Rural Skills

Loch Park Rural Skills has been developed because of a recognised need to increase the pre-vocational skills of people with learning disabilities and to improve their mental and physical dexterity in a practical situation. The project targets adults with learning disabilities who are presently excluded from the labour market due to literacy and numeric difficulties, a lack of work experience or relevant skills.

Loch Park will assist in overcoming public prejudices and stigma towards those with learning disabilities by facilitating increased direct public contact in controlled and supportative environments. Loch Park can do this through its location as an adventure centre open to the public.

Loch Park is commited to :

• Addressing service users' aspirations through stimulating a change in perception of training and employment and providing ongoing guidance and counselling.
• Equip service users with transferable skills through comprehensive training and support programme, which includes developing core and social skills.
• Providing an integrated approach of support for target groups through the project support worker and the project's direct link into the Learning Disability Strategy Group and Access Project.

Each service user receives an assessment followed by a training plan which will include the following :

• Core skills: Numeric and literacy skills aquired through practical applications like record keeping, plant growth monitoring and propagation comparisons.
• Physical dexterity: Motor skills gained through the use of tools for digging, planting, working wood and stone.
• Personal skills: Promoted through group integration in a learning environment.
• Work skills: Time keeping and health and safety at work willl be required in a practical environment.

In accordance with the high level of service Loch Park Centre wishes to provide for its Service Users, a staffing ratio of 1:4 is provided to give a high degree of individual attention.

Please contact Loch Park for further information