Daisy
Student - Gosden House
Daisy joined us for her work experience placement as part of the curriculum at Gosden House.
From the moment she came in for her initial meeting, we knew she'd fit right in. Daisy brought enthusiasm, positivity, and a fantastic attitude from day one.
She was amazing with all of the dogs, and as her confidence grew, so did her skills. Daisy quickly became a valued member of the team, helping to develop our dogs by teaching them a variety of tricks and new skills.
We're delighted to say that her placement was such a success that Daisy now joins us regularly, continuing to build valuable experience and develop her skills for the future.
Read below to hear from Daisy and her teacher, Sandra, about the positive impact her work experience has had.
Daisy
Student
“All the staff at K9 are really kind and lovely.
They trained me on how to do name recall for the dogs that need a little bit more help.
I taught Toby how to do ‘middle’ which means teaching him to go through your legs.”
On my first day of work experience Natalie and Hamish welcomed me and that helped me to settle in.
Natalie explained what I would be doing and which dogs I would be working with and the staff that would be with me.
After 2 weeks of being there, I was really, really sad to leave and then I found out, by
reading an email sent to Sandra, that Natalie and Hamish would love for me to go back.
I was so excited! Now I go back on a Friday for the day.
If I could have one wish I would love to be able to go to college on the college days and actually work at K9 on the days I have off.
One day I would love to work there full time.
I had no specific favourite dog – they are ALL my favourites!
I want to say a BIG thank you to every staff member for EVERYTHING!
Sandra
Aspirations Advisor
"At Gosden House School, work experience is a vital part of our enriched adult curriculum. For our young people with moderate learning difficulties, these opportunities are about far more than simply trying a job role — they are about developing confidence, independence, self-belief and a sense of belonging in the wider community.
As Aspirations Adviser and Work Experience Co-ordinator, one of the most important parts of planning placements is ensuring that each learner is matched with an environment that reflects their interests, strengths and future aspirations. Our Year 11 student, Daisy, has a genuine passion for animals and hopes to continue working towards a meaningful career pathway after leaving Gosden House.
Daisy faces daily challenges linked to her ADHD and ASD diagnoses. However, seeing her during her placement at K9DC was truly inspiring. Working with the dogs, communicating with new people, adapting to a different routine and thriving within a professional environment allowed her to demonstrate strengths that may not always be visible within her classroom.
Experiences like this are transformational for our learners. They begin to recognise their own capabilities and understand that they can be successful, valued and included within the world of work. The growth in confidence, resilience and self-worth that we see after work experience placements is incredible. Many learners return with a new sense of pride, motivation, confidence and belief in their future.
Partnerships with employers such as K9DC are therefore invaluable. It is so important that our learners are welcomed by employers who are willing to embrace them, support them and help them understand the skills and expectations involved in working life. The staff at K9DC were patient, nurturing and understanding throughout Daisy’s placement, while also acting as skilled professionals and teachers within their field. They recognised Daisy’s existing abilities, encouraged her to practise them daily and helped her build upon them in meaningful ways.
Both Daisy and her family and us at Gosden House are incredibly grateful to K9DC for providing such a positive and enriching experience — not only for Daisy, but for all of our young people they have supported over the past few years. Opportunities like these help our learners realise that they are capable, valued and able to achieve meaningful futures as they prepare for adulthood."
