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PROJECT REPORT 2015 - 2016

2015 SUMMARY The beginning of 2015 saw The Pulse finally breaking even since its launch in 2011 with a working management structure including a Manager, Assistant Manager and Supporter.

However, between May and December 2015, the three core team members left for maternity leave or to pursue alternative careers. This created a need to change the management structure again. In March 2015, we recruited a full time Manager and promoted one of our volunteers to take on some additional paid support. The recruitment and training costs unfortunately meant that the profit took a hit. Fortunately, we received funding from Nineveh Trust for £5,000 per year for x3 years to support our core work, develop volunteer training and support to enable people to progress.

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The new manager focused on improving food quality, refurbishing the café and developing innovative partnership ideas to take the business further.

COMMUNITY

In 2015, we provided a venue for:

x176 community events and drop in sessions - These included: Chalk It Up Festival / Hands on Drumming Workshops / Energy Advice with Swale Borough Council / Card Making workshops with Kent Wildlife Trust / Dementia Friendly Communities / Gardening with Swale in Bloom and at the allotment / Tree planting / Wellbeing Cafe

x138 Regular and ad hoc private hire - These include: Pole Fitness / Park Road Painters / Alcoholics Anonymous / Swale Film Society / Amnesty International / Dementia Inspired / Kids Disco / Voting Information workshops / Autism Support / Labour Party and Co-operative Party

x54 Employment Coaching and Job Club sessions

FOOD AND DRINK We worked hard to develop and improve the quality of our food and drink both in the café and for external catering. As always, responsibly and ethically sourced produce was a priority; the majority of food being plant based (vegan), Fairtrade products used wherever possible, a focus given to locally grown and seasonal fruit and vegetables, local and independent suppliers being used when buying in food and drink.

Initiatives and achievements included:

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• Running a busy and popular stall at the first Kent Vegan Festival in October 2015.

• Invicta Vegans social events every other month – developing a new vegan menu for each meal, serving between 10 and 20 people.

• Increasing the use of fruit and vegetables from our herb garden and fruit trees on site, as well as our community allotment in Milton Regis.

• Improved takeaway service offering healthy and ethical lunches to local businesses in the town

• Skillnet Big Gathering catering for 150 people alongside Discovery Catering, Skillnet’s Canterbury based catering group.

WORK EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING In 2015, we supported:

x4 people on work placement through Pinnacle People (supporting people with past drug/alcohol addiction and/or mental ill health)

x4 people on work placement through Skillnet's Head Held High Supported Employment programme

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x5 volunteers with learning difficulties and/or autism (making a total of 14 volunteers working with us during this period)

x4 people with learning difficulties on supported work experience (making a total of 6 people on supported work experience during this period)

Team Training -

• Dementia Awareness - x3 people

• Customer Service Training - x 5 people

• Self Esteem and Confidence - x7 people

• French classes for volunteers - x6 people

• Basic Sign language - 8 people

• Press Release writing - x 2 people

• First Aid at work - x6 people

2016 SUMMARY By the end of 2015, it was clear that running as a café was financially unsustainable. In January 2016, The Pulse closed as a café and focused on developing and re-launching as an events space and community venue.

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We reduced management hours and café overheads dramatically, aiming to continue supporting a core group of people with learning difficulties for one day per week to manage The Pulse and promote the venue. We tested this approach from January to April when we decided it was still not financially viable.

Throughout the year we also focused on refreshing the venue to make it suitable for Skillnet run groups to make use of the space during the week; supporting adults with learning difficulties and/or autism to gain skills, qualifications and campaign for equality. We developed the space to ensure that the venue was still available for private hire and events at evenings and weekends.

Despite the reduction in workload to manage, there was still a need to manage and promote The Pulse bookings for external hire. In September 2016, we employed an Administration and Resource Manager to undertake administrative roles for Skillnet, including managing The Pulse as a venue.

COMMUNITY

In 2016, we provided a venue for:

x21 Community events and drop in sessions - These included: Art Group / Kent Wildlife Trust workshops / Pulse Management and Planning Group

x158 Regular and ad hoc private hire - These included: Alcoholics Anonymous / Dementia Inspired / Labour Party / Co-operative Party / Birthday parties / Swale Learning Disability District Partnership Group meetings / Swale Sings / Autism Support

x45 Employment Coaching and Job Club sessions

FOOD AND DRINK

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With the café now closed, we began working more closely with Discovery Catering, our Canterbury based catering group. We wanted to ensure that we could still provide opportunities for people to learn how to cook healthy food and think about the impact their food choices have on the planet.

WORK EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING Between January and April 2016, we supported:

x4 people with learning difficulties to continue managing The Pulse as a venue

Those people with learning difficulties who were supported at The Pulse, were given the opportunity to join the Discovery Catering group or move into other opportunities within Skillnet. We worked with people to support their transition from The Pulse.

In May 2016, we employed Jason Tyrrell as Apprentice Supporter working in Eco Shed. The Pulse and Eco Shed integrated further, with The Pulse becoming our Sittingbourne hub for Skillnet projects and groups:

Mondays – Employment Coaching and Supported Internships / Eco Shed

Tuesdays – Music and Arts Group / Eco Shed

Wednesdays – Schools Project Campaigning Group / Eco Shed

Thursdays – IT Group / Eco Shed

Fridays – Risky Business Drama Group / Digital and Creative Media Group / Eco Shed

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In 2016, more than 70 people with a learning difficulty and/or autism were supported within these groups.

INDIVIDUAL JOURNEYS Gavin McColville - began working with The Pulse on supported work experience. Once Gavin had learned how to use the till and coffee machine without support, he joined the team as a volunteer and reduced his support.

Charlotte Boots - Charlotte joined The Pulse as a volunteer in 2014, working in the kitchen. As Charlotte's confidence grew, she began supporting others in the kitchen and we took Charlotte on as a paid supporter in October 2015 to help run the Wellbeing Café, organised by Maidstone Mind.

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Jason Tyrrell - joined The Pulse in February 2015 through HHH Supported Employment. Continued as a volunteer when his placement ended, and took on some ad hoc paid hours supporting others in the kitchen in September 2015. (See Jason's Journey for more detail).

Gerard Norton and Rosemary Walker - both on supported work experience, helped run a number of events as volunteers, building their confidence and experience and developing links and partnerships in the local community they know well.