6 SOUTHWARK COLLEGE VOICE
NOVEMBER 2009: ISSUE 6
Mokbul turns
life around with
help of college
MOKBUL Khan never
By PAUL BLAIR
really settled into school
life. He was often in trouble Mokbul hopes to go on
and things became so to complete his study
desperate he stayed at with a degree in business
home for almost a year management at university.
rather than continue Then he wants to follow
his education in an in the footsteps of
environment he hated. entrepreneurs such as
Then the Peckham Richard Branson and set
teenager was referred to up his own business.
Southwark Inclusive However, things could
Learning Service (SILS), easily have turned out so
which was set up in differently. Mokbul
September 2007 to offer admitted: “From Year 8 I
full-time education for started to get into trouble. I
permanently excluded did lots of things that I look
pupils or those who move back upon now and am not
to the borough and have proud of. The only place I
no school place. The was taking myself was
transformation has been down. Before Year 11 my
remarkable. Now he has a life had come to a standstill.
real focus to succeed and “That summer, while I
make his parents proud of was still doing bad things,
him. I began to question the
Mokbul attended SILS4 reasons for my behaviour,”
Centre, which focuses on reflected Mokbul. “I know
LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE: Whitney Msubuga has found direction in her life
re-engaging Key Stage 4 I’m stubborn and my
young people with natural reaction is to rebel
meaningful and realistic if someone tells me to do
personalised learning plans something. However, an
that offer clear pathways inner voice told me to stop
into post-16 provision. doing the bad things.
Key link for learners
Features include “I’d put my parents
individualised packages through a lot of pain.
that allow for time at SILS Suddenly I developed this
and time with other determination to achieve in
providers, including life. I had a desire to learn
Southwark College, and new things and it made me
without school place
a strong emphasis on strong. I wanted to make
work-related learning. my parents proud of me.
The 16-year-old attended The bad things stopped
Southwark College immediately and since then
SOUTHWARK College By PAUL BLAIR
communication skills for leading
part-time for two years. He I have had one objective. In
plays a key role in the
a sporting activity and an under-
took courses in catering, order to know where you provision of courses for
for diplomas, vocational courses standing of the scope of local
health and social care and are going in life, you need
and foundation learning.
sport and recreation activities. It
learners without a
last year completed a to know where you have
The programme has helped to
was through this course I decided
Business Studies BTEC come from.”
school place.
change the life of young people
I wanted to follow a career in
First Diploma - despite Mokbul’s time at
The college takes School Links such as 17-year-old Whitney sport.”
attending the college only Southwark College has
learners from 16 Southwark Msubuga. She wasn’t sure which Whitney is now studying for an
two days a week. proved to be life changing.
secondary schools and provides direction her life was going in OCR/Edexcel Sports Recreation
Now Mokbul is studying He admitted: “The college
about half of the 550 places for until she came to the college, first and Allied Occupations NVQ.
full-time for a Business gave me the opportunity to
14-16-year-olds who are either on a part-time basis and then The one-year course is the first
Studies BTEC National turn my life around. It’s a
new to the borough, have been
full-time. Now she is determined
step for someone wishing to work
Certificate, a practical good college, the teachers
excluded from mainstream
to go on to university and hopes
in the sports industry, either as a
course suitable for anyone are always available to
secondary school or whose
to become a sports coach one day.
recreation assistant in a leisure
interested in pursuing a help and there are so many
parents prefer alternative
Studied
centre or as a sports coach.
career in business. It’s a fantastic courses to choose
provision for their children. Content includes planning and
broad-based business from. Thankfully I now School Links learners at the
Whitney said: “I was referred preparing a session, customer
studies course covering all focus to make the most of college typically study for BTEC
to Southwark College by my service and maintaining facility
areas of business. my opportunities.” Level 1 and Level 2 certificates.
teacher who said they offered areas.
Content includes an Watch out Richard Southwark College also takes a good courses. Through the School “I didn’t know what I wanted to
introduction to business, Branson! small group of young apprentices Links programme I studied child do until I came to Southwark
business and management, For more information on and has provision for 50-60 care and worked towards the College but now it really has
business in the economy, the Business Studies BTEC
learners referred by Southwark Junior Sports Leader Award. been a life-changing experience,”
human resources, financial National Certificate at
Children’s Services through the “The course gave me a real said Whitney. “I’ve learned so
transactions and Southwark College, phone
Education Other Than at School insight into planning, preparing much here and after university
monitoring and marketing 020 7815 1600 or go to
(EOTAS) programme. These and assisting in a simple I would like to teach young
and product promotion. www.southwark.ac.uk
students typically study full-time sporting activity, the basic children how to play sport.”
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