What’s new at Newfriars?

Newfriars College has been rather busy recently. They and their students have been doing many interesting things both inside and out. Not only that, but also many other places have been getting involved.

 

The New Vic Theatre has been doing acting workshops with the students in the college and invited said students to a dress rehearsal of a production about the holocaust. The story follows a group of Jewish people doing their best to survive during the holocaust.

 

The Independent Living Pathway (ILP) have visited Trentham gardens, using the money skills they have developed with the help of that pathway to buy food from the café. They have also researched employability skills, using them to find out about all of the different jobs at Trentham Gardens.

 

Work experience has started for some of the vocational students. They have been working at Furniture Mine, performing tasks such as stocking shelves, sorting stock and even delivering some of it. They also get some travel training mixed in, as they have to catch the bus to get to the furniture mine.

 

The Alice Charity has been working closely with one of the employability groups in order to create new opportunities. While doing this, the group has been developing their employability and preparing for adulthood in order to prepare for opening a community café at the charity in the near future. Not only that, but they have also been assisting the charity with many of their projects, such as their recent Christmas appeal. The Christmas Appeal involved helping the team at the Alice Charity to sort toys and gifts that were donated to them. This helped to give over 6,000 presents to children and young people within the city. This group has also worked on various other kindness projects, such as sourcing and creating over 100 random act of kindness gifts to give to staff and patients at the Royal Stoke Hospital.

 

Stoke City Football Club have been coming to the college every Friday afternoon to do training sessions with some of the students. They have played a few games and helped the students learn various drills.

 

Weekly LEGO therapy sessions are now available at Newfriars College. These sessions help learners follow instructions, as well as develop their communication, positive behaviour, teamwork, independence and confidence.