Stepping Stones to Employability
Our Stepping Stones Employability Programme for Young People continues to flourish. We have partnered with Alfriston School, Pebble Brook School, Stony Dean School, The Beaconsfield School and The Mandeville School for some time.
In 2023/24 Kingsbrook School and Chiltern Wood School joined the programme.
We are grateful to The Rothschild Foundation who have supported us with match-funding for three years. Stepping Stones has enabled numerous young people to become involved in a wide variety of conservation opportunities that have helped them grow and realise their true potential. We are so proud of the skills, confidence, self esteem and team work that we have seen bloom in each and every one.
We were very excited when Louise Butt of Buckinghamshire Business First approached us to make a Case Study Film to showcase our programme. So we went to Alfriston School, who have been partnering with us for several years now to make the film. A big thanks to all of our friends at Alfriston.
Praise for our Stepping Stones programme
Your team work exceptionally well with our students through trust, encouragement and humour. Chiltern Rangers are outstanding practitioners crafting exceptional environmental activities.
John Twining – Head of Worx and Careers
Chiltern Way Academy
Doing Chiltern Rangers has really boosted my confidence. Without doing Chiltern Rangers, I wouldn’t be as confident as I am.
Sarah – Long Term Stepping Stones Student
One of our key aims is to prepare our students for integration into the wider community, able to enjoy & participate in life as contributing adults. The Stepping Stones Programme contributes significantly towards the achievement of this goal.
Jinna Male – Headteacher
The Alfriston School
Our Woodoaks Farm partners gave the highest praise to one of our long term Stepping Stone work experience students:
“What an incredible 12 year old young man. Open, honest, earnest and SO hard working from 10-3 non stop.
As we chatted he told me about his situation at school. How he recognises he can be disruptive and often has the impulse to walk out of class but with his ADHD medication finds that he can control that knee jerk reaction.
It struck me that here was a wonderful example of a school leading with understanding and flexibility that allows a square peg to be a square peg and finds an incredible compromise and collaboration with a team like Chiltern Rangers.
This was a FANTASTIC example of allowing a young man to flush out the stuff that would otherwise cause him to be pent up and put his energy into less positive things.”
If you would like further information about our Stepping Stones programme, please call us on 01494 474486 or complete this form.
The films below give a visual taster of all the steps of our Stepping Stones Triangle that young people with Special Educational Needs need in order to make a successful transition from the safety of a small special school setting into the world of work.
We are always on the look out for funders, DBS checked volunteer leaders, corporate partners and young people groups to partner with us and support our Stepping Stones project. If this is you, please get in touch at info@chilternrangers.co.uk or call us on 01494 474486.