Press Release

The Junction helping excluded pupils

The Junction in Andover is doing more to try and help young people who have been excluded from school to get an education.

The Junction, which is run by Alabaré, is part of the Test Valley Foyer and is an Internet café and training facility for 13 to 25 year olds.  It provides a safe space where they can access the Internet, information, advice, guidance and training on a diverse range of issues including housing, education, and health.

The centre has joined forces with Hampshire County Council to trial a new scheme helping excluded pupils continue to access education.  The young people, who are selected by the council, can use The Junction to access the Virtual Learning Scheme – an online lesson hosted by a qualified tutor.

Currently this is only a pilot and at the moment one young woman attends regularly for 4 ½ hours a week and a number of others attend occasionally.  It is hoped that if the pilot goes well and the arrangement becomes permanent The Junction they will have as many as six excluded young people attending and accessing education on a regular basis.

The Junction also has a number of meeting rooms and training facilities that can be hired out by the public when the young people aren’t using them.  One organisation that uses them is the Andover Education Centre; from there they run tutoring sessions to excluded pupils from the local area.

Manager of The Junction, Dave Millward, said “I am delighted that The Junction is playing such a positive role in helping excluded pupils continue to access education.  Everything that we do at The Junction is about the young people who use it so it’s great that we are adding yet another dimension to the support that we can offer them.” 

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For more information or to arrange an interview call Lara Higgins on 01722 344484

Alabaré Christian Care Centres is a regional charity, providing a range of services including supported housing, floating support services, drop-in centres, information, advice and training services and a registered care home.  The charity works with the homeless, ex-offenders, young people, individuals with a learning difficulty, vulnerable women and people with drug and alcohol problems, aiming to assist them with realising their potential and becoming valued members of society.

www.alabare.co.uk

For more information about the Test Valley Foyer go to: http://www.hants.gov.uk/testvalleyfoyer

For information about room hire at The Junction and to book online go to:

www.roomsformeetings.net/andover.