A local volunteer from Neath Port Talbot has been recognised for her learning achievements at the annual Neath Port Talbot Community Learning Awards ceremony.
Amy, who attends Bspoked Enterprises; the Council’s employment and training service for adults with disabilities, was nominated for ‘Young Adult Learner of the Year 2018’. Chosen from many students, Amy made a final shortlist of 3 students and was awarded a finalist’s certificate for recognition to her learning achievements.
Reflecting on making the final, Amy said:
‘I tried my best and I will keep working hard. I’ve come a long way and I’m really proud of myself’
Amy’s journey to making the final has proved that with hard work and commitment you can fulfil your potential.
Amy first started at Bspoked Enterprises in June 2015, working in various workshops such as; craft, wood, bikes, catering and glass at the service; learning how to make products to be sold through the onsite store and website.
Initially, Amy had no aspirations to learn, was low on confidence and had no interest in progressing into an employment or volunteering opportunity.
After noticing Amy’s talent and versatility, the Council’s Employment and Training Liaison Officer encouraged her to further develop her skills through enrolling her on a reading and writing ‘Return 2 Learn’ course at Neath Port Talbot College; this improved Amy’s confidence and led to her expanding her role by gaining an administrative placement within the Bspoked Enterprises office. Amy started to go from strength to strength, gaining a number of qualifications in first aid, manual handling and food safety.
With encouragement from the staff at Bspoked Enterprises, Amy decided she was ready to take the next step in her journey and devote some of her spare time to volunteering in the local community. After sourcing a suitable placement, Amy started volunteering with Taffy’s Disco, a local community group for adults with disabilities.
Jacky Saunders, the organiser of Taffy’s Disco, said:
“Amy is very hard working; nothing is too much trouble for her. I couldn’t run Taffy’s without Amy’s help! She really is a remarkable person and I am very proud of her”
Councillor Peter Richards, cabinet member for adult social care and health, said:
“I’d like to congratulate Amy on both her learning achievements and securing a volunteer placement at Taffy’s Disco.
“The Council is committed to providing opportunities for adults with disabilities so that they are able to develop the skills and confidence to reach their full potential. Amy’s journey during her time at Bspoked Enterprises is a perfect example of how we are able to do this.”
The Neath Abbey based service currently works with over 152 adults with disabilities to build confidence, develop employment skills and become more independent through creating handcrafted products. All of the products at Bspoked Enterprises are handmade and are upcycled from materials such as glass bottles, clothing fabrics, wooden pallets and bicycle parts.
For more information about Bspoked Enterprises and to browse through their gift range, visit www.bspokedenterprises.co.uk or follow them on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bspokedenterprises .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cydnabuwyd cyflawniadau dysgu gwirfoddolwr o Gastell-nedd Port Talbot yn seremoni flynyddol Gwobrau Dysgu Cymunedol Castell-nedd Port Talbot.
Enwebwyd Amy, sy'n mynd i Bspoked Enterprises, sef gwasanaeth hyfforddiant a chyflogaeth y cyngor i oedolion ag anableddau, ar gyfer y wobr 'Dysgwr sy'n Oedolyn Ifanc y Flwyddyn 2018'. Wedi'i dewis o dros 100 o fyfyrwyr, cyrhaeddodd Amy y rhestr fer derfynol o 3 myfyriwr ac enillodd dystysgrif o gydnabyddiaeth ar gyfer ei chyflawniadau dysgu.
Gan fyfyrio ar gyrraedd y rownd derfynol, meddai Amy,
'Roeddwn i wedi gwneud fy ngorau a byddaf yn parhau i weithio'n galed. Rwyf wedi dod yn bell a dwi'n falch iawn ohonof fi fy hun'
Mae taith Amy i'r rownd derfynol wedi profi y gallwch gyflawni'ch potensial gyda gwaith caled ac ymroddiad.
Dechreuodd Amy yn Bspoked Enterprises ym mis Mehefin 2015 gan weithio yng ngweithdai crefft, pren, beiciau a thecstilau amrywiol y gwasanaeth a chan ddysgu sut i wneud cynnyrch i'w gwerthu drwy'r siop ar y safle a'r wefan.
I ddechrau, nid oedd gan Amy unrhyw ddyheadau i ddysgu, nid oedd ganddi lawer o hyder ac nid oedd ganddi unrhyw ddiddordeb mewn manteisio ar gyfle cyflogaeth neu wirfoddoli.
Ar ôl sylwi ar dalent a doniau helaeth Amy, penderfynodd swyddog cyswllt hyfforddiant a chyflogaeth y cyngor i'w hannog i ddatblygu ei sgiliau ymhellach trwy ei chofrestru ar gyfer cwrs darllen ac ysgrifennu 'Return 2 Learn' yng Ngholeg Castell-nedd Port Talbot. Gwellodd hyder Amy trwy hyn, ac aeth ati i ehangu ei rôl trwy gael lleoliad gweinyddol yn swyddfa Bspoked Enterprises. Aeth Amy o nerth i nerth drwy ennill nifer o gymwysterau cymorth cyntaf, trafod â llaw a diogelwch bwyd.
Gydag anogaeth gan staff Bspoked Enterprises, penderfynodd Amy ei bod hi'n barod i gymryd y cam nesaf ar ei thaith a rhoi peth o'i hamser rhydd er mwyn gwirfoddoli yn y gymuned leol. Ar ôl dod o hyd i leoliad addas, dechreuodd Amy wirfoddoli â Disgo Taffy, grwp cymunedol lleol i oedolion ag anableddau.
Meddai Jacky Saunders, trefnydd Disgo Taffy,
"Mae Amy'n gweithio'n galed iawn ac nid oes unrhyw beth yn ormod o drafferth iddi. Ni allwn gynnal Disgo Taffy's heb gymorth Amy! Mae'n berson anhygoel ac rwy'n hynod falch ohoni!"
Meddai'r Cynghorydd Peter Richards, Aelod y Cabinet dros Ofal Cymdeithasol i Oedolion ac Iechyd,
"Hoffwn longyfarch Amy ar ei chyflawniadau dysgu ac am sicrhau lleoliad gwirfoddoli yn Nisgo Taffy.
"Mae'r cyngor yn ymrwymedig i ddarparu cyfleoedd i oedolion ag anableddau fel y gallant ddatblygu eu sgiliau a'u hyder er mwyn cyflawni eu potensial llawn. Mae taith Amy yn ystod ei hamser gyda Bspoked Enterprises yn enghraifft berffaith o sut gallwn wneud hyn."
Mae'r gwasanaeth, sydd wedi'i leoli ym Mynachlog Nedd, yn gweithio gyda thros 152 o oedolion ag anableddau ar hyn o bryd ac mae'n eu helpu i fagu hyder, datblygu sgiliau cyflogaeth a dod yn fwy annibynnol trwy greu cynnyrch â llaw. Gwneir pob eitem yn Bspoked Enterprises â llaw a chânt eu huwchgylchu gan ddefnyddio deunyddiau megis poteli gwydr, deunyddiau dillad, paledi pren a rhannau o feiciau.
I gael mwy o wybodaeth am Bspoked Enterprises ac i gael cip ar yr amrywiaeth o anrhegion sydd ar gael, ewch i www.bspokedenterprises.co.uk neu dilynwch www.facebook.com/bspokedenterprises ar Facebook.
More stories