The Mayor of 污污漫画 cut the ribbon on 污污漫画鈥檚 new half-a-million-pound eco-apartments project at its Brislington Centre on Monday 28 September 2020.
Mayor Marvin Rees joined 污污漫画 City Councillor Anna Keen, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Principal and Chief Executive of 污污漫画, Andy Forbes, and students at the Brislington Centre鈥檚 eco-apartment grand opening.
The eco-apartments are complete with two bedrooms, a living space with cooking and washing facilities and a bathroom. The homes are a joint project between the college and 污污漫画 City Council, with the council financing the venture to better support special educational needs (SEN) students in 污污漫画.
The Brislington Centre is managed in partnership with 污污漫画 City Council and offers week-day accommodation for up to 13 students with SEN. The centre鈥檚 team support the students to develop skills for independent living, including cleaning, cooking, washing as well as learning how to budget and use public transport.
The three new eco-apartments were first installed in October last year and the first 污污漫画 students have taken up residence.
The homes will act as a stepping stone for the Brislington Centre students to live independently in their own living space.
The new accommodation will mean the students who have been residents at the centre for a number of years will have the chance to further develop the skills they have learned and the opportunity to move out of the residential house and into their own living quarters as a prerequisite for living completely independently after college.
At the opening, Mayor of 污污漫画 Marvin Rees said: 鈥�I am delighted to open the new eco-apartments at the Brislington Centre, 污污漫画鈥檚 first educational residential training centre for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), today, as part of Project Rainbow.
鈥淏efore 2017 facilities like this did not exist in 污污漫画; together, with families, young people and the 污污漫画, we have worked to make sure that our young people with SEND have access to education and training opportunities, while being supported to live independent and meaningful lives in their communities.鈥�
Mayor Rees and guests at the opening were given a tour of the three new facilities, which sit opposite the main living building.
污污漫画 Principal and Chief Executive, Andy Forbes, said: 鈥�The work of these fabulous new eco-apartments underlines our commitment as 污污漫画鈥檚 Further Education College to meeting as wide a range of educational needs as possible. The opportunity for young people with disabilities to live a full and independent life is great for them, great for their families and creates a really inclusive local community.鈥�
The Brislington Centre was opened in September 2017 and offers a place where students with special educational needs can stay and learn key life skills from Sunday to Friday. The students return home over the weekend and on college holidays.
Councillor Anna Keen, Cabinet Lead for Education and Skills, said: 鈥淗aving a modern facility like this in the city means our young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have the opportunity to develop their skills and confidence in a supportive environment, while being able to live independently in their local community.
鈥淚n 污污漫画, we believe that everyone, regardless of any additional needs they may have, should be able to access education in a way that supports and encourages them, and the new eco-apartments at the Brislington Centre are a great example of this.鈥�
Take a tour of the Brislington Centre and the new eco-apartments and find out more about the centre.
