|
Check out our new Bebo page
Childrens Directory
|
|
|
|
| |
|
  |
|
| |
Streetwork has been providing support for vulnerable people on the streets since 1992, dealing with key issues such as homelessness, drug addiction, alcohol dependency, mental health and prostitution. Our vision for the next stage of Streetwork is to address the issue of long-term unemployment and lack of training for the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless. We are looking to develop a training and employment social enterprise model that provides a meaningful and lasting route off the streets and into volunteering, training and paid employment, as well as offering affordable food for vulnerable and impoverished people. Our plan has three unique elements that combines a commercial business for the charity, a homeless café and a training and employment scheme.
Captain Taylor's Kitchen - will be the main commercial arm of the social enterprise and will operate and run as a viable commercial café from Edinburgh’s South Bridge.
The food will be freshly cooked, wholesome and hearty lunches; with door stop sandwiches, large bowls of soup and hunks of fresh bread, 1 main dish and 1 vegetarian dish that use simple, rustic ingredients. Up to six varieties of soups will be available in various different portion sizes catering to all appetites and wallets. Main meals will be less then £4 for a good portion, with dishes changing daily.
Quite significantly Captain Tailor’s Kitchen will provide paid sustainable jobs for homeless people who have successfully completed Streetwork’s Higher Ground training programme (see below). All food will be purchased from and prepared by The Old Sailor’s Ark (see below) and served at Captain Taylor’s by fully trained, former homeless people working their way back into employment.
The Ark Café - operated since 1936 as a soup kitchen for the homeless until 2007. We are looking to open a new Ark Café and provide a daily menu of wholesome and healthy food but rather than an old soup kitchen style model where only food is provided, entry will be on the condition that service users sign up to The Ark membership scheme. This will be a stepped programme beginning with easy entry to healthy eating and thereafter a range of specialist support provided by our current Streetwork teams. Members will have the opportunity to volunteer in the café or other areas of the centre and receive training and qualifications. The cafe will provide the same hot meals as Captain Taylors Kitchen and like Captain Taylor's, all food will be served by service users working their way through the membership levels. The café will operate as a social enterprise providing soups, hot meals and sandwiches to Captain Taylor's Kitchen and other potential external customers.
Higher Ground Training Scheme - will provide tailor made training courses for former homeless people looking to rejoin the work force. Courses will be tailor made for the long-term unemployed looking at confidence building, interview techniques and other issues that prevent homeless people returning to work. The second part of the course will be more focused on the interests of the trainee where they can gain certificates and qualifications in key skills such as IT, Health and Hygiene, Service/Hospitality. Suitable candidates from the scheme will have the opportunity to volunteer and eventually gain employment in the Ark Café or Captain Taylor’s Kitchen.
Streetwork has gained financial support for this project from Lloyds TSB Foundation, The Diocese of Edinburgh, Bank of New York Mellon and other generous trusts. We are currently working to secure the rest of the funding to get the project off the ground. |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
