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A guide to Work Based Training and Supported Employment in Essex

Mid Essex

Work Based Training services across Essex

South Essex

North EssexWest Essex

ContentsOverview of Work Based Training............................................The role of ECL Supported Employment Service......................Oakwood Packaging.................................................................Oakwood Plough Corner..........................................................Treetops Café............................................................................Red House.................................................................................Book Rest Café Clacton and Colchester .................................Roundwood Garden Centre and Café.....................................Greenacre Café, Conference Centre and Nursery..................Strawberry Fields.......................................................................Barleytwist Diner......................................................................Barleytwist Garden Services....................................................Print 4 You..................................................................................Book Rest Café Brentwood and Basildon................................Tasty Bites.................................................................................My Place Café...........................................................................Café Goodman..........................................................................Noah’s Café ..............................................................................Copy Cats..................................................................................Saffron Carpentry.......................................................................A Glossary of other Essex Cares Services................................Pricing Information....................................................................

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Overview of Work Based Training

Essex Cares offers Work Based Training from 20 sites across the county, providing time limited work experience within a fully functioning business. This vocational style of training enables adults with learning disabilities to gain skills and confidence enhancing their opportunities for employment in the future.

Our specialities include:

Catering

Conferencing

Hospitality

Horticulture

Printing

Recycling and packaging

The Work Based Training sites also offer high quality, excellent value products and services for sale to the general public. This allows our trainees to not only gain skills in that specific sector but also in customer services, gaining a valuable insight into working with the general public, a key factor for future employment. All income generated by the Work Based Training sites is reinvested into the businesses to improve the services on offer to trainees.

“I love working at Greenacre every week”

The role of ECL Supported Employment Service

ECL Supported Employment Service specialises in placing working age adults with disabilities into a paid job of their choice. Essex Cares works with both the employee and the employer to find jobs that match skills, experience and individual aspirations. Essex Cares support initially with CV writing, job searches and interview techniques, and over the longer term coach individuals during the first few weeks of starting a new role.

Essex Cares maintains the support as required with the primary aim of ensuring that employees continue to succeed and develop, completing their job to a high standard. ECL Supported Employment Service has great benefits for everyone involved.

ECL Supported Employment Service offers employers:

Highly-motivated employees who will take a pride in their work. People carefully matched to specific jobs. Jobs well done – with the professional support of the Essex Cares’ job coaches where necessary. An opportunity to help someone who will benefit from the stimulation of employment. An opportunity to show a true commitment to the Equal Opportunities legislation and the Disability Discrimination Act. Assistance for the employee in the new job, until they’re able to work independently. Support throughout the whole process and a commitment to provide ongoing information, advice and guidance. Consultancy services for employers relating to positive policies and practices in relation to employment of disadvantaged people.

6 Countywide

ECL Supported Employment Service offers employees:

The stimulation of real and purposeful employment.Employment opportunities where the work is paid at national minimum wage or above. Training offering specific skills that can assist with gaining employment. For example interview techniques and CV writing. Job opportunities from just one hour a week to full time.Opportunities to be recognised for their abilities rather than their disabilities. Increased self-confidence, leading to the possibility of more demanding tasks.The knowledge that they are a valued part of their community.Assistance for the employee in their new job, until they’re able to work independently. Support throughout the whole process and a commitment to provide ongoing information, advice and guidance.

Marc works at McDonalds in Harlow every Saturday.

After initially working behind the scenes putting together the happy meal boxes as well as other general back-office work, Marc’s confidence grew and his manager asked if he would be happy to work in the restaurant dealing directly with customers.

“I like to interact with customers – people make me happy. I’m saving up all my wages as I’d like to get my own house in a few years.”

7Countywide

North Essex

Oakwood PackagingClacton-On-Sea

Oakwood Packaging offer Work Based Training in contract packing work.

Based on an industrial business park on the outskirts of Clacton-on-Sea, Oakwood Packaging supports disadvantaged adults to gain Work Based Training in a real business environment focusing on improving skills and confidence to enhance future employment opportunities.

Oakwood Packaging provides training in a broad range of services including hand packing, labelling, sleeve wrapping, booklet collation, heat sealing, gift wraps, shrink wrapping, cards, boxes, light assembly of electrical components, swatches, collating, gluing and taping.

