The Osborne Partnership: Making a Positive Difference to Peoples' Lives
| Published: 18th March 2008 21:04 |
The Osborne Partnership is a charitable organisation based in RM9 that strives to offer the best possible work opportunities to people with learning difficulties in Barking and Dagenham through work experience, training and education.
People with learning difficulties have a need for integration and acceptance into the world of work. Job satisfaction, a feeling of responsibility and a sense of independence is important, and The Osborne Partnership does its utmost to open doors and create opportunities through its links with local employers, colleges, training providers and the local authority.
The charity was founded in 1997 and has built a respected reputation for delivering high quality services, and achieving excellent results in training and the creation of work opportunities.
The charity's objectives are:
• To provide employment, training and education for people with learning difficulties
• To provide real work opportunities for people with learning difficulties
The Osborne Partnership operates a variety of pro-active projects and schemes aimed at meeting these objectives. Some of these projects not only work for the benefit of adults with learning difficulties, but also for the local community, and the environment.
Work Training Operations
To support those who aspire to ‘going out to work', The Osborne Partnership runs a selection of in-house and satellite accredited, certificated and pre-employment work training operations. Through its EAL (EMTA) accredited training centre, the organisation delivers accredited NVQs up to Level 2.
Since 2004, over 100 of the charity's Partners have gained more than 100 accredited qualifications.
Work Experience Operations
After training, the next step is to gain practical work experience to help build confidence, self esteem and physical fitness and prepare for the new challenges that lay ahead. The Osborne Partnership runs various projects that help with the development of practical and transferable skills:
TOP Textile Recycling Collection Service: 'TOP' takes its name from the initials of The Osborne Partnership. This innovative Textile Recycling Collection service was launched in June 2007 in The London Borough of Barking & Dagenham.
TOP provides a highly valuable service to the borough's 76,000 residents as well as helping the environment by reducing landfill. Working with recycling giants L M Barry, the project aims to recycle over 190 tons of Textiles by June 2008.
The programme has introduced a range of work experience opportunities, including a kerbside collection service and a commercial ragging operation, enabling Partners to learn specific skills as well as general working ethics such as timekeeping, appropriate behaviour and health and safety.
More information on TOP Textile Recycling Collection Service...
The Green Team Horticulture and Conservation Training Project: Established in 1997 and based at the head office in Dagenham RM9, this project offers the opportunity for adults with learning difficulties to work towards accredited NPTC Horticulture or Conservation training programmes, or undertake work experience with the Green Team's mobile gardening service.
Harpers Cyber Café: This real life working cyber cafe was established in 2004 and is based in Barking. Harpers Cyber Cafe is open to the general public on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9.30am to 4pm. The café offers community based work experience covering the disciplines required for catering work.
Employment Network
The Osborne Partnership has its own specialist employment agency which secures community based work placements. These include sustainable paid work, work experience, voluntary work and college course opportunities.
For more information on the work carried out by The Osborne Partnership, visit http://www.osbornepartnership.org
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