SWRAC

SWRAC Specialist College & Alternative Education Provider in Dorset & Merseyside

Serving the communities of Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole our inclusive education and training programmes including Traineeships, Prepare for Life and Get into Work give people the skills and experience to prepare for the next steps of education, employment & training and life in modern Britain.

🎉 HARRY REDKNAPP CAME TO OUR THRIVE FESTIVAL! 🎉Our Winton Thrive students have been working incredibly hard, with fantas...
21/08/2026

🎉 HARRY REDKNAPP CAME TO OUR THRIVE FESTIVAL! 🎉

Our Winton Thrive students have been working incredibly hard, with fantastic support from our SWRAC staff, to plan and host their very own Thrive Festival for students, staff and parents/carers, and what a day it was! 💚

There was something for everyone, including Dorset Whippy ice cream van, craft stalls, a BBQ, tombola, hook-a-duck and an insanely generous raffle packed with amazing prizes!

And, of course, we had some very special guest appearances from Harry Redknapp, Nelly from The Great British Bake Off and C Star Cosplay! ⭐

A huge thank you to all of the incredible local businesses who so generously donated prizes to our raffle. Your support helped make the festival even more special!

Most importantly, every penny raised will be donated to Lewis-Manning Hospice care, helping support the incredible work they do in our local community 💚

And finally, a massive WELL DONE to our amazing Thrive students! 👏 You put so much effort, creativity and enthusiasm into making this event happen, and we couldn't be prouder of you.

Thank you to our wonderful SWRAC staff too, for all the time, encouragement and support that went into making this such a memorable day! 🥰

🥄 Chutney, teamwork and lots of grating! 🥕Last week, our Dorchester Prepare for Work students got stuck into their Enter...
20/08/2026

🥄 Chutney, teamwork and lots of grating! 🥕

Last week, our Dorchester Prepare for Work students got stuck into their Enterprise Project, with support from SWRAC staff Matt and Katie, by making their very own chutney!

The students did brilliantly, getting involved in every stage of the process, chopping, grating (and there was A LOT of grating! 😂), stirring and filling the jars.

They even added their own QR code labels before handing out samples to staff, students and parents to gather feedback.

It was so lovely to see both students being so proactive, hardworking and enthusiastic throughout the activity. They really enjoyed getting involved and seeing their hard work come together, and they certainly didn't let the head and foot coverings dampen their spirits! 🤭

🌟 WE’RE HIRING! 🌟Could you be the next Job Coach at SWRAC in Dorchester? 💚We’re looking for someone who is passionate ab...
20/08/2026

🌟 WE’RE HIRING! 🌟

Could you be the next Job Coach at SWRAC in Dorchester? 💚

We’re looking for someone who is passionate about supporting young people to build confidence, develop valuable skills and take those all-important steps towards the world of work.

As a Job Coach, you’ll play a huge part in helping our young adults discover what they’re capable of, supporting them in real work environments, building their independence and celebrating their progress along the way.

If you have experience working with young adults with SEND, a background in teaching or coaching, and a genuine passion for helping others succeed, we’d love to hear from you!

📍 Location: Dorchester
💼 Role: Job Coach
🚗 Driving licence & own transport required

📩 Apply now via the link below:
https://uk.indeed.com/job/job-coach-dorchester-5cb5dd22a2dfb714

Come and join the SWRAC team and help young people turn their potential into possibilities!

🌟 “Owen is a hard worker and has quickly become a very well valued member of our team.” We absolutely love hearing feedb...
19/08/2026

🌟 “Owen is a hard worker and has quickly become a very well valued member of our team.”

We absolutely love hearing feedback like this from the employers who work with our students!

Owen has been gaining valuable work experience with Butchers Coppice, and it’s fantastic to hear how quickly he settled into the team and became a valued member of their workplace. 👏

At SWRAC, our students are supported throughout their work experience by our dedicated Job Coaches, who work alongside both the student and employer to help make the placement a positive experience for everyone.

A huge thank you to Butchers Coppice for welcoming Owen into their team and for recognising his hard work and potential. We’re so proud of the progress he has made! 🥰

If you’re a parent/carer and would like to find out more about how SWRAC can support your young person to prepare for the world of work, get in touch with us today.

📞 01202 848099

🚴‍♀️ 540 MILES. ONE INCREDIBLE TEAM EFFORT 🚴‍♂️Our Prepare for Work students at our Boscombe Centre have taken on an inc...
18/08/2026

🚴‍♀️ 540 MILES. ONE INCREDIBLE TEAM EFFORT 🚴‍♂️

Our Prepare for Work students at our Boscombe Centre have taken on an incredible challenge, cycling a whopping 540 miles on an exercise bike! 😲

But why 540 miles?

That’s the distance from our Boscombe Centre to our Liverpool Centre… AND BACK!📍➡️📍➡️📍

Over the course of a week’s lessons, our students (and staff) took it in turns to get on the bike, each doing as much as they could to help the team reach their huge target. There was plenty of encouragement along the way, and together they absolutely smashed it!

