FST Bexley
Location: Welling, Kent
- About the project
- Business Services
- Work placements
- Work-related skills and qualifications
- How to be referred
- Our funders
- Contact us
About the project
FST Bexley operates as a successful business providing a range of building and grounds maintenance services to the private and corporate clients. The purpose of our business is to provide real employment opportunities for people with enduring mental health problems, substance misuse and other disadvantages. FST Bexley gives people the chance to develop their skills and take on the responsibilities of working life.
Our teams work hard and to a high standard, consistently meeting deadlines. In 2008 FST Bexley won the award for ‘Best FST Project’ out of 14 FST projects across the country.
FST Bexley also has an office, run by workforce members, that provides administrative support to the business. The workforce also have access to the Next Steps programme which provides extra support for people to gain qualifications and move on into employment or further training.
Business services
• Building maintenance.
• Painting and decorating.
• Grounds maintenance.
• Hard-landscaping and fencing.
• Contract cleaning.
• Rubbish clearances.
Work placements
FST Bexley provides a number of work and training opportunities in the following sectors:
• Painting and decorating.
• Gardening and grounds maintenance.
• Grounds maintenance.
• Hard-landscaping and fencing.
• Contract cleaning.
• Office administration.
South East Team
• Painting and decorating.
• Gardening and rubbish clearance.
Last year, FST Bexley worked with 100 people giving them work experience and improving their job prospects.
What I got out of FST Bexley
“FST Bexley has given me the chance to gain skills that will help with future employment. It has done me a lot of good working in a friendly team.” Paul
Work-related skills and qualifications
Our work placements provide on-the job training. Each worker has a personal development plan which tracks their progress towards becoming ready to move on to paid employment, alternative voluntary work or further education.
A work placement at FST Bexley 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.
Office administration
All aspects of office administration including computer skills, data inputting, following office procedures etc.
Financial administration such as working with invoices, petty cash, processing cheques, paying suppliers, ordering supplies etc.
Practical skills
Carpentary, painting and decorating, working with power tools and grounds maintenance.
Customer service
Understanding the need to deliver high-quality service, dealing with customers, promoting business services.
Employment development
Interviewing techniques, research, liaising with third parties.
Qualifications available
FST Bexley run the Next Steps Programme, an initiative funded by London Development Agency (LDA) which gives workforce members the opportunity to study for qualifications as part of their work experience. The qualifications range from entry level up to NVQ 2, in IT, English, Maths and Customer Care and are nationally recognised by Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR). Next Steps also gives you access to a job club and ‘one-to-one’ support to improve your CV and interview technique. The great thing about learning in this way is that it gives people a chance to put into practice what they have learnt.
We also provide ‘on the job’ training to ensure that workforce members work in a safe environment – these include:
• First Aid Certificate, St Johns Ambulance
• Health and Safety Foundation Certificate, British Safety Council
• Fire Risk Assessment, British Safety Council
• Manual handling
• Handling Access Equipment
• Working with Angle Grinders
Referrals
• Self-referral or carers.
• GPs.
• Community mental health teams.
• Employment agencies.
• Voluntary organisations.
• Probationary service.
• Forensic service.
Our funders
FST Bexley would like to thank Bexley Council, Bexley Primary Care Trust and Oxleas NHS Trust for their continuing and generous support.
Contact us
FST Bexley
Project Manager: Warren Cox
Unit 2, 2-4 School Lane,
Welling, Kent DA16 1TT.
Tel: 020 8301 2855
Fax: 020 8301 2855
Email: Please use our enquiries form
Visitor information
By bus: 89, 96, 486, B16, B15 then
2 minutes walk.
By rail: From London Bridge to Welling station plus a 15 miutes walk.
By car: Nearest parking is a pay and display car park at Nags Head Lane, Welling plus a 5 minutes walk.