LHM Youth Lifestyle Information – Further Education

As you start further education you really start to take responsibility for your own education and future. You have choices to make, different paths you can take and ownership on what works best for you and your heart.

It’s a good idea to know the choices you have so that you can make an informed choice about what kind of further education works best for you.

Before we look at the different types of further education paths there are, it’s a good idea to keep the following questions in mind.

Is the course I want to take right for my energy levels? Is there a big physical aspect of the course and can I manage that or put some reasonable adjustments in place?

Does the course have a part time option if I need it? Can I study full time if I need to?

You may need some support adjustments, extensions, counselling etc whilst on your course, introducing yourself to the support/pastoral team before starting is a good idea.

Have a look at the environment of the course. Do you spend a lot of time outside in the cold? Is there a lot of walking, hills, stairs that could prove a challenge

All LHM youth members are entitled to a ‘HEALTH CARE PLAN’ that you would have been given in school, some of you might also have an ‘EDUCATION HEALTH CARE PLAN’. These plans move to further education with you, it might be an idea to look at how relevant they are as you move and make some changes with the college/sixth form/ education provider.

It’s important that you look into the future career wise, does the course you want to take lead to opportunities in a career field that you feel works well for you as a young adult with half a working heart. We want all our youth members to have great aspiration whilst also moving into a realistic and sustainable future.

Traveling to and back from college or any work experience you have can take up quite a bit of your energy. It is important to bear this in mind when deciding where to go. Will it be a long journey leaving you with minimal spoons of energy when you get there?

There are a few options to look at when deciding where to go for your further education. All of them different so it’s important to look at each option with your own heart condition, abilities and challenges in mind.

Many of our youth members choose to attend the sixth form of their school for their further education. Charlie told us that ‘attending somewhere that already knows me and my heart with teachers that understand really helped me choose my sixth form’.

Sixth form can be a great choice as its usually close to your home so it uses less energy to get there, you’re with friends and staff that already know you so may know what is best for your heart in education. You don’t have to start from scratch, and the environment is familiar. You can speak to the teachers and pastoral staff that you are already comfortable with to ensure whatever further education courses you may take at the sixth form are suitable.

There might be some young people that did not have the best experience at secondary school.

Maybe you felt that you and your heart were not understood well that the school building couldn’t facilitate extra support you might need such as a lift.

It might just be that your sixth form doesn’t offer the type of course you want, or you just want a fresh start.

That’s okay, there are other options that are available for all school leavers, including those with half a working heart.

Finding a local college is also a great option for your further education.

Colleges offer a much wider range of courses than sixth forms, including part time options so finding a course that fits your needs might be easier. They might offer more flexibility also in terms of attendance, deadlines and evening work if you need it.

If you are keen to step into independence then choosing a college might be a great option for you as you tend to be treated in a more adult like manner there than you would in sixth form, this is something to think about if you’re not quite ready for that either.

If you are struggling with all the change and transition that comes into your life around the time that you start further education (like moving to adult hospital, taking ownership of your heart condition, PIP and generally growing into adulthood) and want some familiarity in your life it might be that another change of environment is something you don’t want. That’s okay, you need to choose what’s best for you and that might be sixth form.

Sixth form and college are great options, but it might be that you want to study whist earning money if so have you considered apprenticeships?

Apprenticeships are a great way to move into further education but can often be overlooked. It has become the norm to look at either sixth form study or studying at a college. Your options are much bigger than that.

An apprenticeship is a way to study whilst working to get personal experience as well as learning at the same time. You earn a wage for the work you do. After completing the apprenticeship, you will receive a qualification equal to a levels, Btec or a degree depending on the level of apprenticeship you take.

Like both sixth form and college experiences there are things to consider if you’re thinking about an apprenticeship.

Is the apprenticeship I want to take right for my energy levels? Is there a big physical aspect and can I manage that or put some reasonable adjustments in place?

Does the course or work aspect have a part time option if I need it? Can I study full time if I need to?

You may need some support adjustments, extensions, counselling etc whilst on your apprenticeship, introducing yourself to the support/pastoral team before starting is a good idea.

It’s important that you look into the future career wise, does the apprenticeship you want to take lead to opportunities in a career field that you feel works well for you as a young adult with half a working heart. We want all our youth members to have great aspiration whilst also moving into a realistic and sustainable future.

Traveling to and back from your apprenticeship training and work you have can take up quite a bit of your energy. It is important to bear this in mind when deciding where to go. Will it be a long journey leaving you with minimal spoons of energy when you get there?

Have a look at the environment of the apprenticeship. Do you spend a lot of time outside in the cold? Is there a lot of walking, hills, stairs that could prove a challenge?

All LHM youth members are entitled to a ‘HEALTH CARE PLAN’ that you would have been given in school, some of you might also have an ‘EDUCATION HEALTH CARE PLAN’. These plans can move to your apprenticeship with you, it might be an idea to look at how relevant they are as you move and make some changes with the apprenticeship training course provider and workplace.

They can be a great route into independence if you are ready for that and there are a great many courses and job opportunities available through apprenticeships so it could be a great way to find the right path for you.

Both the employer and the training provider can work alongside you to ensure that you are supported as a young person with half a working heart. In fact, your work placement can access funding from the government so reasonable adjustments can be made for you.

It is your responsibility to find an apprenticeship and work placement for your apprenticeship. There is a higher likelihood for you to be turned down and having to look elsewhere in the beginning so be prepared for that, you need to be able to pick up yourself up and look elsewhere.

You also need to be able to plan your energy levels well so that you can work during your shifts and still be able to study. This will however be easier to manage than attending a full-time course and trying to work part time also.

For more information follow the links below:

https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk

https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disability-confident-campaign

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-adjustment-passport/health-adjustment-passport-completion-notes#:~:text=The%20Health%20Adjustment%20Passport%20is,work%20or%20moving%20into%20work

Sources of info

https://www.lhm.org.uk/3d-flip-book/sex-relationships-with-half-a-heart/

https://www.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk/stories/why-choose-to-study-at-a-further-education-college-over-a-sixth-form#