08/04/2026
🌳Developing skills and independence through work experience!
We’re proud to share a brilliant first work experience session at St Martins House for Gillingham students Lillie and Saffron. Both students have been able to take skills they’ve learnt in our hospitality training kitchen and pop-up cafés, and apply them to a real work setting.
For their first session just before the Easter break, they got straight to work, starting by cleaning, and preparing the dining area before carefully setting tables for lunch. This included placing cutlery, serviettes, condiments, and organising water jugs and glasses for residents.
They then spent time in the coffee lounge meeting residents, building confidence in a real workplace setting and developing their communication skills. In the kitchen, they supported with washing up, learned how the dishwasher works, and shown important processes such as oven use and temperature recording.
🗣“It was great to see Lillie growing in confidence - asking and answering questions and engaging positively throughout the session. Saffron showed a brilliant attitude, getting stuck in straight away and sharing that she really enjoyed the experience.” – Natalie, Tutor
This session supported a range of positive outcomes, including:
✅Developing communication and social interaction skills
✅Following instructions and completing tasks within set timeframes
✅Building independence and confidence in a workplace environment
A brilliant start for both students - we’re looking forward to seeing their continued progress and will check-in again before the end of the new term!
Magna Housing
