Llamau has identified that its service users with the highest needs, those with chaotic and disadvantaged lifestyles, are not able to participate in typical ‘qualifications led’, 9-5 pm formal educational/training environments or have sufficient skills to take up paid work. Some have already failed in such places and become increasingly demotivated and disengaged.

As a result over the last 3-4 years Llamau has developed a unique ‘alternative’ personal development and learning programme (which is not mainstream) called Learning 4 Life. It comprises of an engaging programme of activities, delivered in a variety of different ways, which significantly improves people’s self esteem, confidence, motivation and lifelong opportunities. It does this by providing a wide range of activities in a variety of settings that will improve personal, social, educational and vocational opportunities. Via the programme Llamau has been able to assist its most marginalised clients to progressively take responsibility for their activities/behaviours and maximise their potential and social inclusion opportunities.

 

 

Over 80% of Llamau’s service users are aged 16-21, many of whom are care leavers, offenders and those at risk of offending aged 16/17, who have been excluded from school since the age of 13. Few, if any, have formal qualifications and they are very difficult to reach and engage with. They lack confidence, self esteem and motivation and are at the greatest risk of social exclusion. Some have non-assessed learning difficulties and mental health needs. The benefits system treats these young people as adults. This means the inevitable failure to participate in training, education or work often leads to the withdrawal of benefits and thereby significantly increases repeat homelessness and social exclusion.

 

Learning 4 Life staff work intensively with this client group, on a 1 to 1 or small group basis, providing a wide range of ‘next step’ information and addressing the issues that are holding them back, preparing them slowly (over a period of 3-6 months) to enter further education, training or work. This work is currently done in 4 dedicated learning centres; at Bridgend, Newport, Vale, Cardiff and via outreach work in both the Vale and Caerphilly.

 

Our aim is to help clients improve basic skills (literacy, numeracy and IT) but in a way which is relevant to them (budgeting, costs of setting up your own home, filling in essential forms etc). Another aim is to develop the key skills of communication, listening, negotiation and problem solving. This embraces opportunities to enjoy drama, art and craft, cookery, learn about childcare, DIY, personal health and hygiene. Through a wide range of workshops behaviours which may be damaging a client can be explored i.e. anger management, offending behaviour, drug and alcohol misuse, sexual health etc. This work is balanced by offering a wide range of leisure and recreational activities.

 

 

Almost 20% of Llamau service users are 21-60, a significant number of them are women, with exceptionally high support needs. They have suffered from a variety of issues including childhood abuse, domestic violence, substance misuse and poor education. As a result they find it difficult to reintegrate themselves into the community. With many surviving on disability living allowance and other low income benefits, this is a particularly difficult group of people to locate and engage with.

 

The L4L team work in various ways in order to help all such service users who are not currently engaging with society. For example they:-

• visit project houses on a regular basis offering a wide range of engaging activities within the house itself e.g. cookery, art and craft, drama, quizzes, games, advising them what other L4L services are available and, particularly for women - introducing them to local day/evening learning opportunities e.g. evening classes, day classes, local support groups
• provide general drop-in facilities at the 4 learning centres one afternoon per week for all clients to meet each other, undertake a wide range of activities and to find out more about local mainstream training/school/work opportunities.
• provide a safe environment for ‘women only’ to drop-in one afternoon per week in where women themselves decide how they want to use the space and what activities and/or information they wish L4L staff to provide.