Further and Higher Education

What is Accredited Further and Higher Education?

The “Equal Lives Review of Policy and Services for People with a Learning Disability in Northern Ireland” (Sept 2005) recommended that the Further Education sector develop new programmes specifically designed to meet the lifelong learning needs of men and women with a learning disability. One of the aims of the Day Opportunities Programme is to enable adults with a learning disability to access further and higher educational opportunities, wherever possible, within their local communities.

The Northern Trust’s Day Opportunities Programme has developed partnerships with the Northern Regional College, South West College and with Independent Sector Providers to provide accredited further educational courses for adults with a learning disability across the Trust.

The Educational Provider assesses individual student learning needs and supports are put into the learning environment to help the student achieve their qualifications.

A range of accredited courses have been developed to include employability skills, independent living skills, travel awareness training, community living skills, numeracy and literacy development, ICT and personal and social development.

The progress of this opportunity is continually monitored through the Northern Trust’s Day Opportunities Programme.