Post-16 Educational Support Organisations

Workbridge - https://www.workbridge.org.uk/vocational-training/

Located near Northampton town centre, Workbridge has been working for over 40 years, allowing individuals to develop work skills through vocational activities. Opportunities are open to people with mental illness, learning difficulties, brain damage and autistic individuals of all abilities. Alongside the vocational opportunities there is a chance to develop skills with specific training and accredited qualifications. If you would like to apply you can either call Workbridge on 01604 872770 or complete a referral form here.

Spectrum 17+ - https://www.spectrumnorthants.co.uk/services/employability-and-skills-training/

Spectrum has set up Skills Training and Education Centres that offer employability services for autistic individuals. Based in Northampton, they have created Employability and Skills Training courses that can help you to increase your employability and voluntary opportunities. The support offered will help you with CV preparation, employability, health and safety awareness and an introduction to catering, warehousing and manufacturing theory.  

Teamwork - https://www.teamworktrust.co.uk/blog/educationclasses

Teamwork has a base at Kettering, Corby and Wellingborough. As well as offering employment and volunteering opportunities, Teamwork trust also offers various training opportunities too. They have their own well established counselling service, a range of wellbeing courses and other amazing services that support ASC individuals.

National Autistic Society
The NAS provides support for education for Autistic individuals in Northamptonshire:
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Further education:
‍https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/education/extra-help-at-school/england

Northampton College and the National Autistic Society are working together to support autistic students to gain life and social skills whilst they’re in an academic environment.  

Our specialist student support team work with experienced teaching professionals from Northampton College to help students on the autism spectrum to gain life and social skills within an academic environment, supporting each student's individual journey to independence.

The 'Moving Forward' provision is a collaboration between the National Autistic Society (NAS) and Northampton College. It has been specifically personalised to support autistic students to overcome the barriers to learning and teach strategies to support independence, self-confidence and transition into the wider college or employment.

Northampton College understands that many autistic students find it difficult to access a mainstream college campus without specialist support and the right provision. For that reason, Northampton College works consistently in partnership with the National Autistic Society to provide an inclusive, autistic friendly campus with specialist student centred support.

Higher education:
‍https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/transitions/wales/leaving-school#H2_5
Our student support service provides a range of support options in further and higher education for students who are on the autism spectrum.

‍We work with students in higher education to ensure thatthey reach their full potential during their whole time at university. Studentscan use our service during the transition from school or college to life atuniversity and then from fresher's week to graduation. Working closely withboth academic and non-academic staff, we can help the university meet anindividual student's needs.

Disabled students Allowance - https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas

If you are looking to study an undergraduate or postgraduate course in the UK you may be able to apply for financial support. This is assessed on your needs and not your income. It is also neither a benefit or a loan and so does not need to be paid back. You can also apply for this alongside your student loan.

To check if you are eligible to apply for this please check here - https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas/eligibility

Below is a table that shows the maximum allowance an individual can receive:

Recovery College - https://www.nhft.nhs.uk/recovery-college  

‍Part of the Northampton Foundation Trust, Recovery Collegeoffers a wide range of educational courses and one off workshops. Their goal isto promote self-management and to become an expert in your own wellbeingdespite health challenges. All their courses are co-designed and delivered bypeople with lived experience so they have a platform to share what has workedforhem.

Disclaimer: En-Fold does not endorse treatments, interventions and therapies but lists them so people can make informed choice. This site is for information purposes only and is a starting point for readers to look into options that may fit or resonate. Remember, therapies for autism, like any condition, should be discussed with a trusted medical practitioner or certified therapist before use. All information, data and material contained, presented or provided here is for general information purposes only and is not to be construed as reflecting the knowledge or opinions of En-Fold, or as providing legal or medical advice. All treatment decisions should be made by the individual in consultation with a health care provider. Case studies provided are done so in good faith, and based on the personal experience of the individual submitting them. En-Fold are in no way endorsing the establishments that are mentioned but offering peer reviews to inform readers.