National Learning Network provides training and specialist support to people who, for a variety of reasons, may find it difficult to gain employment. National Learning Network helps people with intellectual disabilities.
What is Intellectual Disability?
Intellectual disability is a life-long neurodevelopmental condition, which affects learning, behaviour and adaptive skills. People with this condition face difficulties with cognitive abilities, such as problem solving, acquisition of new skills, judgement and adapting to new situations. This in turn will likely impact on their daily activities, independent living, community involvement and their ability to self-advocate. In Ireland, intellectual disability affects approximately 2% of the population.
Common experience for people living with an intellectual disability includes a degree of social isolation outside of their own family, as well as mental health issues. Compared to the general statistics, the prevalence of common mental health conditions in people with intellectual disability is 2-3 times higher.
How NLN Helps People With Intellectual Disabilities
We offer specialist training services to adults and school leavers with mild to moderate intellectual disability and to those with associated mental health issues or autism.
These services include:
- National Learning Network offers HSE funded Rehabilitative Training for school leavers with an intellectual disability, who wish to continue with their education. These programmes are underpinned by the HSE New Directions approach and map students’ journey through the programme via the framework of Person Centred Plan (PCP). This process captures and builds on their unique and individual interests, abilities and goals. These may have a broad span, ranging from independent living skills to academic modules of the student’s choosing.
- National Learning Network also offers ETB funded Vocational Training programmes, which many of our applicants with an intellectual disability may find to be a suitable alternative. Students who sign up for our vocational training programmes progress through an Individual Action Plan (IAP) system, tailored to each student’s needs, wishes and abilities. During this process, students are supported by instructors towards certification and work readiness.
At NLN, we highly value student input and feedback across all our services and seek out students’ views on regular basis, e.g. through our annual Student Satisfaction Survey. We use this feedback to continuously improve and adapt our programmes, and to enhance and build on students’ experience of our courses. The additional supports, available to our students, represent a unique feature of NLN, directly reflecting the identified needs. Our students can access the support of:
- Rehabilitation Officer
- Psychologist
- Resource Teacher
- Advocacy Officer
Get In Touch
We would be delighted to hear from you to discuss your individual needs and which course would best suit you.
- Find your local NLN centre here
- For general enquiries about NLN, please email info@nln.ie
- For all other queries call 01 205 7200.
