Wow! Thank you so much, this is the most encouraging, insightful report I have read. The road is a tough one for for children, adults and families sometimes. Your hard work here I hope will help to raise awareness, create opportunity for more joined up creative, cooperative, collaborative working in the UK.
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Leaving on a Jet Plane
Oh my goodness, this trip has flown! I thought a month seemed plenty of time – and I’m well aware how fortunate I’ve been to be able to do this – but in some ways it feels like I’m only beginning. If you’re reading this, you’ll already know I’ve been doing my best to share…
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A Time of Change
It feels to me like Finland is going through a lot of changes right now. When people in other countries told me they look to Finland for good practice, I don’t think it was misplaced. I’m finding evidence of that everywhere I go. There is creativity, and expertise borne of long experience. People agree entitlements…
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You’ve Got to Have a Dream…
Today I’m in Oulu – the biggest city in northern Finland, and about as far from Helsinki as Edinburgh is from London. Oulu is home to the headquarters of Luovi Vocational College, the biggest provider of vocational special needs education and training in Finland, with over 30 locations across the country. Colleges like Luovi are…
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Resounding success
Image: Resonaarigroup, disabled musicians employed by Resonaari, in performance. Used with permission If you listen to people who use a service, they will tell you what works and what doesn’t. Paying attention is often the difference between changing lives for the better and falling short of the mark. It’s not just about providing the best…
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The Sparrows of Suomenlinna (just for fun!)
So I was sitting in a cafe with tea and a cake, minding my own business. Then I felt the eyes. I was definitely being targeted. Suddenly it all felt very Hitchcock… Suomenlinna is a military fortress and a UNESCO World Heritage Site on an island just off the Helsinki coast – definitely recommended for…
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Best job in the world
Every so often, a day comes along when this feels like the best job in the world. Today was one of them. Don’t you love being around people who know their stuff, care passionately about what they do and are 100% committed to young people living their best possible life? I was at the Häme…
July 19, 2018
