“I like people and like to help people.”
WorkFit North West has recently been working with Home Community Cafe to offer a voluntary placement as a Café Assistant to Amy.
Following a successful informal interview, Amy began working at the café. Amy’s main tasks are, serving customers, clearing tables and replenishing stock.
Amy says, “I like working here. I serve food and drinks to customers, I make different flavoured teas and I make toasties. I wash up and when I clean the tables I have to spray them and wipe them carefully. I like chatting to customers and like to see the babies. I like people and like to help people.”
Amy is a popular member of staff and works in a team that are enthusiastic and committed to supporting her. The café is hugely popular in the local community and the atmosphere is warm and friendly. Amy has been made very welcome by staff and customers.
Volunteer Co-ordinator, Lucy Lernelius says, “It’s so much fun having Amy here. We have a music system in the café which Amy loves and we often have a giggle about the volume. She is doing really well and has great attention to detail. Her work is very thorough and I’m always confident of her abilities to do a great job. Amy is very personable and works well in the team. Here at the café we focus on playing to Amy’s strengths and we are really pleased with her contribution. We have a number of volunteers who speak English as a second language and so we all understand the variety of challenges in the workplace and are working together successfully to help each other successfully. We’re really hoping that Amy will continue to work here after her initial placement.”
Amy enjoys being at the café when it is busy with families and babies. She is also learning the bus route to the cafe, so that she can travel independently.
Amy’s mum Rose says, “Working alongside different staff members has helped build her confidence. She chats with the customers and knows what needs to be done on her shifts and she has a really good relationship with Lucy. Amy really enjoys working at home – I thought she might struggle doing a 4 hour shift but she never complains and she will be staying on after the 12 week placement.”
Down’s syndrome awareness training was provided to staff, including information about how to make easy work adjustments for Amy. Feedback from the café’s staff was excellent: “I feel much more confident in how to support someone with Down’s syndrome and I am looking forward to being involved in the WorkFit programme”.
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WorkFit supports people with Down’s syndrome to access meaningful work opportunities that can benefit the rest of their lives.
For more information about WorkFit please contact the team on 0333 12 12 300 or email us on dsworkfit@downs-syndrome.org.uk
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