Independent Living Skills
Independent Living Skills (ILS) at Bridgend College is a person-centred programme supporting learners with Additional Learning Needs (ALN). We help you build the skills, confidence and independence you need for adult life, further learning and work.
Bridgend College offers great support to help students with extra learning needs settle in smoothly. We are here to help you every step of the way to make sure you have a positive start.
Here is how it works:
- Meet the Lead: You will start by meeting our Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Transition Lead.
- Review Your Plan: They will attend your Individual Development Plan (IDP) review meeting with you.
- Visit the Campus: You will get to attend a few campus visits before your course starts to help you get familiar with everything.
Have questions? Email us anytime at kjones@bridgend.ac.uk or cpearce@bridgend.ac.uk.
We tailor your learning to your strengths, goals, and support needs. Most of your learning is practical. We cover key skills every day, including:
- communication
- reading and writing
- maths
- digital skills
You will take part in real-life experiences at college and in the local area. These include:
- running small business projects
- practical vocational activities
- work experience placements
- supported internships
In your final year, you may also work towards a formal qualification.
ILS learning in Wales focuses on 4 main areas, known as pillars:
- Health and Wellbeing: looking after your physical and mental health.
- Independent Living: learning everyday skills like cooking, managing money, and travel.
- Community Inclusion: taking part in local activities, making social connections, and using local services.
- Employability: building skills and habits for volunteering, training, and work.
Together, these pillars ensure learners work towards personalised goals through meaningful activities that prepare them for greater independence and successful progression.
We use a framework called RARPA (Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement) to plan and review your learning without formal exams.
- Reviewing success: At the end of the course, you review your achievements and plan your next steps.
- Starting out: We assess your strengths, interests, and support needs.
- Setting goals: We agree on personal goals with you.
- Learning and feedback: We review your progress regularly and adjust your support as your needs change. We collect evidence using photos, staff observations, and your own reflections.
Pathway 2: Life and Living Skills (Year 1)
This course offers a gentle introduction to adult life and independent living. You will start by exploring your personal strengths, interests, and future goals so we can agree on meaningful targets together. Throughout the year, you will build healthy routines, improve your everyday communication, and learn basic work skills at a comfortable pace. We use regular progress reviews to celebrate your success and adjust your support whenever your needs change.
Pathway 2: Life and Living Skills (Year 2)
This course builds directly on what you learned in Year 1. You will practice your skills in realistic daily situations to help you become more self-reliant. During the course, you will set new personal goals, practice solving everyday problems, and learn to make confident choices on your own. You will also strengthen your reading, writing, maths, and digital skills during practical daily activities.
Pathway 2: Cooking for Life
This practical course teaches you how to prepare simple, healthy, and affordable meals for everyday living. You will learn how to shop on a budget, plan balanced menus, prepare food safely, and keep your kitchen clean. As you cook with others, you will practice teamwork, problem-solving, and communication. Everyday maths and digital skills are built naturally into each cooking session to help you feel confident cooking at home.
Pathway 3: Stage 1
This stage helps you move towards work, further study, or greater independence. After an initial assessment to understand your goals, you will work on practical tasks in the classroom and around the college. The course focuses on building your personal confidence, self-reliance, and communication skills. You will also improve your maths, reading, and digital skills so you can manage everyday tasks with less support.
Pathway 3: Stage 2
Stage 2 helps you strengthen your skills and prepare for future work or training opportunities. You will take an active role in planning your own learning, setting goals, and practicing how to speak up for yourself. You will also gain practical work-related experience where appropriate. This helps you apply your maths, literacy, and digital skills in real-world settings while building confidence for adult life.
Pathway 3: Stage 3 (Preparation for Progression)
This advanced stage prepares you for work, training, volunteering, or independent living in your local community. You will take ownership of your personal development, make your own decisions, and set your own targets. Through work experience and community projects, you will learn habits and practical skills that employers look for, such as good timekeeping, resilience, and teamwork.
Pathway 3: Land-based Skills
This hands-on course teaches you practical skills in outdoor work, animal care, horse care, and gardening. You will learn how to use tools and equipment safely while spending time outdoors to boost your physical and mental health. You will also contribute to local environmental projects, applying your communication, maths, and digital skills during practical, physical tasks.
Pathway 3: Clwb Coffi Enterprise
This course gives you real work experience by helping run a coffee shop on campus. You will learn how to serve customers, handle money, prepare drinks, and follow food hygiene rules. Working in the coffee shop helps you build confidence in teamwork, communication, and time management, preparing you for future volunteering or paid employment.
Pathway 4: Supported Internship (Princess of Wales Hospital)
This supported internship helps you move into paid work through structured placements at Princess of Wales Hospital. You will carry out real job duties with continuous help from a dedicated job coach. Alongside your workplace tasks, you will continue to develop your communication, maths, and independent living skills. Regular planning meetings will help track your progress and adjust your support as you prepare for permanent employment.
Pathway 4: Supported Internship (Bridgend County Borough Council)
This internship provides hands-on work experience across a range of council departments. You will work on real tasks while learning how to travel independently, communicate professionally with colleagues, and take responsibility for your work. A job coach will support you throughout the placement, helping you build the confidence, resilience, and workplace skills you need to move into paid or supported employment.
