Careers education programmes in schools and colleges across the county have been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Many local special schools provide a sensory and practical curriculum to help stimulate, engage and teach their learners about their communities and the world of work.

Careers education programmes are still taking place in these schools, and careers leaders are having to be creative to ensure these programmes still run effectively.

In order to support local special schools with employer engagements, GFirst LEP put a call out to local employers to support with 'discovery boxes' for students to engage with industry without needing to go out into a workplace.

Many employers came forward and offered their company's services, including Cotswold Mounts in Cheltenham. The company has provided discovery boxes to two Cheltenham special schools - Bettridge School and Belmont School - for their students to learn about framing and the work that they do in their business.

These boxes will be woven into the work the schools are doing around careers and community engagement, to support the students' development and learning in a sensory and practical way.

GFirst LEP would like to thank Cotswold Mounts for providing these boxes to local schools and to thank the other local companies which have made offers of support.

If you are an employer and can support in a similar way, please get in touch with Lauren Greening, SEND enterprise coordinator lauren.greening@gfirstlep.com.