Training
Since 2013, we have been offering flexible training placements to individuals with perceived barriers to employment. These include physical or learning difficulties, mental health challenges and language or confidence issues.
Fayre & Square aims to tailor its 8-12 week retail based training to each individual. The main areas we cover are:
Customer service and communication skills
Stock check and keeping the shop tidy
Till work and handling money
Display work and marketing
CV writing and interview skills
We aim to focus each training programme on the specific skills that are important to each individual and may not cover all of the above in the initial training period.
For example, we recently welcomed a trainee with dyslexia who struggled with written records and reading the till. Whilst the trainee was encouraged to assist in till work, we focused mainly on recognising numbers by location on the keyboard, counting and adding money, and customer service.
Another trainee came to us with very low confidence and a requirement to improve language skills. For the first few sessions the trainee simply observed and helped with some tidying and cleaning. Whilst listening to our conversations, the trainee started gaining confidence and revealed interest in crafting. By the end of the training, they were designing window displays, selling crafted items in the shop and happily chatting with customers as well as staff.
There is an opportunity for a proportion of our trainees, once they have completed their training, to graduate to become full shop volunteers, helping us to run the shop and to support newer trainees.
Trainees have been referred to us from local colleges, the Job Centre and disability support organisations including Merton Employment Team and Choice Support. The aim is for trainees to go on to gain paid work, further training, or volunteering.
Fayre & Square aims to tailor its 8-12 week retail based training to each individual. The main areas we cover are:
Customer service and communication skills
Stock check and keeping the shop tidy
Till work and handling money
Display work and marketing
CV writing and interview skills
We aim to focus each training programme on the specific skills that are important to each individual and may not cover all of the above in the initial training period.
For example, we recently welcomed a trainee with dyslexia who struggled with written records and reading the till. Whilst the trainee was encouraged to assist in till work, we focused mainly on recognising numbers by location on the keyboard, counting and adding money, and customer service.
Another trainee came to us with very low confidence and a requirement to improve language skills. For the first few sessions the trainee simply observed and helped with some tidying and cleaning. Whilst listening to our conversations, the trainee started gaining confidence and revealed interest in crafting. By the end of the training, they were designing window displays, selling crafted items in the shop and happily chatting with customers as well as staff.
There is an opportunity for a proportion of our trainees, once they have completed their training, to graduate to become full shop volunteers, helping us to run the shop and to support newer trainees.
Trainees have been referred to us from local colleges, the Job Centre and disability support organisations including Merton Employment Team and Choice Support. The aim is for trainees to go on to gain paid work, further training, or volunteering.
