Helping hand to map out future
A HUNTINGDON personal adviser has designed a new game to help young people with learning difficulties prepare for their future. Clare Webber, who works at Connexions in St Benedict s Court, came up with the idea of a road-map entitled The Journey of My L
A HUNTINGDON personal adviser has designed a new game to help young people with learning difficulties prepare for their future.
Clare Webber, who works at Connexions in St Benedict's Court, came up with the idea of a road-map entitled The Journey of My Life to make it easier for young people to think ahead, and express their wishes without relying on verbal communication.
The aim of the game is to help young people with learning difficulties or autism, who often find it hard to grasp abstract concepts such as time, to mark their future hopes on a time-line.
Clare, who will use the tool at Spring Common School in Huntingdon and Samuel Pepys in St Neots, as well as at parents' evenings in mainstream schools, said: "Youngsters who are on the autistic spectrum or have other difficulties tend to prefer a visual style of learning. It is also difficult for them to imagine the future and apply events in sequence.
"With The Journey of my Life they can use a train track, which is very popular, or road map to start to explore their future and ensure they are part of the process."
The board game and cards representing their lives can make the concept of time more tangible.
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Youngsters can physically place signs on the track or road to mark their ages and events that have happened.
The idea was developed following workshops held by the National Autistic Society to ensure that the Connexions service is accessible to young people with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), their parents, and carers.
INFORMATION: Connexions, part of Cambridgeshire County Council, provides confidential advice, guidance and personal development services to 13-19 year olds, and for young people with additional needs up to the age of 25.
