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Extra help for young deaf people in Blaenau Gwent - WalesOnline
DEAF and hard of hearing young people in Blaenau Gwent will receive support to overcome challenges to living independently and getting into employment and training, thanks to a new £320,000 project in south east Wales.
RNID Cymru launched the Young Adult Transitions scheme at the Senedd alongside Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills Minister, Jane Hutt.
The project team will provide intensive one-to-one support to around 75 deaf young people over the next three years and also plans to help 200 others who need information and advice.
There will be a particular focus on helping the most vulnerable young people, including those with mental health problems, physical disabilities or a history of offending.
The aim is to support clients to develop the combination of life skills, confidence and academic or employment related skills they need to achieve their personal goals.
Funded by the Big Lottery with support from Barclays, this three year pilot will help young people aged 16 to 30 across Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen to develop the confidence and life skills required to be independent and participate fully in community life, and learn the skills they need to get in to employment, training or volunteering.
Activities will be tailored to individuals’ needs and will include literacy, numeracy and IT coaching, CV workshops, and advice on housing, managing money, using public transport and healthy living.
Deaf and hard of hearing volunteers with similar experiences will be getting involved to provide personal guidance and mentoring for the young people.
Richard Williams, director of RNID Cymru, said: “We know that many deaf and hard of hearing young people lack specialised support when leaving school or branching out on their own. This pilot aims to plug that gap in the south east and empower people to make the very best of their potential.
“We want to see the same support benefiting young deaf people across the whole of Wales in the future.
“Research shows that one in five deaf and hard of hearing people are unemployed and looking for work, compared to one in 20 in the UK labour market as a whole. This is not an acceptable situation and we hope this project will help to redress the balance.”
Deaf and hard of hearing young people can face a variety of challenges to living independently, learning and gaining suitable employment. These include skills gaps and low self-confidence due to the fact that deaf children don’t always get as much out of mainstream schooling as hearing children, difficulties accessing advice and training services due to communication barriers, and a lack of awareness of their needs amongst employers and training providers.
Minister for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, Jane Hutt added: “Inclusion in society is at the heart of the Welsh Assembly Government’s agenda.
“We encourage equality, and want to give each person the same opportunities to reach their full potential, no matter what barriers may initially stand in their way.
“RNID has a clear strategy in place to tackle the issues young deaf people in Wales face when trying to access training or employment opportunities.
“Launching this scheme at the Senedd will make a real difference to many young people across Wales, especially those who are at greatest disadvantage with complex additional needs.
“The transition from education to employment can be a very challenging time for all individuals, and enabling people to grasp their independence is vital to their success and confidence - I wholeheartedly support the Young Adult Transitions scheme.”
DEAF and hard of hearing young people in Blaenau Gwent will receive support to overcome challenges to living independently and getting into employment and training, thanks to a new £320,000 project in south east Wales.
RNID Cymru launched the Young Adult Transitions scheme at the Senedd alongside Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills Minister, Jane Hutt.
The project team will provide intensive one-to-one support to around 75 deaf young people over the next three years and also plans to help 200 others who need information and advice.
There will be a particular focus on helping the most vulnerable young people, including those with mental health problems, physical disabilities or a history of offending.
The aim is to support clients to develop the combination of life skills, confidence and academic or employment related skills they need to achieve their personal goals.
Funded by the Big Lottery with support from Barclays, this three year pilot will help young people aged 16 to 30 across Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen to develop the confidence and life skills required to be independent and participate fully in community life, and learn the skills they need to get in to employment, training or volunteering.
Activities will be tailored to individuals’ needs and will include literacy, numeracy and IT coaching, CV workshops, and advice on housing, managing money, using public transport and healthy living.
Deaf and hard of hearing volunteers with similar experiences will be getting involved to provide personal guidance and mentoring for the young people.
Richard Williams, director of RNID Cymru, said: “We know that many deaf and hard of hearing young people lack specialised support when leaving school or branching out on their own. This pilot aims to plug that gap in the south east and empower people to make the very best of their potential.
“We want to see the same support benefiting young deaf people across the whole of Wales in the future.
“Research shows that one in five deaf and hard of hearing people are unemployed and looking for work, compared to one in 20 in the UK labour market as a whole. This is not an acceptable situation and we hope this project will help to redress the balance.”
Deaf and hard of hearing young people can face a variety of challenges to living independently, learning and gaining suitable employment. These include skills gaps and low self-confidence due to the fact that deaf children don’t always get as much out of mainstream schooling as hearing children, difficulties accessing advice and training services due to communication barriers, and a lack of awareness of their needs amongst employers and training providers.
Minister for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, Jane Hutt added: “Inclusion in society is at the heart of the Welsh Assembly Government’s agenda.
“We encourage equality, and want to give each person the same opportunities to reach their full potential, no matter what barriers may initially stand in their way.
“RNID has a clear strategy in place to tackle the issues young deaf people in Wales face when trying to access training or employment opportunities.
“Launching this scheme at the Senedd will make a real difference to many young people across Wales, especially those who are at greatest disadvantage with complex additional needs.
“The transition from education to employment can be a very challenging time for all individuals, and enabling people to grasp their independence is vital to their success and confidence - I wholeheartedly support the Young Adult Transitions scheme.”