Learners begin arriving between 9:30 and 10am, travelling in with their Community Teaching Facilitators who’ve picked them up from home. The journey in is often the first part of the day’s learning, as learners choose how they want their day to look.
Through our partnership with MK College, learners work towards an independent living qualification at Bedford No Limits, putting everyday skills into practice in ways that feel real and relevant. Most attend three days a week, building confidence and practical life skills alongside their studies.
Charlie*, a first year learner, usually comes in earlier than others, and makes himself some breakfast. Not long ago, Charlie was only comfortable making himself toast, this morning however, he’s made himself a pizza bread in the air fryer, and is delighted with himself.
Charlie prefers his own space and doing things in his own time, but as he’s settled more and more, he’s become much more confident and will join in with a few of the group sessions. Having come from another school, Charlie likes structure. He prefers to stay on site and follow a steady routine, while still making space for the things he enjoys.
Across No Limits, learners settle into the morning in different ways. Marcel and Bashir are deep into a video game – they went to school together, with Marcel joining No Limits first, followed by Bashir a year later – they’re hotly debating which console is best and their favourite games.
At 11am, it’s time for the sensory session. Music fills the room and lights flash. As the learners move around, coloured scarves flutter through the air. Some head straight for the mini trampoline. Others sit back and take it all in.
For some, it’s a chance to regulate. For others, it’s about being alongside people sharing the space, and working towards personal goals in a way that feels natural.
As soon as the parachute comes out, everyone is up and wants to join in, and the room quickly fills with laughter and excitement.
While learners get on with their day, the team keeps everything moving behind the scenes. Two Programme Coordinators (PCOs), a PBS facilitator, admin support and sixteen Community Teaching Facilitators work alongside learners each day. The team has grown over the past year, with new starters in September and November and another CTF soon to join.
Sabah, one of the PCOs, heads out at mid-day to complete a pre-placement assessment at a school, meeting a potential future learner. Back on site, Annabelle keeps the day flowing, checking in with staff and learners as sessions shift and change.
Lunch looks different for everyone, with some learners heading out, others unpacking lunchboxes, and a few choosing to cook something simple themselves.
In the afternoon is a highlight of everyone’s week: a trip to the local trampoline park. Earlier in the day, Nick had been feeling sad. Now, as he bounces around, his mood has lifted. Michael and Zander, who normally prefer their own company, are passing a ball to one another.
For many learners, the next step is about more than qualifications. It’s about building skills for life, including where and how they want to live; most learners live at home, and a few live independently.
Jonah’s journey shows what that can look like.
He joined No Limits in September 2024 at 16. Over the summer, the team spent time building trust with Jonah and his mum, opening up conversations about the future and what might work best for him.
Step by step, the team supported Jonah to move from his family home into his own place, including helping with college drop-offs and easing him back into routines gradually.
Now, he’s doing incredibly well.
Jonah’s mum summed it up best:
“The work you’ve done has been such a huge relief and has had a huge impact on our home life. I can now take him into town and walk at our speed.”
At No Limits, progress doesn’t have to look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like pizza bread instead of toast, other times, it looks like a family finding their rhythm again.
*Names changed
