Step-Up programme rolled out for a second year at Royal & Derngate

Royal & Derngate is again working in partnership with Northgate School Arts College to provide work experience for young people with learning disabilities and ASD, as part of the Step-Up programme of volunteering.

The scheme can support up to 12 young people a year, taking on front house roles at the theatre which are tailored to their individual skills and needs. The aim is to provide them with invaluable experience, building up self-confidence and developing new skills, which will help them move on to paid employment.

Trudi Daurie from Northgate College commented: "Step-Up offers our students an opportunity to volunteer in a supported environment within the Royal & Derngate theatre. They are supported by a team of mentors to learn new skills within customer service and hospitality. Having a partnership like this means such a lot to us as this programme has allowed our students to believe that anything is possible. We are so grateful for this opportunity and for the support of the staff at Royal & Derngate.”

Leanna Harradine, Customer Experience Manager at Royal & Derngate added: “It’s been really rewarding for our teams to work with the young people from Northgate College. The ultimate goal of the scheme is to help them to develop the skills and confidence needed to gain paid employment, and the success of the scheme has been proved by two of last year’s participants securing posts as part of the theatre’s Customer Experience Team this autumn.”

Based in Kingsthorpe, Northgate School Arts College (Academy Trust) is a special secondary school for pupils aged 11-18, incorporating The Bee Hive, Sweet Bee and The Place to Bee. These innovative and inspirational businesses provide the students with real-life work-based learning opportunities.