The Workshop provides time, space and resources for daytime activities centred around one of our properties in Sandown
It provides daytime activity, company, and an enjoyable informal work and learning environment for its residents, its clients of the Positive Engagement Team and others in receipt of Floating Support.
It hosts a range of activities including personal development groups, a general activities day, and specific times for various practical activities.
The smooth running of the Workshop (a small building adjacent to one of our residential projects) is managed through the involvement of its users (known as "members", supported by Real WorldTrust and external sessional workers. Periodically we provide discussions on e.g. Health and Safety (as related to the Workshop) or the RWT web site, in order to involve people as far as possible and provide additional knowledge and experience.
In 2009 and 2010 the Workshop is being assisted financially by generous grants from the Isle of Wight Community Fund and the Lloyds TSB Foundation- the later having enabled the development of the Computer and Cooking on a Budget activities in particular and assisted in the staffing costs of the other sessions. As a result, over 40 people have been members during the first year of the funding and have benefitted from one or more of the activities outlined below.
Potential members are invited to an initial visit, usually on a Tuesday. We then have an assessmsnt process in the form of a discussion of activities the member may wish to take part in and whether any special help or equipment (e.g. gardening safety shoes) are required. The aim of the process is to find ways of doing something, not reasons not to! Access to the specific activities (computer group, art etc.) can follow this assessmsnt process.
Some examples of the activities through the week are described and shown below...
The garden in which the Workshop sits is used to its fullest for much of the year.
Projects on the go include the creation of a new raised vegetable bed from part of the lawn. This work was begun in the Autumn last year. The initial planting of onions and cabbages seems to have survived the winter snow, and the Spring vegetables are currently being planned.
The edgings to the beds are formed from re-used timber.
"Cooking on a Budget" now takes place each Tuesday as a focus of the general activities day, and anyone present can participate in the planning, shoppoing, preparation and cooking of a shared meal. The needs of e.g. vegetarians are taken into account in the planning and the actual cost is shared between those who have the meal - usually £1.50 maximum.
The Computer Group take place on a Wednesday. This allows members to practice their computer skills (whether in word processing, spreadsheets, use of the Internet or photo-editing) under the guidance of our trainer Jo. Posssible qualifications can be discussed and members may access online training they are registered for - either using the Workshop's new PC's or their own laptops.
"The Real You"
At other times of the week the RWT runs personal development groups in areas such as Relapse Prevention, Assertiveness and Anger Management.
If you are interested in taking part in one of these groups (usually up to 6 sessions over the same number of weeks) contact Donna Lynch or Peter Percival on 01983 8686812, or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Another sessional worker provides sessions in Emotional Freedom Techniques
The Art Group takes place on a Friday afternoon from 12.00 - by members, for members. Materials are available and no previous experience or formal skill is required!
"Rays" by Tim
The Art and the Computer Groups also use the Workshop's cameras to take and edit pictures. In 2009 an exhibition of the work was staged for a month in Ventnor Public Library.
To arrange a first visit to the workshop telephone 01983 868681 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it