Our Offer
Social Re-engagement
What is social re-engagement?
Social re-engagement is an essential part of our provision, and, alongside the academic element, we work hard to support our learners who have experienced social isolation.
The benefits for young people of being part of a community, interacting with their peers and trusted adults, and having social opportunities, are the incredibly positive effects these have on their sense of wellbeing and mental health.
Our Offer
Our social re-engagement offer allows learners to access groups, activities, trips and events, which will be at their pace. Through trusted relationships with Link Mentors and pastoral staff, each learner will be supported to build confidence, resilience and self-esteem to engage in these social activities during their time with us.
Link Mentors
Link Mentors support the young people in a variety of ways, depending on need. Sessions can be weekly and on a one-to-one basis, in the home, in RBAir’s Centre in Milton, Cambridge, or RBET’s Learning Hub in Danbury, Essex, or out in the community. This interaction can vary and is responsive, flexible and adaptive. Link Mentors are the link between all aspects of the provision: the academic learning, social re-engagement and therapeutic input. The young person is at the heart of the provision as inclusion and collaboration are key; Link Mentors work hard to empower learners to make decisions and to hear their voice. Encouragement to engage in all aspects of the offer, maintain unconditional positive regard and mutual respect are at the core of all our interactions.
Through gentle exposure, which is negotiated with them, learners see that there are benefits to pushing themselves out of their comfort zone. Having new experiences and feeling confident to manage any associated risks helps them to become more self-assured, resilient and motivated young adults.
Community
RBAir, Milton, Cambridge, and RBET’s Learning Hub, Danbury, Essex, offer weekly in-person group sessions, where a small number of learners come together to spend time in an activity. This might involve an art and craft project, music and drama, or perhaps time in the local community. These trips out into the local community enable learners to build independence skills, for example practising travel, or buying a drink in a café. These skills are important for their personal development. RBAir offers in-person clubs and groups, for example Baking Club, once a week. RBET’s Learning Hub in Danbury, Essex, has an allotment that learners spend time working on. Both RBAir and RBET Learning Hub create a relaxed environment for learners to meet others, be themselves, feel accepted and to be a valued and respected member of the RBAir community.
In addition to these regular activities, there are termly trips, such as a Bushcraft session or a bowling trip; these are designed to increase the learners’ ability to tolerate larger numbers of people, try an activity they perhaps haven’t done before, or learn a new skill.
We are also able to offer learners a variety of online lunch clubs, which include Music Appreciation, Maths, and plans for an LGBTQ+ Club in the very near future. In addition, we run a Student Voice Forum, to engage with our learners and give opportunities for their voice to be heard in a forum that can influence change. We value their thoughts and ideas about what is essentially their provision, and we work hard to be inclusive and empowering in our practice.
