JAX Hair and Beauty in Moat Street, Donaghadee, has teamed up with the Orchardville charity to create an innovative training programme for seven budding salon assistants.
The Orchardville participants are Margaret Taylor from Donaghadee; Jenny McCleave, Victoria Ritchie, Rebecca Lowe and Rebecca McDowell from Bangor; and Zara Lemon and Amanda Leckey from Newtownards
The ‘JAX Creative Journey’ training course is now entering its second phase and is looking for ‘wash and blow dry’ customers.
Orchardville is committed to changing the lives of people with learning disability and autism. The charity and social enterprise believes that with the right support, any individual with a learning disability or autism can reach their full potential and achieve their employment aspirations.
Joan McGinn, chief executive, Orchardville, explains what the JAX Creative Journey training programme involves and how members of the public can support the participants:
“JAX Hair and Beauty in Donaghadee initially began working with Orchardville by providing a work placement for one day a week. Jacqueline Lightbody, the salon owner, then approached Orchardville to say she would like to work with us to deliver a bespoke training course.
“An eight-week training programme called the JAX Creative Journey was delivered to seven members of Orchardville’s Community Inclusion and Ignite 2 programmes last October. It focused on customer service, health and safety and hygiene, and covered practical skills such as learning how to gown up, how to wash and plait hair, how to set up a trolley and prepare for a colour. On the last week of the programme friends were invited to come in to the salon and have their hair washed and blow dried by the participants.”
Ms McGinn adds: “The second phase of a further four week training programme is now well under way. JAX Hair and Beauty has agreed that anyone who visits the salon on Monday 8th or 15th April can have a wash and blow-dry performed by one of our participants for a £5 donation to Orchardville.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jacqueline and her team for all the support that they are providing to these eight blossoming salon assistants. The skills they have acquired will make a tangible difference to their lives.”
To make an appointment for a ‘JAX Creative Journey’ wash and blow-dry simply call 028 91888199.
Jacqueline Lightbody, owner JAX Hair and Beauty Salon in Donaghadee congratulates the eight trainees:
“The enthusiasm of these seven salon assistants has been really inspiring. They have fully embraced the challenges that they’ve been given, and they’ve all shown an interest in learning more, which is why we developed a second phase of training.
“Their show of independence and their ability to retain all the information from the course four months ago has been overwhelming. They were keen to use their new skills for a good cause, so we are doing a series of wash and blow-dry days, where people will be asked to make a £5 donation to Orchardville charity, in return for a relaxing wash and blow-dry.”
Orchardville participant, Victoria Ritchie from Bangor discusses her experience of the training programme at the salon:
“I love doing people’s hair and working with Jacqui and her customers is good fun. I have learnt so much.”
Orchardville is a charity which supports people with learning disabilities and/or autism, providing accredited training and skills development. From its offices in East Belfast, Bangor, Lisburn and Derry it facilitates occupational and vocational skills, wellbeing support, skills for life and work, OCN (Open College Network) accredited training, school transitions services work placements and paid employment.
Orchardville ( www.orchardville.com ) supports over 500 local people to access employment opportunities every year, working with over 100 employers across Northern Ireland. As the charity has grown it has extended its services to South Eastern and Western Health & Social Care Trust areas.
JAX Hair and Beauty Salon’s address is 26A Moat St, Donaghadee BT21 0DA, T: 028 91888199 and website http://donaghadeehairandbeauty.co.uk/
MAIN IMAGE: Jacqueline Lightbody, owner JAX Hair and Beauty Salon in Donaghadee is pictured with (back row, l-r) Orchardville participant Victoria Ritchie from Bangor and Laura Jamison Orchardville’s Community Inclusion and Progression Coordinator.
