Partners and Friends
Through our Partner Schools Programme, we were able to engage with Charlie and help him to flourish both in activities and at school.
Charlie lives with a condition known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this means that Charlie can experience difficulties with social, emotional and communication skills. Naturally this can make education stressful for Charlie and what may be thought of as a ‘small trigger’ by some, can cause Charlie to lose concentration and disengage from a session or lesson.
When Shrewsbury Town in the Community and Education & Learning co-ordinator, Simon Tisdale first began to work with Charlie, he was only able to last five minutes of a PE lesson before having to remove himself through difficulties engaging.
Fortunately, this is where our story begins to change, through Simon’s close work with Charlie and indeed Charlie’s amazing attitude, Charlie is now able to fully engage in a lesson, not only participating for the full duration but offering regular positive contribution to the rest of the class. Charlie’s infectious smile and willingness to improve is a real testament to his character; traits that are now able to shine through due to the positive relationship that has been created between Simon and Charlie.
This story is not uncommon and could represent many children of all ages and backgrounds. However, learning should not be limited because of an individual’s barriers. With care and a little extra help, we believe that all children can excel in education, just as Charlie has demonstrated so brilliantly.
We want to provide opportunities to help individuals achieve their goals and realise their potential, but we can only do this with your support.