Learners attending Primary and Secondary Learning Support centres attended activities held at ‘Club 23‘ once a week, during the Summer holidays. This initiative was organised by the National School Support Service with the support of NSSS Youth Workers Mr Josef Gauci and Ms Jane Meilak and LSC Coordiator Mr Waren Muscat. The service has been extended throughout summer as a continuity to the individual and personalised curriculum offered to these students during the scholastic year. Weekly telephone discussions, mentoring and once a week meetings have maintained structure to their summer holidays. Meetings consisted of learning agendas delivered through fun and adventurous programmes, providing space to allow students to be their own age – sheltered by a team that selflessly saw to their well being and keeping them away from any adult responsibilities or turmoil. The programme contributed to the emotional well being and wholistic development of students while kept engaging with a programme relavant to their needs.
Furthermore, besides bringing an array of learning outcomes, the programme enabled staff to be active with students and do things together as equals. Relationships between staff and students grew and got stronger. Fortunately, on returning back to school teachers reported an impressive outcome, saying that they wittnessed a smooth return and in having students taking up their regular routine, engaging, foucusing and being productive.
