Team Domenica

Team Domenica supports young people with learning disabilities aged 19-25 to acquire the skills, confidence and independence needed to gain paid employment, reach their full potential and find their place in society.

We provide a personalised and innovative programme of employment and training programmes to young people with a wide range of learning disabilities. All young people wishing to access our service must have an EHCP.

Our project is based in Brighton & Hove and we serve the wider area of Sussex; including Brighton & Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex.

Supported Employment Programme
A candidate's first year is all about preparing them for the world of work by building their confidence, resilience and the flexibility needed for real life situations. Our varied and dynamic programme includes:  

1. Training Centre - Candidates spend one day a week in the classroom at our Training Centre working towards a numeracy, literacy and employment qualifications. They learn key skills such as money-handling, communication, and customer service to serve as a foundation for future learning.

2. Work Experience - Each candidate also completes up to 18 weeks of external work experience - exploring what is right for them and what is not - whilst providing the soft skills, technical ability and confidence to take the next step towards employment.

3. Enrichment - We work with voluntary groups and community activity providers to provide a variety of engaging sessions, including drama, cricket, yoga, and art – all aimed at building self-confidence, resilience, teamwork, and other skills transferable to the workplace.

4. Training Cafés - All of these experiences are complemented by 240 hours of practical training per candidate in our four Training Cafés. Weekly training provides an opportunity to properly reinforce new learning, to build on their confidence, increase their independence; and continually develop new technical skills in a supported, real-world environment.

Supported Internship Programme

In their second year, candidates move onto the supported internship programme with a view to gaining paid work with one of partnered employers. We consider each candidates strengths and interests individually and aim to match them as closely as possible to a suitable role and work environment. Each candidate is supported by a dedicated job coach who works on-site with both the candidate and the employer. We have a 75% of success rate of moving our young people into paid work.

Wrap around Programme

When a candidate progresses into employment, we continue to offer a high level of support. In the early stages of employment, our job coaches continue to support candidates in work. Candidates access 1-1 mentoring and a weekly drop-in service to stay connected with Team Domenica. Gradually, we reduce our contact, but we are committed to sustaining employment and remain available for life. Over 95% of our young people are still in paid employment after a year.

Our training centre is based on Preston Road in Brighton. This is where candidates attend classes with our experienced teachers assisted by our training mentors. We are also able to offer SALT/OT/Drama Therapy on an individual basis if required.

Candidates receive skills training in one of our three public training cafes in Brighton & Hove:

Preston Circus
Plus X co-working space, Lewes Road
Hove Library

Candidates also gain experience in our cafeteria at St John's School and College. 

We work with 50 employer partners across Sussex to provide varied work experience and supported internships.

We work with a multitude of different providers and voluntary groups at our enrichment programme, currently this site is based in the local community in Hove.

Our Training Mentors and Cafe Training Assistants provide specialised training and support to the young people that access our service, ensuring that they have the brightest futures possible.

Our candidates are frequently involved in product development for goods that we sell in our cafes and online.

We also offer Day Service places to candidates over the age of 25. Candidates on our day service can access training in one of our cafes, or in our coffee roastery - the first roastery in the UK run by young people with learning disabilities.