On Tuesday 17th May 2022 we attended the Surrey Choices Celebrating Success Awards at Denbies Wine Estate. These awards highlight the achievements of the young people and adults supported by Surrey Choices and recognise employers and organisations who have created opportunities for their clients to develop their skills.
Surrey Choices provide a range of support services to improve the independence, confidence and life skills of people with a range of disabilities and support needs, whatever their age, in their local community.
It was therefore with great pride that we accepted the ‘Working in Partnership with Employers Award’ alongside Rural Life Living Museum. To be recognised for our work with Surrey Choices means a lot to us and we work hard to ensure that our volunteer experience is as inclusive as possible. The judges commented that:
“Stripey Stork are extremely understanding of the needs of disabled and autistic people. People can volunteer when they want, and they make adjustments to allow people to do this. They use visual aids to help volunteers know what tasks to do. The signs are there to ensure no one becomes confused or forgets what to do. The team listens to the needs of each volunteer and comes up with solutions to ensure that everyone can join in. The judges were impressed at how this organisation is seeking to create an inclusive workplace for people of all abilities. They found the use of visual signage particularly inspiring.”
Through our relationship with Surrey Choices, we have been able to match some of their young people to placements with us for work experience and regular volunteering. It has been a pleasure to see how they’ve become involved with our work in the community as well as in the warehouse, contributing to our campaigns with their friends and families. You can read about how Stripey Stork helped Michelle progress to paid employment and how Edward made a difference in his community
Thank you to Surrey Choices for this recognition, and to all our team and volunteers who create the welcoming and supportive atmosphere.
If you are interested in volunteering with Stripey Stork then please visit our website and get in touch, we would love to hear from you.
