SPPOT’s Purpose & Vision
SPPOT is a unique, dynamic Community Interest Company (CIC) founded in 2013. Our purpose is to enable people who have disabilities and long-term health conditions to access high-quality, exciting opportunities in the field of dog care, training & walking.
We operate under the Social Model of Disability, which means we focus on removing the environmental, organisational, and attitudinal barriers that prevent our participants from succeeding, rather than trying to ”fix’ people.
We are a fully inclusive, intergenerational service, providing progressive day services for adults and work-based training for young people.
In turn, we provide a “Kind and Fair” service to our community—offering high-quality dog walking and bespoke dog daycare to customers who may struggle to exercise their dogs due to their own illness or disability.
Your Work Experience Placement
We mainly provide Work Experience Placement for Pembrokeshire College students who are studying either animal care or health and social care.
We also provide other types of work experience placements
Whichever course you are on at the college, there will be elements of both dog care and social care in your placement.
As we all have to start somewhere in the working world, you will find yourself tasked with a fair amount of housekeeping and you will also be helping with dog training sessions, dog care and dog walking.
Induction Training
Your induction training will take you through all the health and safety, fire procedures, where you can find everything, using the building safely and dog handling skills.
Rachael (or Kath or Vicki if Rachael is off) will go through the training with you.
Work Experience Work Plan
Rach
Your Training & Support at SPPOT
Rachael is our Work Experience Placement Coordinator.
Rachael works every day.
Rachael will greet you on your first day and show you around, introduce you to everyone and do your induction training.
It is Rachael’s job to ensure you are happy and feel supported at SPPOT, so all Work Experience trainees are encouraged to seek Rachael out if they need help with anything.
You can also ask Kerri (Manager – either in the office or at the coffee machine), Vicki and Kath (usually in the building or on dog walks) or any of the staff for help with anything.
The kind of activities you can expect to be involved in
- Helping with dog training like clicker training sessions, agility, scent work and much more.
- Helping with games and team activities like enrichment for the dogs and wildlife projects.
- Going on dog walks, sometimes all over the county.
- Housekeeping, gardening, cleaning.
Morning Activity Programme
Every day at SPPOT is a little bit different, as different dogs and people join us each day, but there’s a good structure to each day:
8am We open for dogs & early staff & volunteers start, Tasks Timeline [housekeeping]
9am More staff and volunteers arrive to look after and play with the dogs.
10am All dogs and people have arrived.
10.15am Team Morning Meeting using our interactive, pictorial planner on our SmartBoard
10.15-12pm Active dog training sessions, accredited training and dog walking
Afternoon Activity Programme
12pm-1pm Lunctime & Dog Care: half an hour break and half an hour dog care, Tasks Timeline
After lunch, it’s a little more chilled……
1pm-2pm Active dog training sessions, accredited training and dog walking
2pm-3pm Enrichment for dogs & Wellbeing time for people, Team Meetings, Planning Sessions
3pm-4pm Enrichment for dogs & Wellbeing time for people, Staff Meeting, Tasks Timeline
4pm-6pm Dogs and people start to go home, relaxation time, admin sessions for staff
Our Expecations of Work Experience Trainees
- That you work in partnership with us.
- That you treat all the dogs and people with respect, kindness and fairness
- That you work hard and if you finish a job, you ask for another
- That you do not sit down and do nothing, or go on your phone, unless it’s a break or lunchtime.
- That you listen, follow directions and ask for help when you need it.
What you can expect from SPPOT
- That we will work in partnership with you.
- That we will treat you with respect, kindness and fairness
- That we will show you how to work hard.
- We will provide training, direction and support.
- An enjoyable, fun placement where you should learn a lot about the world of social care and working with dogs.
How a Work Experience Placement can help you
Our Intern Programmes
Of course, placements are to help you complete your college course
They also teach you about the world of work after education
They also help you to understand what the current realities for education leavers in the UK are. These have changed a lot since many of the staff at SPPOT started work.
To further help young people leaving education, or those taking a gap year, or under-graduates or post-grads, we offer volunteer internships to provide you with further training and experience working with dogs and/or people. As an Agored Cymru Training Centre, it may be possible to gain accreditations in dog care and training as well.
These can be for 1-12 months depending on your needs and availability of places.
Please talk to Rachael, Kerri, Vicki or Kath if a volunteer internship would be of interest to you.
What You Should Bring: Clothing
You may have noticed that it rains quite a lot in Pembrokshire!
Therefore, whatever the season, please bring a waterproof coat and wellies or walking boots. In winter, a warm coat, layers, gloves and hat are all recommended as dogs need a walk, whatever the the weather.
Jeans, leggings, t-shirt, sweatshirts, trainers etc are fine for everyday wear.
We have a cloakroom where you can put your things.
Here’s some things to avoid though:
- Open toed/heeled shoes of any sort
- Vest tops
- Skirts, dresses
- Earrings or any jewellery that a dog could get caught in and cause you injury
What You Should Bring: Lunch
Lunchtimes are:
1st lunch: 12pm-12.30pm
2nd lunch: 12.30pm-1pm
Staff will tell you which lunch you are on.
We suggest bringing a cold packed lunch and drink because although we have two microwaves and two kettles, there is often a queue to use these.
Hours of Work
We are open from 8am-6pm Monday to Friday
Work experience trainees are encouraged to work a full 8 hour day, as this is a normal working day.
However, we do understand that many will need to use college transport and work those hours instead.
Please let us know what days and hours you will work and stick to those.
If you are unwell or unable to come in for any reason, please phone 01437 767648 or email enquiries@sppot.co.uk to let us know before you are due to start work
