Blog
Katie Completes her Skills Accreditation Programme
Wed, 26th Apr 2023Katie completed her Skills Accreditation Programme “Level 1- Caring for Small Animals”.
The Skills Accreditation Programme allows our young people to gain accredited training across a range of subject areas in a person-centered way. These flexible courses teach skills and give recognition to the learner’s achievements. We were able to start offering our young people these short courses last year after funding from the Flexible Workforce enabled our team to access training, provided by Borders College Department of Enterprise and Business Innovation (DEBI).
Katie completed her course this February and has been in charge of the health and well-being of the Stranraer fish. Her course involved identifying the living conditions the fish would need and what tank would be suitable. Before the fish arrived in the workroom Katie picked out everything for the tank from the stones to the aquatic plants and ornaments. She cared for the fish over the duration of the course and would regularly help James, one of our volunteers, to clean out and freshen up the tank.
Most importantly Katie made a feeding schedule for the fish which helped us all to make sure the fish were being fed regularly but not too much. She has done amazing at this and has become a fully qualified fishkeeper! Katie has said that she really enjoyed looking after the fish and likes to watch the swim around the tank and would like to have her own horse next.
Katie even named one of the fish Jill as a tribute to her Aunty.
Other Skills Accreditation courses we have looked at have included Health and Safety Awareness, Budget Shopping, and Preparing a Sewing Machine for Use.