A ground-breaking ceremony at Brockenhurst College on 16th December has hailed the official start of a brand new ‘Independence Hub’ for post-16 students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Independence Hubs are being rolled out across Hampshire as part of Hampshire County Council’s ‘All Our Talents’ SEND Employability Action Plan, which aims to help young people with learning and physical disabilities to develop independent living skills and successfully move onto adulthood and employment.
Councillor Roz Chadd said: “Young people with SEND deserve the same opportunities as their peers to flourish and realise their full potential as they enter adulthood. We know that they care greatly about their future career prospects and being socially and economically independent.”
The new hub at Brockenhurst College, once complete, will join three other hubs in Hampshire and will be the first to be housed in an entirely new building. It will serve students with SEND from across the New Forest and beyond.
The £4.building is set to include 14 new classrooms, social spaces, meeting rooms, a medical room, a hygiene room and a sensory room. The 1,200 square-metre, single storey, modular structure will also house the college’s existing Foundation Studies department for students with SEND.
Brockenhurst College’s Vice Principal Limor Feingold, who has overseen the project from its inception, said: “This specialised facility will further enable young people with special educational needs and disabilities to share in the benefits of post-16 education.
“Inclusivity is a key value for us and this building epitomises who we are as a college.
“Our vision and core purpose to help people make the most of their life through learning underpins our approach, helping ensure a brighter future for all our learners.”
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