Our First Step Trust Projects
Each project runs as a small business, trading with the local community with a strong emphasis on everyone in the workforce sharing the responsibilities of running the business. People with mental health problems and other disadvantages form the voluntary workforce, staffing and managing both the individual projects and the main office.
FST currently has 14 such projects with a total workforce of over 1,000 people. When ready, people are assisted to move onto paid employment elsewhere through a programme of work placements with other employers and support with the job application process.
- FST Abbevilles
- FST @ Ardenleigh
- FST Barnet
- FST Berkshire
- FST Bexley
- FST @ Charles House
- FST Enfield
- FST Haringey
- FST Lambeth
- FST Main Office
- FST Merseyside
- FST Salford
- FST Sheffield
- SMaRT
FST Abbevilles
(Mental health and learning disability) Restaurant open to the public for lunch, Monday to Friday and also available for private functions in the evening and weekend on request. The project also specialises in outside catering for both large and small events.
FST @ Ardenleigh
(Medium secure unit) Work project set within a medium secure unit for women and adolescents, providing car valeting, finance and administration skills, painting and decorating, gardening, cleaning and shop work.
FST Barnet
(Mental health) Provides services in gardening, painting and decorating, removals and office work.
FST Berkshire
(High secure unit) Work project within the high secure environment of Broadmoor Hospital, providing contract facilities maintenance, design for print, promotional merchandise and office skills.
FST Bexley
(Mental health) Provides services in painting and decorating, minor building works, gardening and removals. FST Bexley also runs the South East Team.
FST @ Charles House
(Medium secure unit) Provides support for people moving on from the unit into work and educational opportunities in the community, for example, our FST SMaRT project.
FST Enfield
(Mental health) Provides garden maintenance, hard landscaping, painting, decorating and small building works, supported by office team developing skills in IT, financial controls and general administration.
FST Haringey
(Mental health) Provides services in painting and decorating, removals, garden maintenance, office services.
FST Lambeth
(Mental health and learning disability) Provides services in painting and decorating, removals, garden landscaping and maintenance.
FST Main Office
(Drug and alcohol problems/mental health) FST administrative centre, servicing the projects, run as a work project, providing work experience and training in IT, administration, finance and office skills. Qualifications available in IT, communications and application of numbers.
FST Merseyside
(Medium secure unit) Work project in medium secure setting in St Helens, providing snack bar, car valeting, painting and decorating, gardening and office administration.
FST Salford
(Medium secure unit) Work project in medium secure setting in Salford providing print design and desk top publishing, snack bar, contract cleaning, finance and office skills. Also work based training qualifications in health and safety, food hygiene and NVQ business administration.
FST Sheffield
(Mental health) Provides services in gardening, painting and decorating, contract cleaning and removals.
SMaRT
(Long-term unemployed, mental health, disabilities, medium secure services) Work project providing MOT's, garage services and the recycling of end of life vehicles. Also City and Guilds qualifications in automotive skills, pre-employment, health and safety and office administration.
If you would like to get in touch, Contact us