FST @ Charles House
Location: Salford, Greater Manchester
- About the project
- Work placements
- Work-related skills and qualifications
- Referrals
- Our funders
- Contact us
About the project
FST @ Charles House is our most recent project, set up in 2007 and based in a Charles House – a medium secure, 24-bed hospital for men with a range of mental health needs.
We offer workforce members a variety of external work placements and internal work activities and courses. Patients can take up work placements within FST’s office or off-site at FST’s SMaRT project in Eccles. We also build links with local employers in order to arrange external work placements for patients who have escorted/unescorted leave from the unit. We organise training so that people can gain the basic qualifications needed to find work when they leave.
Work placements
For those wanting to take on the challenge of working life, FST @ Charles House works closely with the individual to match work placements to their needs and ability and signpost them to the next step. We have recruited seven of 24 patients to date.
Work Areas
• Office administration
• Painting & decorating, gardening.
• Customer service.
• Motor mechanics and car valeting.
All workforce members have their own personal development plan which is reviewed regularly. The key objective of the plan is to enable members of the workforce to identify their own work and employment ambitions and to work with the project manager to identify how FST can support them achieve them.
Work-related skills and qualifications
FST Charles House offers workforce members the opportunities to access basic skills and vocational training and Qualifications
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.
Sector specific-skills
Other skills can be acquired depending on the external placement. We plan to expand the number and variety of skills available over the next year.
Qualifications available
Basic skills courses in Literacy and Numeracy, working towards City and Guilds qualifications from Entry Level 1 up to GCSE.
Referrals
• Self-referral.
• Occupational therapists.
• Ward staff.
Secure unit application form (PDF) and Charles House reference form (Word doc).
FST General Information
sheet (PDF)
Our funders
FST @ Charles House would like to thank our funders, Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, for their continuing and generous support.
Contact us
Chris Kirkman
Northern Regional Manager
Laura Bowers
Training & Placement Manager
Terry Schofield
Assistant Manager
FST @ Charles House
Charles Street
Salford, M6 7DU
Tel: 0161 745 7900
Fax: 0161 745 5047
Email: Please use our enquiry form
Visitor information
You must arrange your visit in advance and bring photographic ID.
By bus: Charles House can be accessed via two main bus routes along Irlams o' th' Height and Eccles Old Rd. The nearest bus stop is about a 5-10 minute walk away.
By train: Charles House is less than two miles from Salford Crescent Train Station.