We work closely with families and commissioners to provide support through education, training and community partnerships. All educational provision actively promotes inclusion and emotional wellness.

Experiencing the world of work

For young people with additional needs, work experience can be life changing. At Shaftesbury Nash College, students are involved in different roles across the college, from catering, helping with administration tasks or car washing.

Shaftesbury Millie College works to blend education with enterprise, bridging the gap between academic learning and employment. Students are engaged with animal care, catering and retail, conservation, horticulture and events.

Liv’s experience of animal care led to her securing a voluntary role at a local animal rescue centre. Two other Millie College students completed a six-week placement with the National Trust. 

Our supporters have funded projects that have improved our educational facilities and enhanced the learning experience. Upgrades include:

Lily’s life-changing support

Many people with disabilities are moved from place to place because they are deemed too challenging.

Lily* came to Shaftesbury for emergency care at the age of 18. Non-verbal with complex needs, she was very underweight and in a state of high emotional distress.

Her behaviours were the most extreme her support worker had experienced in a 30-year career in social care which is evidence of Lily’s fear and anxiety levels when she first arrived.  

What Lily needed was stability, compassion and continuity of care. Her astonishing progress is testament to how our amazing staff teams go more than the extra mile to build trust with an individual, to understand their needs and make them feel safe. 

Six years on, Lily has a structured routine, is communicating well, has healthy eating and sleeping habits and enjoys days out. Most importantly, she has familiar faces caring for her and rarely displays distress behaviours which reflects her level of contentment. 

Through our brain injury service in Suffolk, we work with local authorities, CCGs and a wide variety of health partners in supporting people to manage life beyond injury and help get their lives back on track.

Rehabilitation road to recovery

What should have been a day of jubilation quickly turned to devastation for retired teacher, John and his family. The lifelong Ipswich Town supporter had just watched his beloved football team beat Coventry City 2-1, securing their return to the Premier League after 22 years. In all the excitement, John suffered a cardiac arrest and lost consciousness.

Since that day in April 2024, he has been on a long road to recovery, spending six weeks in hospital before being referred to Shaftesbury Icanho.

Over a period of nine months, John underwent our comprehensive programme of occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and psychological support.

Wife Heather and their three adult daughters have also benefited from counselling sessions, facilitated by specialists including a neuropsychologist and social worker.   

“Without Icanho, we’d be floundering and feeling overwhelmed,” says Heather.  

Prior to his brain injury, John had been lecturing part-time at the Ipswich Institute, sharing his enthusiasm for literature and film with adult learners. Believing this was key to his recovery, Shaftesbury Icanho set him the goal of delivering a presentation at the Institute. “It really helped me feel myself again. It was like getting back to work,” he says.