WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Protective Workshops

The workshops accommodate departments for ceramics, woodwork, metalwork, handwork, art therapy and a nursery. Residents are evaluated and placed in the workshops in accordance with their aptitude, interest and choice. Every effort is made to rehabilitate and train them to progress to greater independence; if possible to place them back into the community. A system was develped to measure a person’s work and production level to evaluate progress and identify training needs.

Protective Workshops are areas where adults with limited work abilities can participate in work activities that are adapted to their level of functioning. Some workers can deliver 50% to 80% of the open labour market production norms whereas other workers can only deliver 30% to 50% production. These lower functioning workers are accommodated in the workshop in activity groups where the focus lies more with therapy than production.

Key principles in the workshop policy:

1. Appropriate work and manufacturing activities are a human right for participants in the workshop.
2. Workers have the right to have access to appropriate and affordable evaluation and training in order to optimally develop their potential.
   
3. Workers have the right to work within their ability and potential.
   
4. Work is a powerful therapeutic tool to enhance quality of life.

Two challenges to be faced in a positive and creative way:

1. To manufacture products of high quality, and which can compete in the market place.
2. To meet deadlines for orders in such a way that will not put excessive pressure on the physical and mental endurance of multi-disabled Deaf workers
3. Work placement
   Deaf Disabled workers are placed at different levels for work in one of several workshops, where they have the potential for promotion. They earn according to their work and production levels. There are six work levels and each work level has 6 production levels. Records are kept of each person's work performance. Evaluation of each person is done to consider promotion and to identify any training and development needs that may arise.

Description of the workshops and activities

A variety of workshop activities are provided to accommodate the diverse needs and abilities of the multi-disabled Deaf workers. Currently Lewensruimte provides the following work and manufacturing activities:

• Woodwork.
  
• Ceramics and Art.
  
• Candle making.
  
• Handicraft
  
• Sandblasting.
  
• Needlework
  
• Work placement: house and kitchen cleaning, maintenance work, garden centre and open labour market.
• Contract Work
  

Visits to Workshops

Members of the public who wish to visit the workshops need to make an appointment to do so. Approval has to be received from the NID, and workshops should be notified early in advance. Tea and lunchtimes should be taken into consideration.