EmployAble Greece, 2016 – 2018

Learners and staff members from Manpower Vocational Training College in Thessaloniki, Greece, took part in a two-year work skills programme at National Star. Forty learners worked alongside National Star students in areas that included customer services, Art Factory and our social enterprises StarBistro and StarPrint. They also attended an external work placement at Tewkesbury Abbey’s Touching Souls Tea Room.

During the programme six learners, three support staff and four teaching staff visited National Star five times for two weeks at a time. Teaching staff shadowed National Star’s Job Mentors team in order to understand the support required to prepare young people with disabilities for work.

Outcomes

The project has had significant outcomes. A computer room was established at Manpower Vocational Training College following a donation of computers from National Star. This facility is now being used by Greek learners as a base for dedicated work skills classes. A printing social enterprise has also been developed following the learners’ experience of working in StarPrint. Greek staff learning job mentoring skills have now set up a transition support programme to enable learners to gain work placements following their time at college.