|
Occupational Opportunities Service.Our Aims and Objectives
Harpenden Mencap’s Occupational Opportunities service was established to offer people with a learning disability
the opportunity to:
- gain new skills
- further develop existing skills
- gain work experience
- socialise with other members of the community
- contribute to their local community.
.
|
| People with a learning disability shop on behalf of the elderly and housebound |
Shopping Service
With the assistance of a support worker, people with a learning disability shop on a once weekly basis for elderly or
housebound people who live in the local community of Harpenden.
- The elderly or housebound person telephones their shopping list to the office at 19, Douglas Road, Harpenden –
(01582) 460055 Extension 8.
- The people within the shopping service then shop for these items and deliver them to the elderly or housebound person’s
home.
The service is free of charge to the elderly or housebound person, and it enables people with a learning disability to
serve the community and help those in need.
To obtain the shopping service, or to assist with it::
- if you are elderly or housebound and are interested in receiving the shopping service, or
- if you would like to put forward the name of an elderly or housebound friend or relative who may benefit from the service,
or
- if you would like to volunteer to assist the shopping service,
please contact:
Louise Thrift
Contact address: c/o 19 Douglas Road, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 2EN
Telephone: (01582) 460055 extension 8
Roundabout Training
Harpenden Mencap run a charity shop in the Southdown area of Harpenden called Roundabout. The shop is a way for
the Society to raise funds to support the Occupational Opportunities programme.
Louise Thrift, who is the team leader for the Occupational Opportunities scheme, works closely with all members
of the local community to provide a service that is accessible for people with a learning disability aged 16 or over to become
a part of. This can be for a short-term taster period, such as work experience, or part of a longer-term plan, and Louise
works closely with some of the local schools and colleges to ensure that the service is accessed.
Within the shop, support workers work alongside people with a learning disability, empowering those with a disability
to learn the wide range of skills
needed to become a volunteer within the shop, or
in the case of those people who not yet ready to work with an employment agency (such as Employment Direct), to help equip
them with the skills to think about working towards paid or voluntary work with other employers.
Trainees work within all aspects of the shop role.
If you would like more information in relation to the training opportunities available at the Roundabout shop,
of if you would like to find out more about any of the Occupational Opportunity services run by Harpenden Mencap, then please
contact:
Louise Thrift
Contact address: c/o 19 Douglas Road, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 2EN
Telephone: (01582) 460055 extension 8
Alternatively, please drop into the shop – situated at 4, Grove Road, Southdown, Harpenden – on a
Wednesday or a Thursday.
Leisure Opportunities
The Britannia Club is a self-run group for adults with a learning disability. The group meets every fortnight
on a Thursday evening between 7pm and 10pm.
The majority of club members live independently within the communities of Harpenden and St Albans and either are working towards
living as independently as possible or already have the skills to do so.
The club provides an environment where there are opportunities to meet friends, share experiences and to participate
in group activities or individual pursuits. Although supported by staff, the members of the club are encouraged and offered
the opportunity to decide what they want to do. This can range from craft activities and talks from visitors to pub visits,
bowling and more adventurous excursions.
Anybody living in the Harpenden / St Albans area who has a learning disability is welcome to become a member of the Britannia
Club, and volunteers are always welcome to assist activities.
If you would like more information about the Britannia Club, please contact:
Louise Thrift
Contact address: c/o 19 Douglas Road, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 2EN
Telephone: (01582) 460055 extension 8
Harpenden Mencap works in partnership with the Youth Service to run a youth club. This is held every Friday evening
between 7.30pm and 9pm in Vaughn Road, Harpenden.
Back to the top
|
