has been a rewarding experience that will positively impact young people as they make choices about their next steps in education and work. It was a pleasure to meet the learners and staff and see them engage and learn during our workshops.”

Shelley Evans, Employability Coordinator at Market Field School said: “Our college students thoroughly enjoyed the Future Freedom project with SCL, they found it a rewarding and positive experience. The sessions were informative, insightful, engaging and very funny at times. It made our students consider which path they will pursue, as well as the transferable skills they already possess and how to build on them. I couldn’t recommend this project and the pairing with SCL more highly.”

Ian Cooper, Head of National Business Development at Speakers for Schools, said: “SCL have been a valuable partner this academic year, supporting us, not just on the Future Freedom Project, but also our work with Berkshire Careers Hub and our National Project with the Careers and Enterprise Company. Josh and the team at SCL continually work to put young people at the heart of everything they do, which led to a fantastic and truly memorable experience for the young people at Market Field School. We look forward to continuing to evolve our partnership with SCL to educate and inspire more young people than ever.”