Signposting or Hand-holding?

I once had a young student with Bipolar Disorder. It’s not surprising that he hadn’t achieved in school as the occasional tweaks in the type and strength of his medication resulted in seismic mood swings.

I was his teacher for three years and helped him through his level two and level three courses of study. 

Occasionally I rode the roller coaster with him. I’ve had no formal training as a ‘counselor ‘ but ‘human being’ I do pretty well.

He left college at 19 ,with a distinction grade for his efforts and a place at university. It felt great. The difficulty we had faced in overcoming his condition made the achievement even more rewarding.

My tuition had been great, my signposting had been great, my enabling of progression had been great….He lasted 2 hours at university.

Without his support network around him he panicked and broke down.

Those two hours sat in his new home must have been pretty rough. Maybe some of us would have gone for a walk or taken the time to speak to our housemates. He didn’t. He got straight back on the train.

It made me think about the NEET young people that I work with now and their transition from NEET to EET. Signposting and successful enrolment onto a local college course certainly ticks a box, but how can we ensure that they progress for longer than a few weeks, days or hours?

Before my son started primary school last September, the reception teacher visited his nursery and spent some time with him there. She played in the sandpit, looked at his artwork and generally familiarised herself with what he liked and disliked. It was a simple way of building bridges between them and, as a result, he knew his teachers face and name and looked forward to seeing his new friend again at the start of term. In September he settled in straight away.

Quite simplistic I know, but I do now feel that the involvement and employment of local college lecturers in the planning and delivery of our Plugged In programme will provide vital support and continuity and ensure a positive outcome for more of the young people involved.