There Is Purpose Behind Every Day
At Shaypes, an activity is never simply something to fill the time. We use real everyday experiences to develop confidence, independence, communication, friendships and practical skills.
A shopping trip can involve making a list, budgeting, finding items independently and communicating at the till.
Cooking can involve planning, sequencing, hygiene, teamwork and learning to prepare food safely.
A museum visit can develop travel confidence, shared interests, conversation and community awareness.
A work placement can build punctuality, communication, following instructions, responsibility and workplace confidence.
A social activity can provide something equally important: the opportunity to make a friend.
Participants are encouraged to try new things but support is adapted around their communication, interests, goals and level of confidence.
Our Daytime Activities Include:
Dance & Movement
Supports confidence, coordination, self expression, physical wellbeing and enjoying an activity alongside others.
Mini Golf
Supports turn taking, communication, social interaction, concentration and learning to manage winning and losing.
Work Experience Placements
Real community based opportunities to practise timekeeping, communication, completing tasks, following instructions and workplace confidence.
Volunteering
Meaningful community roles that can build confidence, responsibility, routine and a sense of purpose.
Trampolining & Gym Sessions
Encourages physical wellbeing, confidence, trying new activities and developing healthy routines.
Arts & Crafts
Encourages creativity, decision making, concentration, communication and pride in completing a project.
Park Days & Picnics
Opportunities to enjoy the community, socialise, make choices, take part in physical activities and spend relaxed time with peers.
Dog Walking
Supports responsibility, physical wellbeing, confidence outdoors and positive interaction with animals.
Theatre Trips
Supports community confidence, shared interests, travel skills and enjoying a cultural experience alongside others.
Kickboxing
Supports fitness, coordination, confidence, listening skills and following instructions.
Day Trips
Community based experiences that can develop travel confidence, decision making, social interaction and greater confidence accessing new environments.
Bowling
Supports turn taking, social interaction, coordination, communication and enjoying an activity alongside peers.
BBQs & Outdoor Cooking
Develops food preparation skills, safety awareness, teamwork and confidence preparing food with others.
Beach Trips
Supports community access, travel confidence, friendships, shared experiences and making choices during a day out.
Work, Volunteering and Purpose
Not everyone is ready to move straight into paid employment but everyone deserves the opportunity to explore their strengths, develop confidence and discover what type of work may interest them.
Shaypes provides a range of meaningful work experience and volunteering opportunities within the community.
These may include:
A dedicated farm placement where participants can take part in practical farm tasks and work together as a small group
Retail work experience
Furniture store work experience
Animal care and animal welfare placements
Coffee shop experience
Gardening and outdoor work
Theatre and performing arts work experience
Other community placements developed around the participant's interests and goals
These opportunities are not simply visits.
Participants are supported to develop skills including:
Timekeeping
Following instructions
Completing tasks
Working as part of a team
Communication
Customer interaction
Workplace behaviour
Responsibility
Problem solving
Confidence
Understanding workplace expectations
Recognising personal strengths and interests
Placements are carefully considered according to the participant's interests, abilities, support needs and readiness.
We do not promise employment but we believe people should be given meaningful opportunities to explore what they can do and what they may want for their future.
Supported Work Experience
At Shaypes, participants are not simply placed into a work experience or volunteering opportunity and expected to manage alone.
A Shaypes support worker remains with the participant throughout their placement, providing the right level of support, encouragement and guidance while they learn the role and become more confident.
We take time to understand how each person learns best and what may help them feel comfortable and successful in the workplace.
Support may include:
Visual aids
Simple step by step instructions
Personalised task checklists
Work assessments
Breaking larger tasks into smaller manageable steps
Supporting the participant to complete online workplace training
Helping them understand workplace rules and expectations
Supporting communication with colleagues and supervisors
Practising tasks alongside them
Helping them remember routines and responsibilities
Supporting timekeeping and organisation
Reviewing progress and identifying areas where greater independence can be developed
We do not do the task for the participant. We create the support around the task so they can learn how to do more for themselves.
The aim is not for a support worker to repeatedly tell somebody what to do. Where possible, we create tools that help the participant understand what comes next for themselves.
For example, a participant may initially complete a task alongside their support worker. We may then introduce a simple visual checklist showing each stage of the task so that they can begin following the process more independently. As their confidence and understanding develop, the amount of prompting can gradually reduce.
The goal is to help the participant understand their role, recognise their responsibilities and feel secure in what they are doing while developing as much independence as possible.
We also support participants with training connected to their placement. If online learning or workplace training is required, we can sit alongside them, explain information in a way that is easier for them to understand and support them through the process.
Every participant progresses differently. Some may continue to benefit from support throughout their placement while others may become increasingly independent as routines become familiar.
What matters is that the person feels supported, included and able to develop at a pace that works for them.
