Training Plans
Project Aim: To engage with the long term unemployed in order to increase their confidence, skill levels and perception of ‘self’, which will enable them to move closer to employment and build social cohesion and sustainable development within our community.
Crafts for Everyone specialises in working with less able adults and those furthest from the jobs market.
The distinctive Employability Training Programme offered by Crafts for Everyone consists of five main elements:
1. Actual work experience and on the job training.
2. Open College Network Qualifications. [work related x three]
3. Essential Skills. Diagnostic assessment and embedded literacy and numeric support within the programme.
4. Volunteering. Customers are motivated and supported to volunteer. Specialist Volunteer Mentor provides regular reviews and supervision.
5. High levels of support. Individual learning plans. Client Liaison Officer. One to one support for those clients with additional needs.
We have retained 95% of customers referred, and have a current volunteer return rate of over 50%. We achieve this by delivering a highly involved and progressive training programme heavily weighted towards work place ethics and team building.
We can provide an enhanced eight week added value generic work place training programme or a standard four week work experience training course.
Participants undergo the training in a well equipped industrial pottery. They are trained in the production of our exclusive range of tableware and garden pottery by a qualified ceramicist and our experienced staff, and are supported by several volunteers some of whom have themselves been trainees on previous courses.
The production work develops vocational skills, removes barriers to participation by raising confidence and motivation, improves the generic skills required by employers, and fosters communication and team working.
100% Positive Outcomes will be achieved by identifying individual needs via a diagnostic assessment with an Essential Skills Specialist. Customers who have an identified need will receive embedded literacy and numeracy support within the employability programme. Weekly action plans will give customers the opportunity to monitor their own progress with written feedback from line managers, trainers and tutors adding to the process. The plans are reviewed weekly and are used to gauge participants’ support needs. Many participants suffering from low self esteem, lack of confidence and non achievement benefit from this supportive approach.
The course is underpinned by the provision of OCN qualifications which introduce customers to the concept of Life Long Learning, raises confidence and improves work related knowledge.
Throughout the training programme customers are motivated to volunteer.
Volunteering has particular relevance to participants, as it can be the first step into employment. Volunteering demonstrates commitment and motivation to prospective employers, enhances a CV and can lead to participants gaining a reference. It is beneficial for mental health, building confidence and developing new skills. We actively promote volunteering in regular review meetings with the Volunteers Mentor whose role is to motivate, inform and support participants to volunteer for Crafts for Everyone or other agencies. We further support volunteers by providing an OCN in Volunteering and by providing travel costs.
Further learning opportunities are offered to customers through our partnership network. In order to increase skills, knowledge, confidence, and employability customers are referred on to other agencies such as Qwest, Genesis, Bridges Into Work, Want2Work for courses on C.V writing, application techniques, interview skills etc. These interventions ensure Individual skill levels are improved to match those required by employers and tackle underachievement by adults, preparing and motivating them for the world of work.
Enhanced Eight Week Generic Work Programme [incorporating volunteering placements for a further eight weeks]
First four week period
• Basic skills diagnostic / Induction / Entry Questionnaire / Distance travelled
• Weekly review meetings [one to one] with Clients Liaison Officer
• End of week evaluation and feedback. Supported if needed.
• OCN provision. Health and Safety level one and Communication skills.
• Essential Skills / communication skills [as needed]
• Distance travelled mapping soft skills
Second four week period
• Weekly review meetings [one to one] promoting volunteering, sign posting to other agencies for voluntary placements and additional training opportunities.
• Careers Wales information sessions
• Essential Skills / communication skills as needed.
• OCN Level Two Health and Safety / and Interview Techniques and Confidence Building.
• Distance travelled mapping soft skills.
Eight week Volunteer Period. [OCN in Volunteering]
• Customers will be encouraged to volunteer for the project for an additional eight weeks during which time they will complete an OCN in Volunteering, which requires them to identify self-perception of change through participation in the project assess the new skills they have developed and to reflect on the value of their volunteering experience.
Four Week Work Experience / Training Programme
• Basic skills diagnostic / Induction / Entry Questionnaire / Distance travelled
• Weekly review meetings [one to one] with Clients Liaison Officer
• End of week evaluation and feedback. Supported if needed.
• OCN provision. Health and Safety level one and Communication skills.
• Essential Skills / communication skills [as needed]
• Distance travelled mapping soft skills
