CASPA Volunteering and Work Skills Project

Aim

To fund our Volunteering and Work Skills Project which aims to get our members into volunteering and paid roles within CASPA and outside

At CASPA we know how much our young adults have to contribute to society, the amazing skills they possess and the expertise they need to share with the world. We believe our young people deserve meaningful, happy and fulfilled lives. We recognise the need to provide our young adults with crucial skills and experiences in order for them to reach their full potential and enter the world of work.

Some are extremely talented but in mainstream environments often get left behind their peers as they don't have the social skills to self-promote or have very narrow areas of interest and may refuse to diversify. These things could be seen as difficult or negative BUT if harnessed properly could mean these young people can achieve great things, be leaders in their fields and celebrated for their brilliance. But sadly it often feels like schools, employers, colleagues and wider society just doesn't have the time or patience to really understand what this community needs in order to flourish and meet their potential.  

 In the UK, 85% of adults with Autism are out of work, meaning that not only are they more likely to be isolated but they are then also relying on benefits to survive. Research shows that an estimated 70% of people with Autism will experience mental ill health, and that people with Autism are hugely over represented in the prison population. These facts all signify that our Autistic community are in dire need of appropriate support; and mainly of understanding. We KNOW our service users at CASPA are capable of working, having relationships and contributing positively to society but the barriers are huge. Many of our families are looking at this future for their children and feeling extremely worried. We also know that we can make a difference with our work.

Our Volunteering and Work Skills Project aims to help get our members into volunteering roles within CASPA (clubs or Community Cafe) hopefully leading them into paid work with CASPA or outside. We will use the grant to pay for staffing, rent and resources to run the Project. We understand that each individual will have to work at their own pace at acquiring the skills needed for employment but this will be the general outline.

 - Initial meeting with participant and parent who have signed up to programme to discuss the young person’s support needs, interests and hopes for the project. 

- Participants work plan is written up with them, Project Manager and a parent. Included in this are their support needs and strategies, strengths, aspirations for the future and a filled out skills matrix with where they are with the skills needed for employment.

- Participant begins working on the skills in their work plan through a work placement in the CASPA café or CASPA clubs for an agreed number of hours. 

- Participant has a well-being check in through ‘talk-time’ every month with Project Manager to support their mental health throughout the project

 - Participant will attend workshops for example c.v. writing, interview skills etc. 

- Project Manager and participant to look at vocational qualifications which may be suitable

 - Participant is supported to move in to external work placement/employment. This list is not fully exhaustive and will differ depending on the individual. The skills will be broken down into more detailed sub skills within the participants individualised work-plan. We appreciate some participants might have already mastered lots of these skills while others will need more support. 

The outcomes we will achieve are: 

- Employability and independence skills

 - Greater well-being and purpose

 - Sense of achievement for the individual 

- Vocational qualifications 

- Independent living for participants

 - Practical learning for the participants through work placement at the cafe or clubs

- Participants will feel able to come to a member of staff with any issues for advice, support and help, and eventually are able to work through problems independently so that they can function successfully and thrive within an educational or work environment.

 - Participants will engage in activities with peers, and will be able to initiate conversation, and organise their own outings/activities within or outside of CASPA.

 - CV writing skills

 - Some young adults will go on to be Peer Leaders at CASPA, volunteers & even paid staff 

- CASPA will further consolidate their place in the community as an alternative education provider.

This project successfully funded on 12th April 2022