Launch of Life Map – A Post-Secondary Educational Programme for Students with Disabilities
A new educational pathway programme for young people with disabilities, called Life Map, was officially launched today through a collaboration between the Government and the private sector. The initiative is aimed at supporting students with disabilities in continuing their education beyond secondary school.
Set to begin this coming September, the programme will be held at a high-level campus in Pembroke. Life Map is aligned with the National Education Strategy and reflects the Ministry’s vision of ensuring that the education sector truly caters to the needs of all students. Meanwhile, the current setup at Dun Manwel Attard School in Wardija will continue to provide services and educators to students currently enrolled in the same programme.
Life Map is targeted at 16-year-old students and is both an educational and therapeutic initiative. Its aim is to support neurodivergent individuals in integrating into society with dignity and purpose.
The programme was launched by Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation, Clifton Grima, and Minister for Inclusion and Voluntarism, Julia Farrugia Portelli.
Minister Clifton Grima stated, “We are working with an Integrated Pathway system. This is a value-added programme based on three key pillars: Life Skills and Employability, Therapy, and Social Enterprise Skills. All 45 students who applied have been accepted, and they will also benefit from a scholarship scheme – a €500 annual grant for three years, free internet vouchers, and, most importantly, work placement opportunities.”
Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli described the initiative as a high-level project that will create new opportunities for students’ personal and professional growth, “We are addressing this challenge with a long-term solution. At the same time, we are ensuring that current students already enrolled in the programme can continue their course without disruption. Our goal is to prepare our youth for the world of work with practical tools and real-life experience because employment is the greatest tool for empowerment. The social enterprise component allows each student to contribute positively to their community while learning practical and life skills. This is a therapy-based programme with full support from a multidisciplinary team, including therapists, psychologists, nurses, and tutors, with an emphasis on personal well-being and independence.”
The Life Map programme directly supports the National Education Strategy 2024–2030, addressing its three core pillars: Wellbeing, Growth and Empowerment, and Equity and Inclusion.
Through therapeutic, functional, and personalized education, Life Map not only enhances student well-being and empowerment but also contributes to a more inclusive, equitable, and humane education system.
During its first three years, the programme will be run jointly by the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation and the Ministry for Inclusion and Voluntarism. After this period, full administration will be transferred to Aġenzija Sapport.
For more information about Life Map, contact 21456022 or send an email on info@handinhandmalta.com.
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