Instructor/ Helper

Sea Salt Studio is a new day opportunity service for adults with learning disabilities in the Portsmouth area. We will provide work experience and teach transferable employment skills through the creation and sale of art and craft items (including woodwork). We will also help people transition to paid employment of their choice.

The main aim is to ensure that more people with learning disabilities have access to paid employment and possess the requisite skills and confidence to transition successfully.

Enabling adults with learning disabilities to learn sequences in order to create art and craft items, always encouraging independence and creativity. Supervising and helping with lunch time routines, supervising cleaning of studio at the end of the day. It's important that our trainees do all the tasks themselves but they may need some guidance. Supervising and instructing for small woodwork activities e.g., drilling holes with a pillar drill, measuring, sawing and sanding pallet wood to make signs and small wooden items. it would be great to have some help with woodwork if possible.

Skills

Patience, kindness, tolerance, 

A liking for art and craft activities - including making greetings cards, printing, stenciling, stamping with inks, making mosaic, and woodwork.

It is absolutely essential however that the volunteers recognise the importance of trainees doing all the tasks themselves.

We will be enabling people to be creative, not doing it for them!

DBS (enhanced without barred checklist) certification would be ideal but not essential. I will apply and pay for DBS certification on behalf of the volunteers.

Previous experience of working with people with learning disabilities and/or autism might be helpful but not essential.

We are working with individuals on a 1:4 basis, which means our trainees will be moderately able, with no medical needs or very challenging behaviours. However, they may struggle with cognitive processing and verbal communication.

No previous training is needed for this role.