As you get older, you’ll want to decide what you want in life. You'll want to make decisions about education and work, where you want to live and how to manage money. All these things are part of becoming more independent.
Every young person can get advice and support about what they might want to do when they leave school. If you have an EHC plan you should also get the chance to talk about these different things at your review meetings.
On this page you can find information about
- education
- training
- going to work
It can really help if you get good information when you’re making important decisions. Having the chance to ask questions and being listened to can also make a big difference.
There are groups who can offer advice and support as you move into adulthood. Some of these groups are part of Devon County Council and others are local and national charities.
You can find out more about each group by clicking on the links below.
- Devon County Council has information about moving on from school.
- Skills Launchpad Devon provide information and advice about training, work and supported apprenticeships.
- Independent careers advice and guidance in Devon is offered by CSW.
- The Head Up! | Mentoring (head-up.org) scheme is open to young people aged 14-18 who self identify as disabled. It offers 1-1 mentoring by current or former university students who identify as disabled. It can cover: university applications, awareness of support you can get, confidence in asking for support, revision tips, setting goals and planning for success; making important decisions, navigating social situations and confidence disclosing disability.
- Devon County Council has information about money and the types of financial support available to some young people.
- Young Devon is a charity providing information and support for young people across Devon. They offer skills training, advice about accommodation and a well being service.
- The Preparing for Adulthood and Transitions Team is part of adult social care here in Devon. This team works with young people who are likely to need significant help and support to become more independent as they move into adulthood.
The law says that everyone should be in education or training until they are 18. After year 11 (age 16), you have some choices about how you do this.
The law does allow you to work after year 11 (age 16), but you must still take part in some education or training alongside work. The law says you should do a total of 280 hours of learning per year. This learning must lead towards a qualification.
You can also volunteer and combine this with part time study. This is a way of getting work experience and learning new skills to help you in the future.
School or College?
Staying at school
- Some schools have sixth forms (years 12 & 13).
- If you’re happy at your school and the course you want to study is available, this option might be right for you. Some people choose to do this because they know the teachers, they know the school and some friends may also be staying on. This might not be right for everyone but it’s worth checking it out.
- Most mainstream school sixth forms offer A levels and some BTEC courses. Special School sixth forms generally offer a range of courses suited to their students. These may include GCSE courses, BTEC pre- vocational courses, functional skills in maths and English.
- If your school has a sixth form you can find out what courses they have, and how to apply, by checking the school website or asking a member of staff.
Going to College
- Colleges are places that usually offer a wide range of courses. One of the big differences to school is there are students of different ages doing lots of different courses. The buildings are generally bigger, because there are more students.
- Colleges often have specialised facilities for practical courses. For example, hair salons, construction workshops and engineering workshops.
- Agricultural or farming courses will have outdoor specialist facilities or access to farms.
- Some of the courses offered at a college will be just for young people from 16-19. Other courses have mixed age students. Some courses are specially designed for young people with special educational needs and or a disability (SEND).
It’s best to check out the individual college websites to see what courses they offer and if they’re right for you. These are the colleges in Devon.
- Bicton College
- City College Plymouth
- Exeter College
- Exeter Maths School
- PETROC
- Plymouth College of Art
- South Devon College
There are some specialist colleges in Devon that offer courses based in the community or in smaller specialised settings.
If you’re trying to decide whether to stay at school or go to college the video below might be helpful.
The Youth Hub supports young people in Devon (aged 16-24). It is a Devon based service that gives information, advice and guidance around your next steps.
The service is here to:
- Help you understand the range of options available to you
- Help you get into employment, education and training.
- Help you look for jobs and apprenticeships that will suit you, and help you apply.
- Support you to write CVs, covering letters and job applications.
- Help you prepare for an interview.
- Signpost to other services that might be able to help you.
You can contact the Youth Hub to book a face-to-face meeting in Exeter Central Library, or you can organise a phone call, teams meeting or get advice from email.
If you are in care, care experienced or a care leaver from Devon, the Youth Hub can support you no matter where you live.