But this challenge wasn’t just about the miles 💚

Our students took on the challenge to raise money for Safe and Sound Dorset, a local charity that works to support and empower women and promote social inclusion.

Safe and Sound Dorset have also played a special part in our students’ journeys, providing fantastic work experience opportunities at The Well Cafe in Boscombe. Through their time at the café, our students have developed new skills, gained valuable workplace experience and, most importantly, grown in confidence.

We are incredibly grateful for the support Safe and Sound Dorset have given our students and are so proud that our students chose to give something back by taking on this challenge.

👏 A huge thank you to everyone who has donated so far, you have helped the students raise an amazing £175!

If you’d like to support their challenge and help Safe and Sound Dorset continue their amazing work, donations are still very welcome:

👉 Donate via the students' GoFundMe page
https://www.gofundme.com/f/p4w-student-cycle-challenge-boscombe-to-liverpool?attribution_id=sl:a50e4154-1820-43c8-83c2-dd6a650ae2a4&lang=en_GB&ts=1784904453&utm_campaign=man_ss_icons&utm_content=amp20_control&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

To find out more about the fantastic work Safe and Sound Dorset do:
https://www.safeandsounddorset.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

🌿 Learning beyond the classroom! 🌿Our Thrive Skills students recently headed out for a visit to Bournemouth Natural Scie...
14/08/2026

🌿 Learning beyond the classroom! 🌿

Our Thrive Skills students recently headed out for a visit to Bournemouth Natural Science Society! 🦋

It was a brilliant opportunity to step outside the classroom, explore something a little different and learn more about the fascinating world around us.

We love giving our students opportunities to experience new places, discover new interests and build confidence through real-world experiences ✨

A big thank you to Bournemouth Natural Science Society for welcoming us!

13/08/2026

📚 The Library at our Dorchester Centre!

A calm and welcoming space where students can enjoy reading, learning, studying or simply taking some time out in a quieter environment.

At SWRAC, we know that having a variety of spaces to suit different needs can make all the difference. Our students can choose the environment that helps them feel comfortable, focused and ready to learn. ✨

Fancy taking a look around our Dorchester Centre? Get in touch to find out more about our programmes and arrange a visit 💚

🚨 SEPTEMBER 2026 START – LIMITED PLACES AVAILABLE! 🚨Are you a young person aged 16–25 with an EHCP who is ready to take ...
12/08/2026

🚨 SEPTEMBER 2026 START – LIMITED PLACES AVAILABLE! 🚨

Are you a young person aged 16–25 with an EHCP who is ready to take the next step towards the world of work? Or do you know someone who could benefit from the right support and opportunity? 💚

At SWRAC, we support young people with special educational needs and disabilities and social, emotional and mental health struggles to build confidence, develop independence and gain the skills and experience they need to move towards their future goals.

Our one-year Supported Internship Programme at ASDA in Weymouth gives young people the opportunity to gain real workplace experience in a supportive environment, with expert job coach support and tailored learning alongside their placement. 🛒

As part of the programme, interns can experience a variety of different work rotations, including:

🍪 Bakery – preparing and packaging fresh products
🛒 Online Orders – picking items using store technology
🤝 Customer Service – helping customers and building confidence
👕 Clothing & Home – organising displays and stock
📦 Stock & Replenishment – keeping shelves full and tidy

It’s a fantastic opportunity to try different areas of work, discover strengths and interests, develop valuable employability skills and build confidence in a real workplace.

And most importantly, the aim is to help young people take meaningful steps towards paid employment and greater independence 🌟

📢 We currently have a limited number of places available for our September 2026 intake

If you’re a young person, parent/carer, school, college, professional or someone who supports a young person who may be interested, please get in touch to find out more.

📞 01202 848099 – select option 2
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.swrac.ac.uk

Please share this post with anyone who may benefit from this opportunity. You never know who might be looking for exactly this next step.

🌟 Did you know SWRAC has a Youth Club for our students? 🌟Our current and former students regularly attend the SWRAC Yout...
11/08/2026

🌟 Did you know SWRAC has a Youth Club for our students? 🌟

Our current and former students regularly attend the SWRAC Youth Club held at each centre, enjoying weekly sessions filled with plenty of fun, creativity and opportunities to spend time together.

Our Boscombe students pictured have recently enjoyed movie nights, beach BBQs and mini golf, to pool, arts and crafts and making their own delicious milkshakes… there’s always something different to get involved in!

It’s brilliant to see our students enjoying time with friends, trying new things and building confidence in a welcoming and supportive community environment 🥰

A huge thank you to everyone at Boscombe Youth Club for creating such a fantastic space for our students, both past and present, to enjoy!

Our Summer 2026 Newsletter is here! ☀️💚Take a look at our latest SWRAC newsletter, packed with highlights, student achie...
10/08/2026

Our Summer 2026 Newsletter is here! ☀️💚

Take a look at our latest SWRAC newsletter, packed with highlights, student achievements, exciting opportunities and some of the fantastic things our students and staff have been getting up to across our centres.

From learning and work experience to celebrations and everything in between, there's lots to catch up on!

Have a read and see what we've been up to this summer! 👇

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Merley House
Wimborne
BH213AA

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