FST Sheffield
Location: Sheffield
- About the project
- Work placements
- Work-related skills and qualifications
- Referrals
- Our funders
- Contact us
About the project
FST Sheffield has launched an exciting new venture - SMaRT Venue, an independent coffee shop on London Road.
SMaRT Venue provides local customers with premium, fair trade coffee, freshly prepared food and the chance to relax in a comfortable and attractive setting.
As with all FST projects, the café operates as a small business – providing work experience and training to people with mental health or physical problems or other disadvantages.
Local project management contractors, Barlows , have transformed, the one time dry cleaners, into a trendy, up market café.
The shiny new stainless steel kitchen is up and working, a state of the art coffee machine is installed and a team of trainees are being put through their paces.
The café was officially launched by the Lord Mayor of Sheffield on Friday 25th September. Press release. Come along and try us.
For more information, download a menu or pre-orders, go to: www.smartvenue.org.uk
SMaRT Venue is open Tuesday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm.
Work placements
We are currently recruiting to fill work placements lasting between three and 12 months. A placement at FST Sheffield is designed to support those who have been out of work, maybe for a long period of time or never worked, to improve their employability. Experience is not necessary and we provide any ‘on the job’ training needed as well as access to external accreditations such as NVQs.
Whilst on placement with FST, we meet people on a one-to-one basis, including giving feedback on progress and providing advice on CV writing and interview techniques, to support workforce members move on to paid employment or further training.
FST Sheffield provides work and training opportunities in the following areas:
• Food preparation
• Customer service
• Business administration
Someone’s long-term goal may be to work in an entirely different area but FST Sheffield can help prepare then for whatever work they eventually choose. Development options include external placements in other industries to broaden a workforce member’s experience.
More information (PDF)
Work-related skills and qualifications
Each workforce member has a personal development plan with which they drive their progress towards becoming ready to move on to paid employment, alternative voluntary work or further education.
A work placement at FST Sheffield gives workforce members the opportunity to acquire the following skills:
General
The basic skills required by employers such as timekeeping, ability to work in a team and a positive attitude towards work.
Food preparation and customer service
From preparing premium quality hot and cold food and drink to front of house customer service.
Business administration
All aspects of administration required to support the coffee shop business including computer skills, following office procedures etc.
Financial administration such as working with invoices, petty cash, processing cheques, ordering supplies etc.
Marketing and promotion
Mailshots and other campaigns to support the coffee shop business including mail merge, working with databases, information management.
Employment development
Interviewing techniques, research, liaising with third parties.
Qualifications available
Training programmes leading to both internal and external accreditations in:
• Catering (NVQ available)
• Customer Service (NVQ available)
• Business Administration (NVQ available)
• English and Maths (National tests)
• Health and Safety (British Safety Council qualification available) including first aid at work
Referrals
Referral is easy – a phone call starts the process. Referrals come from a range of sources:
• Self-referral
• Occupational Therapists
• Statutory agencies, for example Jobcentre Plus
• Community Mental Health Teams
• Voluntary organisations.
• Connexions.
• Probation Service.
Application process
We usually arrange to meet a potential workforce member for an informal chat at our office. We can then find out what someone wants to get out of the experience and what skills they already have.
We then need a formal reference and statement of support. For those with a Care Plan, this should be the person’s main support worker; for others this could be a GP or social worker.
More Information (PDF)
Working hours
We currently work from 9 am to 5.30 pm with a break for lunch between 12.45 pm and 1.45 pm but once we open the coffee shop we will be moving to shifts starting and ending at various times between 7.30 am and 5.30pm. Workforce members need to be punctual and keep to their agreed work schedule.
Our funders
FST Sheffield would like to thank Sheffield Primary Health Care NHS Trust for their continuing and generous support.
We are also grateful for support from Sheffield City Council and The Rank Foundation.
Contact us
FST Sheffield
Coffee Shop Manager: Chris Shaw
Administration Manager: Dawn Ward (Maternity cover)
100-104 London Road
Sheffield S2 4LR
Phone: 0114 281 2981
Fax: 0114 281 2949
Email: Please use our enquiry form
How to get here
By bus to London Road: 20, 20A, 25, 25A, 75, 76 97, 98.
By bus to Boston Street: 22.
By car: Metered and some free parking on street.