Classroom A1

Counselling

Library/Entrance

Room A1 will be occupied by youths in the first two years of the programme. The space is an environment for learning. However, it is essential that the space is not perceived as a place of restrictive target driven education, moreover a place of flexibility. This is provided by the layout and size. The range of skills to be taught in the first two years of the programme are basic numeracy and literacy as well as activities aimed at promoting; i) social conscious, ii) behaviour and iii) responsibility. The desk layouts shown indicate how more formal educational tasks can be conducted. Educating the youths in the use of IT software for instance can be carried out as two large groups with youths aiding each other. Alternatively group sizes can be reduced accordingly with desks split to facilitate different taks/ activities. The decision to use a Montessori method of education aims to promote and harness a culture of knowledge exchange and teamwork throughout the programme. The objective is that each youth will be given their own office pod in the final year thus there is no need to have a traditional classroom layout of individual desks as seen in schools and colleges. The scheme is not a traditional school or college, it is a bridge to the professional world and as such must feel more like a professional environment than an education instituition.