Jersey’s Beresford Street Kitchen has unveiled plans to become bigger and better in 2020 with the creation of a tea rooms at La Hougue Bie and the launch of a new Bursary Scheme, helping more people with learning disabilities and autism to experience meaningful work.
The new tea rooms are scheduled to open in March at the National Heritage site, providing a further 12 people with learning disabilities and autism opportunities within the social enterprise, teaching them what it takes to be in full-time employment and embracing their individual skill sets.
The expansion of the charity comes as BSK launches a new Bursary Scheme, encouraging more customers and corporations to provide financial support to crew members through their journey along the work programme. The Bursary Scheme will cover the costs of education, training and support workers’ salaries allowing BSK to adopt a more sustainable approach to funding.
Optimus Recruitment were one of the first firms to support a BSK apprentice and have this year contributed their final instalment to the charity as part of a three-year committed plan.
Georgie Dodd, Fundraising Manager at BSK, said: “Firms like Optimus Recruitment have acted as a catalyst to us setting up the Bursary Scheme as we saw the potential in aligning our supporters with the crew to help fund their journey through the programme.
“Our goal is that as many of the crew as possible eventually move on to find work outside of the programme, but this is a daunting step. The new tea room will provide that vital stepping stone so that our more experienced crew members can work there with less supervision and more responsibility.”
Jamie Guyer, Managing Director at Optimus Recruitment said: “It’s been wonderful to watch BSK grow and prosper over the years, along with the apprentice who we have supported. We believe that everyone is entitled to meaningful and enjoyable work, as recruiters it is the foundation of our business model. We would encourage as many firms as possible to follow in our footsteps and to join in with this Bursary Scheme as the last three years have been hugely rewarding to us.”
To find out how you could support the BSK Bursary Scheme please contact Georgie Dodd on georgie.dodd@aspirejersey.je
