Charter Point 1.

The right to speak up

"We should have a real say in what goes on in the college and we should have debates about important issues."

"It is important for us to have a say in how the college is run"

"Students should say what they want and need from their time in college"

Charter Point 2.

The Right to Choose to go to classes

It is important for all people to have a say about what they want to do in their lives.   It is a big decision to go to college.  Everybody needs time to think about it.

How do people know if learning is right for them? What do people need to know to help them decide to go college?

Making your own choice

People have very different experiences when it comes to deciding to go to college to do a course.

Some have help from their parents, support workers and tutors at college when they are choosing courses.

"Yes, and mum helps."

"Staff ask you what you want to do and let you try things and help you"

"I pick my own things but I like their advice"

"I have been told that I MUST go to college because it is part of care in the community"

"They didn't ask me what I wanted to do - they said go to that class.  They placed me a bit wrong"

Charter Point 3.

The right to have support

"Everybody needs support so we are not afraid to ask for it"

"You need people to help you – the right people"

"It is important that we have support if we need it, so we can learn"

Charter Point 4.

The right to have the chance to make friends

Having the chance to meet people and make friends is one of the things people like most about being a student:

"A chance to chat and meet lots of different people."

When I met Karen we were friends immediately"

"I like getting to know and to talk to people"

"You can meet old and new friends"

"It is important to us that students with disabilities can go where all the other students go."

"The right to be included in the life of the college, including social life along with everybody else."

Charter Point 5.

The right to have fun learning

"Make learning fun!"

"Learning should be enjoyable"

It is fun when you get to eat the Welsh cakes that you have made"

"I enjoy it when I get it wrong and I can try and put it right"

Charter Point 6.

The right to good access

Access – getting into and around college

Charter Point 7.

The right not to be bullied

Charter Point 8.

The right to be treated as adults with respect.

How people treat you can make you feel good or bad. People with learning difficulties think that being treated with respect as an adult, is an important part of learning and being a student. It can make you feel confident about yourself and about what you will be able to learn.

"By coming to college we are as equal as everyone else and treated like adults"

"At college things could be better if we are always spoken to like and adult"

Charter Point 9.

To have clear information that we can understand

Information about the place where you learn and the courses that run there, is usually in a booklet called a prospectus.  A prospectus often has a lot writing and some pictures or photos in it.  This is very useful for people who can read.  A lot of people with learning difficulties said that a prospectus which has to be read is not very helpful to them.

"It is hard to understand the information on courses - Mind Blowing"

"A prospectus FOR students - the one we get is for parents"

"We don't know where the prospectuses are available from"

"No one can remember being given a prospectus or any information about college"

Charter Point 10.

The right to have good teaching

Many of the people who sent in information for the Charter for Learning had good things to say about their tutors.

"The tutors listen to what we say – we explain any problems to them"

"The tutors have lots of patience and time to listen"

"Our tutor is very nice and helpful"

"It would be better if staff didn’t tell us what to do all the time"

Charter Point 11.

The right to be able to do a course to get a job

One important thing about being a student is being able to do a course where you can learn skills to help you get a job.  People who wrote in with ideas for the Charter for Learning think that courses that can help you get work are very important.

Two groups of students at Yale College talked about what hey wanted to do after they left college.  Students in both of the groups said they wanted to find jobs.   The jobs they were interested in were:

"Learning might help you get a job"

"There should be a chance of work or money at the end of the course"

Charter Point 12.

The right to learn in a nice place

"We think it is important that the rooms we are taught in are as good as the rooms in other parts of the college"

"It's exciting.   The building is modern"