The unit works successfully with Government agencies and health bodies as well as private sector organisations in a range of industries including textiles, print and manufacturing.

“I like working here. Because of the skills and experience

I gained from working here I got

a job as Health Access Champion.”

- Linda, trainee at Oakwood Packaging

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North Essex

Oakwood Plough CornerClacton-On-Sea

Oakwood Plough Corner has a café, conference and garden centre all on one site. The centre provides training opportunities to disadvantaged adults, to support them to gain work skills in catering, hospitality and horticulture.

Meals and snacks are prepared and served to visitors to the café, open public events are held on site, and buffets are prepared and served to groups using the on site conference room. The garden centre has large greenhouses, poly tunnels and a shop to enable the public to best take advantage of the excellent facilities provided in the extensive grounds.

The catering training at Oakwood Plough Corner includes learning about food preparation, cooking, baking, cleaning and serving food and drinks to customers. We also focus on customer service skills as well as till training and clearing tables.

The centre’s horticulture training includes learning about plant care, growing, watering and pruning as well as training in landscaping, general maintenance tasks for the garden centre and serving members of the public. Trainees will learn to use the till to serve customers and help carry items to their cars, all skills which are valuable when searching for paid employment.

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North Essex

Treetops CaféColchester

Treetops is an inspiring service that gives practical bite-sized training in food preparation and hospitality. It is based at the Woodlands Centre in Colchester. The staff team offer hands-on training and advice to trainees on reaching their goals and gaining an insight into all aspects of working in hospitality.

Trainees are part of the team that produces café-style food, hot lunches, light snacks, buffets and sandwiches for local businesses as well as maintaining the high standards of cleanliness and health & safety of the Woodlands Centre.

At Treetops, staff believe in progression and personal development offering trainees an opportunity to be part of the exciting world of catering and hospitality. Trainees are supported to develop the key life skills and experience that they need to enter the world of work.

“I’m enjoying gaining the skills and experience to take that next step to

gaining paid employment”

- Paul, trainee at Treetops Café

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North Essex

Red HouseMessing

Red House can be found in a small Essex village in the north of the county. The centre provides Work Based Training in catering, horticulture and creative design, to enable its customers to develop skills needed for future employment opportunities.

The catering training includes: learning all about food preparation, cooking, baking, cleaning and serving of the food. Meals and snacks are prepared for visitors to the café on a daily basis.

Red House offers creative design training in bespoke fabric design and greetings cards. Red House has an artists’ garden that was created and developed through this training exercise. A range of items from fabric products, greetings cards and garden ornaments are made on site and sold to the general public.

The horticulture training at Red House includes: learning about plant care and growing as well as landscaping, shrub pruning and gen-eral maintenance tasks for the garden centre. This may include plant sales, till training and helping customers to carry items to their cars.

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North Essex

Book Rest CaféClacton-On-Sea & Colchester

There are two Book Rest Cafés in North Essex, which are small coffee bars located within Clacton-on-Sea and Colchester libraries. The cafés offer training in all aspects of hospitality along with till training, ordering of stock and customer service.

The work based opportunities provided in these environments give trainees frontline customer interaction with the general public. The Bookrest Cafés are inspiring places of work that give practical bite-sized training in customer service. The staff team offer hands-on training, advice on reaching goals and gaining an insight into every aspect of working in a café.

Trainees produce hot drinks directly from a commercial coffee machine as well as selling a variety of light snacks. The cafés aim to help trainees to develop the customer service skills that could lead to paid employment in their local

communities.

Members of staff support trainees in gaining money-handling experience as well as the health &

safety essentials that a potential employer would genuinely value.

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Mid Essex

Roundwood Garden Centre & CaféBraintree

Roundwood Garden Centre is based on the outskirts of Braintree serving the local communities’ gardening needs, as well as being an ideal place to grab a bite to eat and a great cup of coffee. With the guidance and support of the dedicated team there, trainees can achieve the vital skills needed to take that next step into employment.

The catering training at Roundwood covers all aspects of food preparation, cooking, baking, hygiene and serving of food. Training also involves the provision of tea and coffee facilities and buffet lunches for the centre’s conference facilities.

