THE FIRST learning centre in Worcestershire to teach young people with special educational needs new skills and build up their confidence has been officially opened in Bromsgrove.
The Chadsgrove Learning Centre, aimed at disabled 19 to 25-year-olds, is separate to Chadsgrove School and College but is on the same site and will complement the good work it does.
The first phase of the project, unveiled last Thursday (December 8), has seen the opening of a shop and beauty therapy area where students will be able to learn about enterprise and undertake vocational training, such as retail attributes and beauty skills.
The young people who use the centre will also be able to learn functional English and maths.
The pilot scheme for the county, which has taken three years of planning to get to this stage, came about after a consultation with parents and students who all said they would like somewhere where the young people could learn life skills in a safe environment.
Chadsgrove’s assistant headteacher and project manager Liz Morgan said it was scheme that had the potential to help a lot of people and could lead the way in this kind of learning.
“With Chadsgrove School and Specialist College here it is a good location and this is just the start – we want this so it becomes a business and enterprise centre for disabled students.”
She added there was a fund-raising plan in place for the next 12 months to build on what the centre already offered.
At the opening, as well as showcasing the new venture, there was also live entertainment from Vintage Class which performed seasonal songs with the students and staff.
