Courses for young adults with learning disabilities

Courses for Young People with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities.

We offer a range of courses designed to help young people (18–24 in receipt of an Education, Health and Care plan) to prepare for adulthood.  Working together with the young person we tailor our provision to provide them with the skills they need to successfully engage in work, community and everyday life.

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Why study with us:

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We offer a tailored provision: We work with Manchester Young Lives and the young person to determine which of our courses is best suited to them. The provision is matched to the young person’s desired outcomes, for example, further education or employment. 

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A range of employment opportunities:We offer a range of employment opportunities such as placements, employer talks, employer visits and tailored career advice.

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Additional enrichment activities: We work with a range of partners to provide enrichment activities such as football with FC United, activity sessions with Sale Sharks Foundation. Courses at Withington Adult Learning Centre also benefit from a garden which allows the young people to grow their own produce. 

''The college and staff have been absolutely fantastic. The course meets his needs in such an individual way and the staff are extremely gifted in the way they provide support. He has made great progress socially as a result and his confidence has increased tremendously. Staff always keep me up to date with how things are going and deliver a very bespoke and flexible programme for the young people in their care.''
“I am just glad we found STEPS. Keithan has done beyond what we could ever imagine, all thanks to the hard work of his tutor and all the staff on STEPS. Thank you very much from the bottom of our hearts.”
“Thank you to all on STEPS especially Sarah for the support and encouragement given. He has achieved so much.”
“I have spent a total of 24 months with MAES on the STEPs programme, and in that time, I have learnt a substantial amount and have come out of the course in a significantly improved position compared to where I was before the course. I feel that my life skills have significantly improved since I started the course, and my social skills have improved largely thanks to the various events we've participated in. Academically, I have gone from having two entry 3 level qualifications to three Level 2 qualifications in English, math and digital skills. The entire course has been greatly beneficial to me and I'm very grateful.”
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What did Ofsted have to say?

Learners with high needs take part in high-quality programmes at MAES and with the subcontractors. They make good progress in working towards achieving the outcomes set out in their education, health and care plan. Learners benefit from personalised programmes, including community learning for learners with more complex needs. Learners develop their independence through group projects and meaningful work experience – for example, working in local shops, cafes and animal care centres.

– (Ofsted 2023) 

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Our STEPs courses

Small group classes (maximum number of 10 learners) at Withington Adult Learning Centre. The classes run over three days a week and cover subjects including English, maths, ICT, life skills and employability. 

Manchester Young Lives provide an individually tailored programme of functional skills and/or employability and life skills for young people. 

1-1 classes for young people who are not ready to engage in group work or who need specific support in a subject area.