The café is open to the public seven days a week offering a wide range of customer service training opportunities. Trainees receive till training and are responsible for taking orders, preparing drinks, providing waiter service and clearing tables.

The centre’s horticultural training includes learning about plant care, product growing and landscaping.

“I enjoy the work here at Roundwood. I work in the kitchen and café and have been here since it first opened.”

- Esther, trainee at Roundwood Cafe

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Mid Essex

Greenacre Café, Conference Centre and NurseryChelmsford

Greenacre is a training centre for adults with learning disabilities offering bite-sized training in food preparation, hospitality and horticulture. Set in over three acres of beautifully maintained gardens, Greenacre is well placed with easy access from the A12 and only a short drive from Chelmsford city centre.

Catering and hospitality training at Greenacre is provided in a very busy conference centre, where visitors require working lunches and refreshments. The centre also regularly provides buffet catering for external events. Training is provided on all aspects of catering and customer service giving trainees a realistic experience in a supportive environment.

Greenacre is set in beautiful grounds that are perfect for horticulture training. The horticulture training provides an insight into a number of different activities including instruction in how to grow plants, how to look after plants and how to keep the grounds clean, tidy and maintained throughout all the seasons of the year.

Produce grown in the grounds is used in the kitchens at Greenacre.

“I like to work at Greenacre to learn

to make a meal and to help give meals to people

in the offices upstairs for their

lunch.”

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Mid Essex

Strawberry FieldsBraintree

Strawberry Fields is a Work Based Training service for people seeking a career in catering and hospitality, offering skills and growing confidence in a safe, supportive and friendly environment.

Strawberry Fields is based in the Carousel Children’s Centre in Braintree. The team there provide meals and snacks for a busy Sure Start Children’s Centre, catering for more than 50 children every day, making snacks and meals that meet strict Government guidelines on nutrition. The staff and trainees also run a community café from the main hall, which is open five days a week offering a variety of snacks and drinks in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere for a number of community groups who use the facility on a weekly basis. In addition the centre caters for outside events and provide buffets, throughout the Braintree and Witham areas.

The centre offers the opportunity to gain experience within a fully working commercial kitchen, encouraging independence, increased confidence, work related skills and knowledge. Strawberry Fields specialises in training based on good health & safety practice and food hygiene, so whether customers are looking to gain paid employment in catering or want to improve their domestic skills, Strawberry Fields can help.

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South Essex

Barleytwist DinerBasildon

Barleytwist Diner is a training centre and a real life work environment; it provides meals for the customers attending Ashleigh Wellbeing & Activity Centre and is open to the public from Monday to Friday.

The catering section operates a progressive programme which incorporates preparing and cooking snacks through to main meals and a variety of desserts. Food presentation, nutritional education, food safety and food hygiene are additional areas which are covered as part of the training. Barleytwist Diner also reaches out into the community by providing external catering for local events from a menu which can be personalised to the customer’s requirements.

The hospitality section concentrates on front of house, the ordering and serving of food, waiting and cleaning of tables, and background activities such as stock control and uniform cleaning. The service is customer focused with activities which build on the personal touch and provide the best experience for trainees, while monitoring and continually reviewing progress and aspirations.

Both areas incorporate functional skills which

include team work, time keeping, communication and money skills which

equip individuals with the basics for

everyday life.

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South Essex

Barleytwist Garden ServicesBasildon

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Barleytwist Garden Services is a horticultural training team based within the Ashleigh Wellbeing & Activity Centre.

Within the centre grounds the team maintain the garden area, raised flower beds, patio areas and sensory garden which promote a relaxing and educational environment.

Trainees are offered a variety of activities from growing plants and flowers from seeds and tending them until they to bloom, through to making wooden bird boxes promoting the importance of nature within the community. The team also supply Barleytwist Diner with fresh home grown, seasonal vegetables throughout the year, which gives practical results and a real sense of achievement.

Functional skills are incorporated into the training programmes with research for plants and vegetables both via the internet and through work books, building on the trainees individual core skills.

The team also operates off site, maintaining grounds at other Essex Cares centres and local businesses and schools within the community.

South Essex

Print 4 You is a Work Based Training centre which provides customers with an opportunity to learn skills within the print industry.

