A young adult of 17 years started at the NCA on the 15th August 2011. It had been several years since he had been engaged in any type of learning and had been in foster care for most of his teenage years. Just previous to him enrolling at NCA he had returned to his family home with his elder brother, still under a care order, to help look after his mother who suffers from severe depression. In care and a carer himself, he also suffers from a physical disability with only 3% eye sight in his left eye.

Not to be deterred with any of this, he takes into his home stray dogs to rescue them, feed them and bring them back to good health, being supported by his social worker and a neighbour.

Initial assessments showed his capability at painting and decorating as fair with quite a bit of work to be done, and so over the coming weeks with hard work and a lot of determination, progress was being seen in his skills and enough credits had been earned to receive a City and Guilds Certificate in P&D.

This, however was not enough for this young man, and due to having enough remaining time left on his Foundation Learning Programme, the decision was made to move to carpentry and joinery to add varied skills to his growing portfolio.

1 week before his end date, enough credits had been secured in C&J for a C&G Diploma in Construction Skills to be awarded, the first the NCA had presented to any learner since FL had started in August 2010.

Progression for the young man will be at the Princes Trust 12 week programme, where he can continue to build on his English and Maths, confidence and self esteem, before returning to the NCA on an Apprenticeship programme.

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