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The Barking Association holds a weekly club for the mentally sub-normal
and their relatives, arranges a Christmas party to which our trainees are
invited, and has a holiday bungalow at Clacton for self-catering holidays for
the families of the sub-normal.
Sheltered Workshop
The Workshop opened in September 1968 with a staff of three Instructors
including the Centre Manager, Mr. C. W. Hare, and 13 trainees (7 male and 6
female) the object being to train suitable educationally sub-normal adults
for open employment.
With this in mind, it was necessary to commence with a programme that
assessed each individual as to his capabilities to understand figures, measurements,
angles and written instructions as well as ability to use machine and
hand tools.
This was done for the first few weeks after which the trainees were
given a free hand to make articles to specified sizes.
After this we were able to go ahead with articles designed for sales of
work. Table mats, tea pot stands, key racks and tea trays were produced. Of
the latter - a good selling article - approximately 400 were made with a cash
value of £
90, and further orders were obtained for 300 trays for the following
Christmas.
Contract work was also undertaken during this period for local firms which
included labelling of advertising literature (120,000 copies) and plastic
assembly and inspection. Factory practice and employee discipline formed the
basis of the training given on production lines.
Attendances from September to December 1968 totalled 732.
Porters Avenue Day Centre
The number of staff at the Day Centre was increased when Mrs. Blakeley
commenced duty as Instructor, having previously worked in another Centre.
The scope of the Day Centre was immediately widened, affecting its social
aspects, craftwork, industrial contract, and domestic activities, consequently
the number of referrals increased. This tendency towards the increasing
number of referrals continues and the assistance given by voluntary helpers
during normal Centre hours and on special occasions has been organised
accordingly by Centre staff. Such voluntary help has proved necessary and is
much appreciated. The support shown by these good people has however, clearly
defined the need for another full-time member of staff in the future.
The Day Centre continues to give support with individual problems. Typical
instances include personal financial management, appointments with dentists,
clinics, etc., job interviews, child care, family planning, and general family
problems, to name but a few.
It has been found necessary to offer a wide range of activities within
the Day Centre, to meet the many and varied needs of its members. They include:-
Twelve different crafts
Industrial contract work
Simple general repairs
Display stands
Simple dressmaking
Home produce gardening
Typing and basic office procedure
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