SEND Local Offer - The Platform Project

The Platform Project

Dunnock House
The Dorcan Complex
Faraday Road
Swindon
SN3 5HQ

View The Platform Project on Google Maps

Tuesday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.00pm

Fully funded for NEETS and Over 18. For other age groups, please refer to provider’s website for latest prices.

7 to 18 years, dependent on programme

The Platform Project focus on enterprise, employability and personal development. They strive to engage and progress young people into education, work, or self-employment. They aim to equip disadvantaged and vulnerable young people to develop the skills, confidence and experience they need towards a thriving future. They deliver Alternative Provision (AP) and Early Intervention (EI) through the following programmes.

CONNECT: a therapeutic one-to-one mentoring programme (CONNECT) pairs young people with Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs that are preventing them from engaging effectively in mainstream education or putting them at risk of exclusion, marginalisation or youth offending with a therapeutically trained and supervised mentor, many of whom are qualified practicing counsellors. The two-hour sessions are an alternative to a traditional therapy session - they go out in the community to do activities that the young person enjoys, building a trusting relationship and enabling them to open up and learn to regulate their emotions / behaviours.

ENGAGE: a classroom alternative, which is a small group experiential programme where a maximum of 12 young people typically attend for 2 to 3 days per week as part of a part-time blended attendance package. Students are usually at risk of/ have been excluded due to engagement, attendance or behaviour issues. The sessions use a range of practical projects that are modelled on workplace skills, such as enterprise, graphic design, upcycling, and life-skills etc, and they are taken through a Princes Trust Award in Employability and Personal Development. The students chose their projects every day based on their interests / abilities, providing a low-demand, flexible and engaging way for them to learn with a strengths-based approach.

DISCOVER: is a personalised tutoring service, which supports students who have progressed inside the other programmes and are ready to re-start formal learning/ catch up to transition back into school. Functional skills and GCSE tutoring is offered and delivered by fully qualified teachers who design learning activities to align with the students interests.

BOOST: an employability programme for young people aged 16 to 24, akin to a supported internship/ work experience placement for young people who have left education early (NEETS). A small group (max 12) spend 2.5 days per week working on practical projects related to career paths they are interested in to build their confidence, skills and CV experiences. They work with local employers and freelancers to learn about different jobs and skills, hear career talks, and do short work experience placements. They also work towards a Level 2 Princes Trust Award in Personal Development and Employability.

Interns work alongside our in-house coaches and external industry professionals to learn new skills across multiple projects.

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