Website: www.southwark.ac.uk Telephone: 02078151600 MARCH 2010: ISSUE 10
SOUTHWARK COLLEGE VOICE 5
It’s a job well done for pair
FINDING employment in the current
By JOHN EDDEN
encouraged him to integrate with the College and have seen Diane really
economic climate is a challenging enough mainstream school whenever possible, improve her social skills through this.
task in itself but when you suffer from Manager for the School of Inclusive even becoming a Student Representative! She has picked up enough experience and
learning difficulties or disabilities (LDD), Learning, explained his situation: It is this kind of dedication and support ability to be able to survive in a full paid
it can seem like mission impossible. “Dennis was referred to us by Southwark that the School of Inclusive Learning job, which is a huge improvement from
Not for Southwark College learners Works, one of the organisations we work offers that influenced Diane to contact how she was when she first enrolled at
Diane King and Dennis Stoddart though. closely with. He had previously been them and refer herself to the School. Southwark College.”
They defied the odds to gather enough in work but was unfortunately made Diane was working with the Camden Diane and Dennis are just two of a
work experience and qualifications to redundant and as time passed looking for Society as she looked for full-time paid number of successful graduates from The
become very employer-friendly - and they a job, he gradually lost the confidence to work and after enrolling on a food School of Inclusive Learning at
owe it all to the School of Inclusive approach employers. hygiene course at Southwark College, in Southwark College.
Learning, which aims to help LDD “Today he already has an OCN the School of Inclusive Learning, now Sara added: “We currently have around
learners achieve their full potential certificate to his name after progressing finds herself in a promising position to 200 learners on specialist LDD courses
by helping to boost confidence through well on a horticulture course and has gain employment. and 500 in the school as a whole. Diane
carefully structured speaking and gained enough experience through work Sara explained: “Diane has been on a and Dennis are just two examples of
listening activities, practical work and placements to become suitable for fantastic journey since she joined the learners we have been able to help
aided learning programmes. employment.” College. We have watched her confidence through careful attention and support.
The College offers a warm and friendly The School of Inclusive Learning rise dramatically, seen her help out in the We recognise that each person is on their
introduction into mainstream adult worked closely with Dennis to develop his canteen and even watched her mature on own individual journey and we treat
education for less-able learners. Without confidence and increase his skill-set. a work placement, working in a real everybody separately but with the same
it, Dennis could still be unemployed after They allowed him to carry out practical kitchen. aim in mind - to help them achieve their
being laid off from work a few years ago. work on the College’s open space gardens, “We regularly integrate our LDD true potential and overcome any obstacles
Sara Robertson-Jones, Curriculum helped him to find work experience and learners with the rest of mainstream that could stand in their way.”
Friendly and safe
place for learners
AS a college at the heart of a activities or suspect they have
modern multicultural capital been made a victim as a
city, equality and diversity consequence of their ethnic
features highly on Southwark background, it is Suba who they
College’s list of priorities. would approach to voice their
With learners coming from concerns.
countries all over the world to “Everyone at the College is
study at the College, it is vital accepting of today's multicultural
that they integrate and work society and there are no cases of
well together. It is Suba isolation. Everyone from me to
Ramakrishman’s job as Head of the Interim Principal to the
Equality and Diversity at the learners themselves have a
College to ensure all learners responsibility to promote
are treated in the same way by equality and diversity in the
tutors and fellow learners, College so everybody feels
EQUALITY
regardless of their personal comfortable studying with us.”
backgrounds. Suba saw a rise in the
I have been a learner
Suba also raises awareness of numbers of black and Asian
at Southwark College
equality and diversity within the learners enrolling in the College
since 2005 and I have
College, holding special events last year. She puts it down to
LEARNING SURVIVAL SKILLS: Gillian Wallis, Marketing never felt personally
in order to help learners the relaxed learning environ-
Manager at Southwark College, and Learning Support Officer discriminated on the
understand their peers. ment that Southwark College
Penny Beschizza with learners (l-r) Lyuben Kuzmanov, Terry grounds of my culture,
Suba, who has been in the role prides itself in as well as the
Chandler and Sibel Akarcorten race or religion.
since July last year, said: “We additional support they lend to
have a lot of different people non-British learners.
expect higher qualifications me. I engage in conversations
-GENTIANA HAXHIJA
from various cultural “We have seen the number of
which means deaf people need and this helps to improve my
backgrounds at Southwark Caribbean learners enrolling at
to spend more time in College. English vocabulary. I have also
DIVERSITY
College and so it is important for Southwark College increase by
A former learner progressed made a good friend, Zamzam
I found it hard to settle because us to ensure all our learners get ten per cent from last year, the
into employment having first Biye, who comes from Somalia.
at the first school I went to I on with one another and to erase number of Asian learners rise
improved her communication We are like sisters.”
was the only deaf person in any potential feeling of isolation. dramatically and have kept a
skills and gained in confidence Another learner, Bulgarian
class. “We inform learners of high average for the number of
in studies at the College,” said Lyuben Kuzmanov, arrived in
“That changed when I different cultures, educating BME (black minority ethnic
Penny. this country in 2004. He
enrolled at Southwark them on different religions, groups) learners at the College.
Deaf learner Sibel hopes to forge a career as a
College,” said Lyuben. “I like different countries and different “We are all very proud of the
Akarcorten moved to the UK construction worker or car
the routine and enjoy building ways of life. We celebrate a integration of multicultural
from Turkey in 2003 and is mechanic but knows the
up skills at my own pace. My number of cultural events. learners at the College and are
very happy at Southwark importance of gaining an
English has improved and We recently put on a host of delighted we offer a friendly and
College. The 22-year-old, who education first. “My father my awareness raised on the
activities to celebrate Black safe environment for all learners
wants to become a hairdresser brought the family to England support I need. I know I need to History Month that many regardless of their ethnicities
or care for children, said: “I like because there was no work gain an education to have a people got involved in and really and backgrounds. Equality and
coming here. I feel normal in our homeland and the chance of finding a job and benefited from.” diversity is something everyone
because I am around people opportunity of employment for hopefully the College will help Should a learner feel alienated in the College is keen to operate
who have similar difficulties to me here was greater. However, me to achieve this.” by their peers, left out of group and this will never change.”
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12