- If you think getting a job would be the best thing for you, then take a look at apprenticeships. They give you a chance to learn while you work. You’ll also be earning money as you train.
- There are lots of different apprenticeships. Some of the main areas that have them are:
- construction
- hair and beauty
- engineering
- business administration
- banking
- health and social care.
In fact there are apprenticeships in most types of jobs!
There are different levels of apprenticeships.
- You can start an apprenticeship after year 11 with GCSE’s or entry level qualifications.
- Other apprenticeships will need A levels or BTEC level 3 courses.
- Some apprenticeships let you work towards a university degree.
If you decide to do an apprenticeship after school you will get paid while you work and study.
You can find out more about apprenticeships in the short video below.
What is a supported internship?
To start a supported internship, you’ll need to:
- be aged 16 to 24
- have an education, health and care plan (EHCP)
On a supported internship, you’ll spend most of your time in the workplace, developing skills for employment.
A supported internship includes:
- an unpaid work placement of at least 6 months
- support from a qualified job coach
- a personalised study programme, including the chance to study a relevant qualification, if suitable, and English and maths to an appropriate level
Will I get paid?
- You may be able to get Access to Work funding.
What support will I get?
- The support you get will depend on your needs, but it could include a grant to help pay towards practical support with your work, including a job coach.
What can I do after a supported internship?
- The aim of a supported internship is to prepare you for working in a paid job.
- You could get a paid job at the same place you did your supported internship or you could look for a job with a different employer.
- You could also carry on training by doing an apprenticeship.
Listen to what Charlie has to say about doing a supported internship.
If you’re thinking about going to university you might find this information helpful.
- You apply to university through UCAS. You can get help and support to do this from your school or college. The UCAS website is also a good place to check out.
- There are many universities and they offer different courses so you’ll need to think about what and where you’d like to study. This UCAS webpage is a good place to start.
- Each university course has entry requirements. This means you’ll need to get certain exam grades depending on what you want to study. This UCAS webpage explains how it works.
- Universities are inclusive and must offer support for students with individual needs and disabilities. You can find out more about the general type of support universities can offer on the UCAS website.
- It’s always good to check out what specific support the university you are thinking of applying to can offer for your specific needs. Think about what support you might need with both your academic study and independent living if you’re thinking of moving away from home.
- You can find out about the different types of funding available for going to university from Disability Rights UK.
- Head Up! | Home (head-up.org) is produced by a group of university students who have a variety of disabilities, physical & mental health conditions, learning difficulties and neurodiversity.
The website offers advice and a space to share experiences of dealing with these in school and at university.
If you feel that getting paid work is right for you there are different ways you can find out what’s available. Remember that if you are looking to get a job after year 11 (age 16) you should still be doing some training that will lead to a qualification.
- Your careers adviser is a good person to talk to about how to look for a job. They can also help you understand how to apply for jobs and how to prepare for interviews. The careers service for young people in Devon is CSW.
- There are online job agencies that let you search for jobs in your area. If you know what sort of job you want you can find out if there are vacancies in your area by using this sort of agency search.
Some of the bigger agencies are listed below:
If you’d like some help with applying for a job or you’re not confident about how to prepare then the people at Young Devon might be able to help. They offer a range of services to young people living in Devon.
You can get additional help and support to look for work if you have SEND
- The Access to Work scheme can help if you have a disability or long term health condition. The support you get depends on your needs but it includes a grant to help pay for practical support in your work.
- DFN Project SEARCH is a one-year transition to work programme for young adults with a learning disability or autism spectrum conditions, or both.
- The National Careers Service has information about support and schemes available if you have SEND or a long term health condition.
Helpful tips when thinking about your future career
Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition
Supported internships with an education, health and care plan
Help if you’re a student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability
Into Apprenticeships: A guide from Disability Rights UK
Skills for a Careers: Explore career ideas, training options, and get help and advice.
Amazing apprenticeships: Information and videos about different types of apprenticeships