Placements at Phoenix
Phoenix hosts twelve co-workers a day, with an age range spanning fifteen to sixty-three years, and attendance varying between one, two or three days a week.
Phoenix is a real workplace, where our co-workers gain valuable experience in making products for sale to the public across three areas; woodshed, factory and garden plus a kitchen placement, where co-workers prepare a hot meal for their colleagues, staff and volunteers at lunchtime, in addition to cakes made to order, and a small outside catering service.
Co-workers have the opportunity to gain a variety of technical and employability skills, whilst being supported by staff and volunteers, usually working in small groups.
Co-workers are encouraged to be aware of their own achievements and take part in regular reviews. As part of their employability goals, co-workers may be helped to write their CV or vocational profile, visit local companies, and develop customer service skills. Through the work of our qualified job coach, we match volunteering opportunities or paid employment to the strengths and interests of the co-workers, forging and developing links with local businesses.
Co-workers in the woodshed undertake a range of activities, starting with busting and denailing donated pallets, progressing through to sanding, sawing and painting in order to produce a huge variety of garden accessories, from compost bins and mud kitchens, to bug hotels and bird boxes.
In the factory co-workers experience a proper manufacturing process – from cleaning and oiling moulds, to weighing, mixing, filling, tipping out the finished paving slabs and even, on occasion, delivering the product to the customer in the Phoenix van.
The kitchen placement not only develops our co-workers’ cooking skills, making a daily hot two course lunch for the Phoenix community, and a range of delicious cales, but also teaches important life skills such as knowledge of nutrition, budgeting and customer service.
We have three departments for co-workers to participate in
Feedback from Co-workers
“I have been coming to the Phoenix for five years. I mostly work in the kitchen, baking and cooking for everyone and for customers."
“Through Phoenix I have helped out at the community café, and I now volunteer at a lunch club for the elderly."
"I like all the people at Phoenix. The way we work together as a team and have fun whilst we are working."
How to apply or refer to Phoenix
Co-workers are referred through a variety of different sources including the Learning Disability Partnership, social workers, families, regional colleges and specialist schools. If you are considering a placement at Phoenix, please contact us.
Our usual placement process is as follows;
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Complete and return our expression of interest form here
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Arrange an informal visit to see our workplace in action and meet our community
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A taster day to experience 'a day in the life' at Phoenix
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Meeting between co-worker, their representative and Phoenix to discuss suitability and funding
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Placement begins, come to work with us!
