Case Study
Zak Stevens - Foundation Learning Construction February 2011
On his own admission, Zak “didn’t do
school”. He was excluded from West Park School at the end of
Year 9 for disruptive and aggressive behaviour and has tried
all sorts of provision since.
For 2 years, he attended The Academy and,
because he knew he wanted a career in the construction
trade, left there to go to college in Derby to do a brick
laying course. Sadly, this did not last and he was asked to
leave because he got angry with a lecturer.
From there, Zak joined The Prince’s Trust
and completed the 12 week course where he particularly
enjoyed fund raising for “Jericho House” and the
residential.
The course made him reassess his life and
he decided to join Access Training because he felt
“comfortable with the people here”. He has now been with us
for 4 months on a Foundation Learning Construction course
and is receiving one to one tuition for dyslexia/dyspraxia.
He is having lessons in Maths, English as well as Painting
and Decorating, Carpentry and his favourites: brick laying
and plumbing. Zak has already completed units in bricklaying
and painting and decorating and 2 Personal and Social
Development units. He much prefers the practical work but
knows he needs to improve his employability skills and
particularly his literacy and numeracy as he wants to secure
an apprenticeship in either plumbing or brick laying.
Caption under picture (Zak catching up with his literacy skills)
Zak was diagnosed at school as
suffering from ADHD but feels that he has matured and has
this under control now. Certainly we have been very
impressed by his commitment and enthusiasm recently as he
came in on his day off to help create new rooms for the
painting and decorating workshop.
He recently took part in a yoga session,
not something he would have considered before, but reported
that it was “pretty good”. Praise indeed!
Zak (back left) with the rest of the group taking part in
the yoga session
