A Dilton Marsh pub is helping young people with additional needs develop skills and gain qualifications to improve their chances of finding employment.
The Weavers, on the High Street, has been developed by the Fairfield Trust as both a pub and training centre, providing hospitality students at Fairfield College with a realistic working environment.
Fairfield Trust CEO Vicky Dunnicliffe said the facility had helped introduce new opportunities for students, including recognised qualifications.
“We’re a pub that is also a training centre for young people, and we’re really, really pleased because over the last couple of years, we’ve introduced various qualifications and different things for the young people to achieve.
“Last year we introduced the level two hospitality qualification, which is the first time ever in the history of Fairfield. All of our young people on that programme passed the course. It’s brilliant for them and most of them have now got employment as a result.”
Fairfield College also supports young people to develop skills in areas including grounds maintenance, animal care, horticulture and customer service, with the aim of helping them move into work.
“The national statistic for young people with additional needs getting into employment is 4.8 per cent,” said Vicky. “At the minute, we’re getting 20 per cent into employment and we’re keen to just build on that year on year. That’s what places like this, The Weavers, are for.”
Fairfield principal Graeme Athey said the pub provided an opportunity for students to put their training into practice in a real workplace.
“For us, it’s about an opportunity to put our money where our mouth is. If we’re training people to practical standards, to be able to work in industry, we need to be able to test that in a real-life situation rather than pretend rather than role play, so, by doing it in real life, we’re giving people the best opportunities.”
The Weavers is open at 94 High Street, Dilton Marsh, from Wednesday to Sunday.
For more information, visit https://theweaverspub.co.uk
Pictured: Cllr Jon Hubbard with young people and staff at The Weavers
