STEPS TO WORK: CONTINUING THE LEGACY AT STRAWBERRY FIELD
Strawberry Field, immortalised by John Lennon in the Beatles hit ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, opened its iconic red gates to the public for the first time in 2019…
Strawberry Field, immortalised by John Lennon in the Beatles hit ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, opened its iconic red gates to the public for the first time in 2019. Previously a Salvation Army children’s home on whose grounds a young John Lennon played, Strawberry Field now serves as a unique visitor attraction. It is also a training centre that supports young people with employment barriers in finding meaningful work.
Continuing the legacy
Strawberry Field continues its legacy by caring for young people in the local community and providing a safe, calm, and spiritual home for trainees. The initiative promotes responsible tourism by reinvesting its profits into the Steps to Work programme, helping keep the ‘gates open for good’.
Central to their mission
Steps to Work operates at the heart of Strawberry Field, offering a pioneering 12-month programme that transforms the lives of young people. The programme equips participants with the confidence and skills to step into work experience and eventually secure paid employment.
The team at Strawberry Field supports a wide range of young adults. They include those who are neurodivergent, autistic, may suffer from anxiety and depression, lacking in confidence and social skills, or have ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or dyscalculia. Participants could have physical disabilities, experience gender dysphoria, or face other barriers to employment.
Since the first programme in 2018, more than 200 young adults aged 18 to 25 have benefited from participating.
Legacy of support
The programme addresses a range of challenges faced by individuals. Each trainee’s needs are unique, and the Steps to Work team reflects this in the support provided. Through expert guidance, trainees overcome obstacles and take a step onto the career ladder.
A ‘person-first’ approach puts the trainee at the heart of everything the Strawberry Field team does. The initiative makes a valuable difference in terms of employment outcomes and helps build a more inclusive workforce, delivering a further legacy for Strawberry Field and the community.
Steps to Work – the first 8 weeks
Steps to Work trainees undertake a work-readiness programme during the first eight weeks. The focus is on independence, life skills, communication, and employability. Trainees engage in self-reflection and discovery to establish their key skills and strengths, helping determine the sector they wish to work in.
Training is built on the core values of generosity, inclusion, compassion, and integrity. Every trainee is assigned a dedicated work coach, and together, they devise and commit to an action plan. The wider Strawberry Field team provides pastoral and emotional support.
Work experience placements
Next, the recruits begin a 12-week work placement on-site at Strawberry Field. Each placement is about 12 hours per week. Under the watchful eye of their new colleagues and their work coach, trainees receive support and coaching to overcome any hurdles. The trainees can work in the café, kitchen, shop, and gardens or with the cleaning, security, or back-office teams. They develop workplace skills in a safe and supportive environment.
“Steps to Work is a programme of transformation. It provides a sense of worth and belonging and harnesses social, communication, and relationship skills.“
Trainees then progress onto up to two external work experience placements provided by a network of local businesses across various sectors. John Lewis and Partners, Morrisons, ACC, the Beatles Story and the wider tourism industry have all hosted work placements. Trainees receive support from their work coach, who visits regularly and is available by phone.
Employment
During the training and work placements, the trainees boost their personal development through confidence-building and self-awareness. They acquire communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, all of which contribute to their success.
“Around half of the participants achieve paid employment“
These vital skills and experiences empower each trainee to step closer to employment. When trainees progress into employment, the Steps to Work team provides 12 weeks of in-work support to ensure they successfully adjust to their new role.
Leading the way
Around half of the participants so far have gained paid employment, equating to an incredible ten times the national average for people with learning disabilities.
A graduation ceremony is held twice yearly to celebrate the successes and achievements of the trainees who have successfully completed Steps to Work.
Alan Triggs, programme manager, says:
“Steps to Work is a programme of transformation. It provides a sense of worth and belonging and harnesses social, communication, and relationship skills. All of these provide a firm foundation on which we can build as trainees move closer to their employment goals.
“This is achieved through a blend of classroom-based learning and work experience here at Strawberry Field and with our network of employers across many different sectors in the Liverpool City Region.
“Around half of the participants achieve paid employment, around fifteen per cent progress into a meaningful volunteer role, and others progress to further education.”
If you or someone you know wants to learn more about participating in the Steps to Work programme, find out how to take the first step [https://www.strawberryfield.salvationarmy.org.uk/steps-work] where you can hit the apply button to register an expression of interest.
View Steps to Work graduation video below or at the following url: [https://vimeo.com/861936568]
