Re-Conceptualising Work Experience As An Activity For All Learners

Abstract

This article discusses findings from recent Irish research which focused on the experiences of key stakeholders involved in transition preparation and transition planning for students leaving special schools in the Republic of Ireland. Employing a mixed-method study, the voices and perspectives of a number of stakeholders (students, parents, teachers and principals) were harnessed. The Mosaic approach (Clark & Moss, 2001) was used to specifically situate the students as the expert in their own lives and aimed to capture their experience of preparation for transition through mapping their vision for life post-school.
A key finding was the unequal access to work experience for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), within and across special school settings. As Ireland has one of the lowest disability employment rates in the EU, supporting students with SEND to develop employment skills is essential to address this. This paper proposes that work experience be reconceptualised as a key employment preparation activity that should be accessible to all students with SEND, irrespective of the curricula they are accessing.