Incredible goals are now being achieved at Kisharon’s Vocational College, which begins its third year next month.

 
PHOTOS: Presentation of achievement certificates at the end of the summer term, and right, learning to cook

Busy preparing for September, Manager Aviva Braunold said: “’Confident’, ‘able’, ‘independent’ and ‘fulfilled’ are some of the comments from parents of young adults with learning disabilities.

“It is about identifying every student’s potential to learn a new skill – which is not different for any other student going to college. Everyone wants to leave college having achieved something spectacular that will lead them to enjoy employment opportunities within the wider community – that’s the aim for all our students.”

The Vocational College, situated within Childs Hill Library in Cricklewood accepts students aged 18-25. Several are even starting their third year – every term bringing closer a goal of independent living and employment.

The average week includes travel training, cooking, computer skills training, horticulture and drama.

Every activity enjoys different levels of achievement. Travel training means first learning to queue at the bus stop, reading the number and destination, letting others off first, finding a place to sit, using an Oyster Card or Freedom Pass, when to press the ‘stop’ button and how to recognise the journey’s end.

Cooking involves planning a meal, shopping for ingredients, budgeting, checking receipts, working out change, kitchen safety, health and hygiene, weighing ingredients, setting the table and portion control. The exact routine – and identical meal – is carried through twice so students’ confidence grows.

In drama lessons, taught by Sarah Davis, students play out social situations and events in the workplace learning have to navigate these with appropriate interactions.

Zelda Vogel’s computing lessons teach students to email, improve their typing skills, write lists and to copy and paste.

In horticulture sessions, hands on, therapeutic and hugely popular, students learn abut vegetable varieties, how to take care of them and research online the origins of every plant.

The Kisharon College is one of two further education establishments in the Jewish community, and takes students aged from 18-25. Unlike mainstream colleges, with designated streams for special needs students, Kisharon’s teaches kashrut and Shabbat and the festivals feature in activities.

Students are welcomed from across London and outside London, and can enrol mid-term.