Building Knowledge, One Leaf at a Time

Throughout the 12 weeks, something special grew in each classroom. Students created Learning Trees where, after every session, they would write down one thing they had learned on a leaf and attach it to their tree. The Canterbury class called theirs the "TreeMix Learning Tree", while the Chatham morning class named theirs the "Tree of Wisdom", with beautiful artwork created by Ruth Rosier. Week by week, the trees filled with leaves, each one representing a new skill, a new understanding, or a moment of confidence gained.

Learning Trees

 "TreeMix" Learning Tree (Canterbury), "Tree of Wisdom" (Chatham),  "Word Tree" (Sittingbourne)

"I would recommend the Be A Leader Course to other students because it could change their future." — Student, Sittingbourne

For one Canterbury student, the learning was eye-opening: "The Be A Leader course was good because I learnt all about my disability and my rights." Another Canterbury participant found the same: "I would recommend the Be A Leader course to other students so they can learn about the medical and social model and civil rights."

The friendly atmosphere made all the difference. As one Preparations for Employment Chatham student put it:

"The course teachers were very friendly people, and I wish everyone else the same experience in the future."

A Canterbury participant agreed: "The course teachers were very engaging and helped me when I needed it."

From Learning to Action

The final session was about looking forward. Students reflected on everything they'd learned and focused on what came next: their goal of paid employment. Each young person created a detailed action plan, writing down the steps they needed to take, identifying where they could find support, and setting themselves timescales. These weren't just exercises on paper - these are real plans that will guide them as they search for paid work.

One Supported Internship student in Chatham now feels more prepared: "I would recommend the Be A Leader course to other students so they can get a better understanding of working life."

For some students, the course opened up possibilities they hadn't seen before. One Sittingbourne participant valued how "it gave us a chance to express ourselves and get to know each other." Another saw the bigger picture: "I would recommend the Be A Leader Course to other students because it could change their future."

The Journey Ahead

Steve Chapman, Course Leader and co-chair of the bemix board, is hopeful about what comes next:

"I hope these young people can get their dream job and use the skills they've gained to speak up."

For Mollie Mattingly, Project Lead for Leadership Development, watching the students' transformation has been rewarding: "I really enjoyed getting to know the students and learning so much from them. I feel that many of them have learned to understand the abilities that they have, rather than focusing on their disability. I know many of them have learned about their rights, and this is powerful knowledge."

She acknowledged that the journey wasn't always straightforward: "We did face challenges with some students not wanting to be on the course. Even though they may not have fully engaged I would say even listening to the information being presented was helpful. The Principals, Teachers and Teaching Assistants were always helpful, and this sent a positive message about the importance of the course to the students."

Kirstie Sargeant, Trainee Course Leader, hopes she's passed something valuable forward: "I hope that I have given some of the students some of the skills, knowledge and confidence that I gained in the bemix Skills to Train and Lead course I did."

As the Learning Trees stand full of leaves and the action plans are ready to be put into practice, these young people are moving forward with new knowledge, new confidence, and new skills to help them achieve their dreams of paid employment.

For more information about Be A Leader, visit:

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To find out more about bemix, visit:

bemix - Who we are

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