We are pleased to introduce Oscar. He is a student at Treloar College and has cerebral palsy and communication challenges. He spends his days learning within an Ian Karten Centre (IKC) at Treloar College, set up in September 2001 to provide a real working environment in which to offer a range of qualifications. Known externally as ‘TreloarPrint’ for marketing purposes, this successful and popular enterprise provides a high quality printing and finishing service at competitive rates for a wide range of customers.
Oscar is studying for his City & Guilds NVQ Level 1 in Business and Administration within the IKC/TreloarPrint and can get involved with things like assisting customers, preparing quotes and seeing a print job through to completion and delivery. These work experience opportunities are helping to prepare him for life beyond Treloar’s and at the same time building his confidence and self-esteem.
Oscar has some fabulous and wide ranging interests including mythology, ancient weaponry, true crime stories, his charity work, cooking and poetry. We are delighted to share with you here his wonderful and extremely powerful poem.
“See through the wheelchair”
For some reason people used to glare at me.
But I don’t know why, maybe it’s because of my wonky body or the fact that I am stuck in a wheelchair.
The problem is that no one asks me.
Mainly due to fear.
The fear of being rude and offensive, but I just wanna be talked to.
Disabled people also have lives and voices you know, they laugh, cry and feel pain just like you do.
But the most important thing they do.
Is that they live their lives to the fullest.
So I implore you to please see through the wheelchair.
And take care of the boy inside.
Oscar even had the honour of his poem being read at The Company of Communicators Poetry reading evening in December 2020. There were almost 40 members from the Company who attended, including the Lady Mayoress of the City of London, Mrs Hilary Russell who said Oscar’s poem was beautiful and very moving.
All at Treloar’s are extremely proud of Oscar and are very grateful to the Karten Network for their generosity in providing opportunities for our students to learn and grow in confidence in this way.
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- This article was written by the Treloar College - TreloarPrint Karten Centre
- Featured in the Karten Spring 2021 Newsletter
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