These skills range from design in different IT packages, through to production. The centre focuses on all aspects of printing and reprographics including laminating, shredding and photocopying as well as developing soft skills in keyboard use, word recognition and copy typing.

The team specialise in printing products for the individual customer; including personalised cards, calendars and business cards. The service extends to photo prints from A6 – A0 in size and includes a canvas printing facility.

The team can produce larger volumes of items such as booklets, brochures, newsletters, flyers, leaflets and magazines when commissioned by external companies.

“Many thanks for your support in putting together our

poems booklet. It has been much

appreciated”

- A Print 4 You customer

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Print 4 YouBrentwood

South Essex 19

Book Rest CaféBrentwood & Basildon

There are two Book Rest Cafés in South Essex, which are small coffee bars located within Basildon

and Brentwood libraries. The cafés offer training in all aspects of hospitality along with till training, ordering of stock and customer service.

The Bookrest Cafés are inspiring places of work that give practical bite-sized training in customer service. The staff team offer hands-on training, advice on

reaching goals and gaining an insight into every aspect of working in a café. Trainees produce hot drinks directly from a commercial coffee machine as well as selling a variety of light snacks. The café enables trainees to develop the customer service skills that could lead to paid employment in their local area.

Staff support trainees in gaining money-handling experience as well as the health & safety essentials any potential employer would genuinely value. So if customers are seeking a job in a café or restaurant, the Book Rest Cafés are the ideal places to kick start their careers.

“Best cappuccino in Brentwood, very good service.”- A customer from Bookrest Café

20 South Essex

Tasty BitesBrentwood

Tasty Bites is a training centre and a real life work environment which provides meals for the customers attending Walter Boyce Wellbeing & Activity Centre throughout the week.

The training centre focuses on a catering experience and operates a progressive programme which incorporates preparing main meals, snacks and a variety of desserts. The training covers associated skills in food presentation, nutritional education, food safety and food hygiene whilst also incorporating functional skills which include team work, time keeping, communication and money skills, equipping individuals with the basics for everyday life.

The service is customer focused with activities which build on the personal touch and provide the best experience for trainees, while monitoring and continually reviewing progress and aspirations.

Tasty Bites can provide external catering for local events from abuffet menu which can be personalised to each customer’s individual requirements. The centre also supplies

celebration cakes with personalised toppers designed for

your party or event.

West Essex 21

My Place CaféHarlow

My Place Café is based within Essex Cares’ brand new Hub @ Harlow which brings together services for the whole community within one building.

The Work Based Training café produces hot and cold meals, snacks and drinks, including freshly ground coffee. Trainees can learn about all elements of food preparation, food hygiene, health & safety, money handling and serving, including being able to cater for specialist diets; all important skills that they may need to gain a paid job in the community.

My Place Café is open to customers within The Hub, carers, staff and the local community and therefore offers training and experience in a real working environment which is both challenging and supportive.

“We have a really good team at My Place Café. It’s not like other places; we get to work with a whole range of people. We get on so well together. It’s been a great experience.”

- Jordan, former customer, now member of staff, at My Place Café

22 West Essex

Café GoodmanHarlow

Café Goodman is situated within Goodman House, near Harlow railway station. The café provides catering and hospitality services to the staff working within this office environment.

The kitchen café is open five days a week, providing a large variety of snacks and refreshments, as well as a hearty lunch menu. The café also offers a coffee bar service offering fresh Fairtrade tea and coffee, sandwiches and homemade cakes.

The mission at Café Goodman is to bring about change by working to enable individuals who experience disadvantage to become valued members of their local community and to gain recognition for their skills and talents. This is achieved by supporting trainees to take greater control of their lives, to access their local communities and to gain employment.

Café Goodman is an inspiring workplace that gives practical bite-sized training in food preparation and hospitality. The dedicated staff

team offer hands on training and advice on reaching each individual’s goals.

“I love working at Café Goodman. The staff are so

helpful and friendly. I’m learning a lot about working in

the kitchen.”- A customer from

Café Goodman

West Essex 23

Noah’s CaféSaffron Walden

Noah’s Café is a welcoming place that gives practical modulartraining in food preparation and hospitality. The café is based at the Saffron Walden Wellbeing & Activity Centre, where the staff team offer hands-on training and guidance in a friendly and supportive environment.

