The Programme
The Life Skills Centre aims to provide a well-rounded and practical curriculum of personal and professional support, in order to assist those who are currently homeless or have recent experience of homelessness back into lasting employment and independence.
The Life Skills Programme runs for a period of 12 weeks and opens with a two-week period of engagement, designed to introduce new ‘volunteers’ to the House, their new group, the team within the House and the job roles available at Quintessentially Soho. During this time, the programme’s Life Skills Coaches offer one-to-one sessions, team building seminars and run specific personal development workshops.
In Week 3, ‘volunteers’ undertake a full week of Pre-Employment Training with Westminster Kingsway College and an introduction to hospitality operations within the House.
Weeks 4 to 11 consist of a mixture of onsite and offsite training, work experience shifts and a concentrated personal development schedule. The multi-purpose nature of the site allows the programme to offer a supported and well-rounded 8 week period of training and work experience. The programme is complemented by a range of therapies, and cultural activities and opportunities.
Towards the end of the programme, the programme shifts its focus towards post-programme arrangements, and works with volunteers to finalise CVs, build up confidence and fine tune interview techniques. Our most recent employer partner, Debenhams, now provides a complimentary, bespoke shopping day for all our volunteers, to deck them out in brand-new interview clothing. The BBC supports the programme by staging mock interviews and helping volunteers to document their progress throughout the programme on DVDs and podcasts. In these final weeks, the Life Skills team works with various businesses in and around Soho to assist volunteers into further employment and appropriate work experience placements offsite.
Listen to first-hand accounts from volunteers on the Programme:
| James | |
| Maria | |
| Leon |