Work Pathways
For some participants, supported work experience is the beginning of a much bigger journey.The skills, routines and confidence developed within a placement can help us understand what somebody enjoys, where their strengths are and what their next steps may look like.
Shaypes can support participants to explore their own pathway towards volunteering, supported employment or paid work when this is appropriate for them.
We want participants to be involved in this process rather than everything being arranged around them.
Where appropriate, we encourage people to develop the confidence to introduce themselves, ask questions and speak to local businesses with support nearby.
Progress will look different for everybody.
For one person, the goal may be attending a regular volunteering placement.
For another, it may be completing their first CV, speaking to a shop manager or eventually applying for paid work.
The aim is to help each person move forward at a pace that is realistic and meaningful for them.
Work Pathways support may include:
Exploring different types of jobs and workplaces
Identifying strengths, interests and transferable skills
Creating and updating a CV
Learning how to search for opportunities
Practising how to introduce yourself professionally
Building confidence speaking to employers
Visiting local high streets and businesses
Approaching local shops and organisations to ask about opportunities
Completing application forms
Preparing for interviews
Understanding workplace expectations
Developing communication and customer service skills
Learning about punctuality, presentation and responsibility
Building independence around travelling to a workplace
Reviewing work experience and identifying next steps
Shaypes Adventure Days
Life should include opportunities to learn, grow and have something exciting to look forward to.
Alongside our regular community support, life skills and work opportunities, Shaypes plans special Adventure Days throughout the year.
These give participants opportunities to share memorable experiences with friends, explore new places and try things they may not otherwise have the confidence or opportunity to experience.
Adventure Days may include:
Theatre trips
Comic Con and cosplay events
Immersive experiences and exhibitions
London attractions including the London Eye
Film and animation experiences
Laser tag
Theme parks
Flight simulation and aviation experiences
Special exhibitions
Seasonal events
Museums and heritage experiences
Other participant led days out
These experiences are still about more than simply going somewhere.
They can help participants develop:
Travel confidence
Decision making
Money skills
Planning
Communication
Friendships
Confidence in unfamiliar environments
Shared interests
Independence within the community
Some Adventure Days involve additional external admission or participation costs. These are always explained in advance so participants and families can decide whether they would like to take part.
A Community Base With A Purpose
Shaypes is primarily community based but some skills are best developed in a familiar and consistent environment.
Our community base, known affectionately as The Hut, gives participants somewhere to learn practical skills, spend time with friends and take part in structured sessions before heading back into the wider community.
The Hut is not somewhere participants are expected to sit all day.
It is a base that complements the real world community experiences at the heart of Shaypes.
Sessions may include:
Cooking
Baking
Budgeting
Shopping preparation
Household skills
Laundry
Creative projects
Science activities
Music
Film discussions
Games
Life skills
Other practical learning
What Happens When You Join Shaypes?
Getting To Know You
We meet the participant and their family or representative and learn about interests, strengths, communication, routines, support needs and goals.
Making Sure Shaypes Is Right
We consider whether we can safely meet the person's needs and which support worker, activities and potential peer group may be appropriate.
Building Trust
Some participants begin with 1-1 support so they have time to become comfortable with Shaypes and for us to understand what works well for them.
Finding The Right People
When appropriate, we carefully introduce participants to others with compatible personalities, interests and pace.
Working Towards Personal Goals
Support continues to focus on agreed areas such as confidence, friendships, independence, travel, life skills, community access, volunteering or work development.
Reviewing Progress
We continue learning from the participant and review how support is working with them and where appropriate their family and professionals.
A Typical Day At Shaypes
Our usual daytime support runs from approximately 9am to 3pm with door to door transport included.
Collections usually take place between 8.30am - 9.30am and returns between 2.30pm - 3.30pm depending on location and the day's programme.
A Shaypes day may combine community access, physical wellbeing, life skills, work experience, volunteering, social opportunities and time at The Hut.
Every day is planned with purpose. The exact activity may change but the focus remains on developing confidence, independence, friendships, communication, wellbeing and meaningful involvement in the community.
Activities are tailored to the individual and may include:
Gym sessions
Swimming
Bowling
Golf
Dog walking
Shopping and budgeting
Cooking and life skills
Travel training
Trampolining
Horse riding
Indoor rock climbing
Ice skating
Cinema trips
Cafés and restaurants
Safaris and wildlife parks
Museums and attractions
Day trips and community outings
Volunteering opportunities
Community projects
Work experience opportunities where appropriate
A Supportive and Engaging Environment
We want participants to feel safe enough to be themselves and supported enough to keep developing.
Our small groups allow us to understand the people we support, recognise when somebody may need more encouragement or space and create opportunities for participants to develop at a pace that works for them.
Want to know more? Get in touch to see how you can be part of the Shaypes community!