The team produces café style food, hot lunches, light snacks, buffets and sandwiches for local people and businesses, creating a variety of meals with a different menu every day. Training is given in food hygiene, money handling and health & safety, offering experience that could lead to paid employment in the local area.

The Noah’s Café experience gives trainees the opportunity to work in an environment that is both challenging and supportive. Trainees prepare and serve tasty wholesome food in a high quality kitchen, learning the skills they will need to gain a paid job in the community.

“I like to give good customer service and make the main meals and sandwiches, training to get ready for work in the future and to learn new skills.”

- Jamie, customer at Noah’s Cafe

West Essex24

Copy CatsSaffron Walden

Copy Cats is a printing business providing Work Based Training in printing, design and reprographics. The service supports individuals to gain the skills they need for future employment, providing work tasters, work experience and training opportunities in a safe working environment which trades within a variety of sectors with a strong focus on IT, technology and design.

Copy Cats offers a wide range of high quality printing products to local and national organisations as well as providing a bespoke design service to internal and external customers.

Products and services that trainees will be involved in producing include: business cards, leaflets, posters, booklets, photocopying, binding, design, collation, confidential shredding, calendars and website design.

“Copy Cats is very good and I work hard on my laptop.” - Janet, customer at Copy Cats

“I look forward to my days working at Saffron Walden,

the atmosphere is amazing, everyone

is happy and positive.”

- Kerry, member of staff at Copy Cats

Saffron CarpentrySaffron Walden

Saffron Carpentry is a training workshop which produces high quality garden furniture, toys, kindling and made to order wooden goods for sale to the general public. A price list to showcase all the products produced by the team is available on request.

Saffron Carpentry has a well-equipped workshop where the production of high quality wood products goes hand in glove with professional vocational training. The workshop enables trainees to learn a wide range of skills including carpentry, woodcraft and general maintenance.

The needs and expectations of each trainee are met through individual, person-centred training programmes. Training is provided in the use of machinery, hand and power tools, workshop based routine, health & safety and manual handling. We also offer support in learning soft skills such as time management, teamwork and communication which makes Saffron Carpentry an ideal training environment to prepare for paid employment.

“I love going to Saffron Carpentry. It keeps me independent and active; it also helps my work skills. I love working with wood.”

- Victor, customer at Saffron Carpentry

West Essex 25

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A Glossary of other Essex Cares Services

Equipment & Adaptations – over 4000 products that can help people remain independent at home, as well as the design and installation of more complex adaptations.

HomeSafe – a range of products and services for those self-funding their care or using a personal budget. HomeSafe offers everything you may need to support independence at home and in the local community. Aids and equipment can be delivered to your door and installed for you, and assessments completed by trained assessors in order to fully understand your needs.

Home Share - host carers offering day support at their home for a small group of individuals.

Outreach - 1 to 1 support for individuals at home and within their local community.

Reablement - helping individuals to regain the skills and confidence that they need to remain independent in their own home after a spell in hospital or a period of ill health.

Sensory Service - providing training and advice in daily living skills to promote safety and independence and providing specialist hearing and/or visually impaired equipment.

Telecare Response - fully trained staff on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to visit homes following emergency calls from telecare sensors.

Wellbeing & Activity Centres - supporting older adults or those with learning disabilities to remain active in their communities. The centres offer a wide variety of activities on and off site all of which encourage and aid independence.

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Pricing Information

Day (6 hours)

AM or PM (3 hours)

Hourly Rate

Work Based Training Group Support

£35 £20 £8

Work Based Training One to One Support

£120 £60 £20

ECL Supported Employment Service

- - £27

VAT will be charged where applicable.

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For more information about any of these services, in the first instance please call us on 0845 835 0150.

Bente WilsonHead of Service for Work Based Training & Supported EmploymentTel: 07775 757004

Debbie Edgell - Operational Manager North EssexTel: 07747 486289

Karen Canny - Operational Manager Mid EssexTel: 07585 983407

Paul Billings - Operational Manager South EssexTel: 07585 308199

Steve Pickles - Operational Manager West EssexTel: 07585 308201

0845 835 0150www.essexcares.orginfo@essexcares.org

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