Linden Lodge offers a comprehensive and personalised careers provision for students from Year 7 onwards, with a focus on helping young people with vision loss prepare for adulthood, further education, and employment. Here’s an overview of the key aspects of their Careers Provision:

1. Personalised Careers Guidance

• Each student receives both internal and external careers advice, beginning with a vocational profile developed by an experienced internal careers advisor.
• The vocational profile, which is created at the start of their career education journey, outlines:
  • Career interests and long-term aspirations
  • Individual learning programs
  • Baselines and ongoing assessments
• The vocational profile is updated throughout their time at Linden Lodge and is shared with future employers to showcase each student's aspirations and experiences.

2. Work Experience and Skill Development

• Real-life work experience opportunities are matched to students' interests and aspirations, both within the school and through external placements.
• Work-related skills are integrated into the curriculum, starting from Year 7, preparing students early for the world of work.
• Community and employability sessions teach essential job-search skills, interview techniques, CV writing, communication, and independent living skills, such as travel training and accessing community facilities.

3. Support for Individual Aspirations

• The school emphasises individual student aspirations, aiding in the selection of suitable placements.
• Opportunities include:
  • Volunteering, enterprise activities, and charity projects
  • Internal initiatives like the Linden Lodge Café Project
  • External work placements, supported internships, and traineeships

4. Collaboration with External Partners

• Linden Lodge collaborates with organisations such as Blind in Business, Mencap, Sight for Surrey, RNIB, and local businesses to enhance career opportunities for students.
• Partnerships with agencies like the Department for Work and Pensions and Access to Work provide additional support for students transitioning to employment.

Linden Lodge’s approach aims to provide students with vision loss the necessary skills, experiences, and confidence to succeed in the workplace and live as independently as possible. Through personalised guidance, skill-building, and partnerships with specialised organisations, Linden Lodge helps prepare its students for a fulfilling and successful future.

 

Linden Lodge School partners with several external organisations and agencies to enhance its careers provision and support students with vision loss in their preparation for adulthood, further education, and employment. These partnerships enable the school to offer specialised resources and opportunities tailored to each student's needs. Here’s an overview of their key partnerships:

1. Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Access to Work

• Linden Lodge collaborates with the DWP and Access to Work to facilitate employment opportunities and ensure that students receive the necessary support as they transition into the workplace.
• These partnerships help provide financial and practical support for employment, such as funding for workplace adaptations, transportation, and job coaching.

2. Blind in Business

• A key partner, Blind in Business, works closely with Linden Lodge to prepare young people with vision loss for the workforce.
• They focus on equipping students with the skills, knowledge, and understanding required to succeed in future careers, offering training in areas such as employability skills, networking, and resilience in the workplace.

3. Additional Partner Organisations

• Mencap: Supports students with learning disabilities, providing resources and assistance to help them gain work experience and develop life skills.
• Sight for Surrey: Offers specialised services and resources for individuals with vision impairment, including training, technology support, and employment guidance.
• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB): Provides support, advocacy, and information to help students with vision loss achieve greater independence and confidence.
• Rinova: Works on projects that promote social and economic inclusion through education, training, and employment services, contributing to the development of life and employability skills.
• Local Businesses: Linden Lodge partners with local businesses to offer real-world work experience, volunteering, and internship opportunities, helping students build practical skills in a supportive environment.

Through these collaborations, Linden Lodge ensures that students benefit from a comprehensive support network, enhancing their readiness for employment and independent living.

 

 

Year Group	Careers Opportunities	Whole School Provision from Y8 onwards
7&8	Students will be vocationally profiled by Careers Teacher. This marks the start of the Careers Journey.    Students will be actively encouraged and supported by teachers to investigate work places of interest.	Personalised Vocational Profile and Careers Portfolio Annual Careers and Transition Fairs organised for different pathways Enrichment Speakers visit school Visits to work places Work Experience within school internally: Linden Lodge Café Project. Work Experience outside School: Externally: Voluntary/ Charity Projects Locally: Participate in Disability Awareness Training for Parents and Employers – Mencap Here I am.   Students to contribute to the Linden Lodge Case For Business which details statistics explaining the benefits of employing someone with a disability.   *Students will be actively encouraged and supported by teachers to investigate work places of interest during weekly Careers sessions with class teachers.
9	Students will begin internal work experience in Summer Term. This will give students a chance to begin to apply work skills learnt in class.
10	Students will continue internal work experience. Students will use personalised careers portfolio assessment to address any skills that need to be worked on and improved.
11	Students will now move onto external voluntary / work experience placements. Work experience projects should be long term so skills can be worked on and ideally weekly.
12 ,13 and 14	Students will now move onto external voluntary / work experience placements.

 Careers Leader: Magdalena Karpik