College signs up to with Ambitious about Autism

YEOVIL College has signed up to Ambitious about Autism’s College Inclusion Charter committing to delivering quality education opportunities for learners with autism and other disabilities.

Ambitious about Autism is the national charity for children and young people with autism.

The Charter has been developed by learners, college staff, principals and disability organisations as part of Ambitious about Autism’s Finished at School campaign. The campaign aims to secure more and better educational options for all young people with autism aged 16 – 25 so they can get jobs and live more independently.

The aims of the College Inclusion Charter are:

• To encourage further education providers to commit to improving their educational offer to young people with autism and other disabilities
• To raise awareness of the needs and the rights of learners with autism in terms of 16-25 education
• To build a coalition of further education providers to make a strong case for improving 16-25 education for learners with autism and other disabilities across England.

The launch of the Charter coincided with the commitment made in the Queen’s Speech earlier this year to extend the legal right to educational support up to the age of 25 for young disabled people. This will mean that young people who currently have a statement of special educational needs will have a legal right to education up until their 25 birthday.

Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning John Hayes MP, officially launched the charter in May.

College principal James Hampton said:  “I am thrilled to sign up to the College Inclusion Charter and show our support for its aims. Everyone here at Yeovil College takes very seriously the need to improve opportunities for learners with autism and other disabilities and we are committed to doing that for all the young disabled young people at our college.”

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