Chichester's New Pathway to Inclusive Employment

We are thrilled to share that Aldingbourne Trust's WorkAid and Seasoned Venues have launched an exciting new partnership. They will provide valuable paid work experience training placements within the hospitality and catering sector for people with disabilities. Their mission? To empower those to discover their unique strengths and skills, ultimately identifying promising industry talents.

Managing Partner at Seasoned Venues, Graham Turner, shared "We are really excited to be partnering with the team at Aldingbourne Trust. Our skills training programme has been carefully designed as part of our social goodness manifesto to give those with learning disabilities and autism the skills, confidence and work experience necessary to find paid employment and hopefully make a difference in the local Chichester community."

Ashleigh, Lorraine, and the Chichester Cathedral's Cloisters Café team are kickstarting this collaboration by offering a comprehensive 4-week programme. Participants will be able to explore various roles in their bustling café, including front-of-house positions, kitchen porter roles, and cheffing.  

From October onwards, they're planning a monthly running of the training scheme, working with one participant at a time. Each person will have access to support from a specialist WorkAid Employment Consultant to assist with their interviews, onboarding and progression. A dedicated work buddy will also serve as a mentor, providing essential peer support throughout their learning journey. At the end of the placement, participants will receive guidance on effectively utilising their newfound skills when applying for roles within the sector in the future. 

Candidates have already felt a significant boost in their confidence during the initial round of interviews. They can't wait to get stuck into developing their practical skills alongside the Cloisters team over the coming months. Gemma will be the first programme starter, and she said, "I can't wait to get started! I am looking forward to bringing things out to the customers and improving my customer service skills."

Seasoned Venue's commitment to spreading Social Goodness extends beyond just helping those we support; it is shaping the future generation of catering professionals to create extraordinary food and drink experiences. But together, we are building a valuable step into catering careers for many people who would otherwise find it extremely difficult to access jobs in the sector. All while showing our local communities how sustainable recruitment can work at its finest. 
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For more information about WorkAid, please visit www.supportedemploymentwestsussex.org

​Written by Lizzie Williams and Rachel Benson