Employment and life skills programme
The aspiration behind our employment and life skills programme is to support our students to build their own futures by nurturing their skills, independence, education, self confidence and experiences and empowering them to believe in their abilities.
In the UK only 5% of people with learning disabilities are in paid employment compared to 76% of the rest of the population, at Dramatize we would like to change this by equipping our students with the skill set they need to be ready for the world of work.
Leaving education can be a daunting experience for our students, as they are leaving all they have known for many years and the support and services that go along with this. They may not be ready to consider employment and may not have the confidence or skill set for this to be a viable option. We believe that for some people they need a stepping stone before considering employment, to gain new skills, learn new things and to have the confidence to challenge themselves.
At Dramatize we care strongly that our students should be provided with support that offers opportunities, nurtures autonomy and independence and encourages our students to thrive for the things that give their life meaning and value.
Our employment and life skills programme is designed to meet our students individual needs and concentrates on getting them ready for the working world - from building practical skills to focusing on building confidence and choice.
During the programme our students will learn a wide range of skills including:
Customer service
Barista skills
Workplace health and safety
Interview practice and CV writing
Self advocacy, team work and self confidence
Food preparation and food hygiene
Travel training
Money management
Meaningful work experience
As part of the programme the students will be able to put into practice what they are learning by completing real life work experience within our Tea rooms.
When our students feel ready to leave our programme and begin the next step of their lives they will be confident, knowledgeable, highly skilled future employees. Our students then have the option to work with the Surrey Care Trust, who will continue to support our students in finding volunteer, paid or further training. Dramatize has built up a strong relationship with the Surrey Care Trust and are location in the same venue at our Woking Tea Room.
Our employment and life skills programme takes place Monday to Friday (50 weeks of the year) 9:30 am to 4:30pm at our venues in Shepperton and Woking.
Suitable for -
Our programme is suitable for individuals with a learning disability or disability who are able to manage their own behaviour within a variety of settings.
How to enrol -
If you are interested in joining our employment and life skills programme, please apply for a trial session by contacting a member of the team.
Please Note: If the individual already attends a provision, this does not narrow their options. Each young adult can use their Self-Directed Support (SDS) or other funding from their care package, to attend several provisions. We are happy to advise you on this.