At the age of six, Poppy’s life changed when she was hit by a car, suffering a severe traumatic brain injury, requiring ongoing medical care. Despite these challenges, Poppy was determined to lead an independent life.
After attending a specialist school for complex medical needs, she successfully transitioned back into mainstream education at Plymstock School, where she received one-to-one support. As she approached school-leaving age, Poppy knew she wanted to work with children but wasn’t sure how to develop the skills and confidence needed to achieve her goal.
In 2021, Poppy joined City College Plymouth’s Skills Development course, a programme designed to build independence, develop employability skills, and strengthen maths and English. With support from the College, she made significant progress, passing Entry Level 3 English and Entry Level 2 Maths while growing in confidence.
Determined to gain experience in childcare, Poppy took on a successful work placement at Southway Youth Centre, working with a mother and baby group. This hands-on experience reinforced her passion for working with young children and encouraged her to continue progressing towards her dream career.
Poppy made the most of her time at the College and participated in various enrichment activities, including taking part in the College youth club, building her social skills. To help her succeed, the College provided one-to-one support where needed, specialist equipment such as adaptive writing aids, visual prompts and larger font materials to support Poppy’s learning and travel training to help her gain independence in commuting to her work placements.
Poppy’s confidence, determination and resilience saw her take on extracurricular activities such as the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award and the Ten Tors Challenge. Her confidence also improved significantly, and she even stepped up to become a Student Representative, actively participating in group tutorials and discussions, something Poppy once found daunting.
Now 19 years old, Poppy has progressed onto Workstart, a pre-Supported Internship programme, where she will take on further work placements aligned with her goal of working in nurseries or childcare settings.
Her journey at City College Plymouth has been one of remarkable progress. From navigating physical and cognitive challenges to gaining qualifications, completing work placements, and building the confidence to pursue her dream career, Poppy’s journey at City College has been one of remarkable progress.
If you’re interested in learning more about how Skills Development and Supported Internships can help you, visit www.cityplym.info/SkillsDevelopment.
