Ellon Day Opportunities Skills Development and Training

People who use Ellon Day Opportunities can take part in the day services' projects. These projects can help you develop and learn new skills, providing work experience and training opportunities in real working environments in the local community. They can help increase your self-confidence, make you feel respected and valued, give you a sense of achievement and responsibility and build social relationships.

Our projects are:

Ellon Can-Do community recycling project

Ellon Can-Do Small Logo.jpgEllon Can-Do Community Recycling is a training project giving adults with learning disabilities the opportunity to gain work experience in a safe and supported environment. It runs five days a week.

The project:

  • collects and recycles aluminium drinks cans from the local area
  • grows plants in our polytunnel for sale
  • dismantles wreathes for recycling
  • collects and composts food waste from businesses around Ellon
  • makes crafts for sale in the Pop-up shop

Project members can take part in different tasks in the week, including: 

  • going out in the van collecting cans
  • weighing and recording the bags of cans
  • washing and checking plant pots
  • filling pots and potting up plants
  • watering the plants
  • collecting food waste locally
  • learning customer skills
  • using the Pop-up shop cash register
  • keeping the unit clean using the power washer
  • washing the van

Staff provide training on the use of appropriate personal protective equipment and the machinery.

Team working is encouraged. You can complete tasks as part of a group or independently. Independent travel, using public transport to and from the project, is also encouraged.

Call 01358 722517 for more information about Ellon Can-Do.

Benchmark woodwork project 

Benchmark is a woodwork project for adults with learning disabilities. The project manufactures wooden items, such as garden furniture, made to the customer’s requirements.

Project members have the opportunity to:

  • meet customers
  • be involved in making the orders
  • deliver the finished items to the customer
  • develop skills such as using tools, product packaging and customer care

There may be additional tasks at certain times of the year such as refurbishing outdoor garden furniture. This involves sanding items, doing any maintenance needed, before painting or varnishing the item.

The kindling project collects wooden pallets locally, which are dismantled then chopped into kindling before being packed into net bags and sold.

Call 01358 729999 for more information about Benchmark.

Training Kitchen

The Training Kitchen gives adults with learning disabilities experience of preparing and serving snacks and light lunches in a safe, supportive environment.

Activities include:

  • preparing meals - chopping fruit and vegetables, preparing basic hot meals and making sandwiches
  • following Confidence to Cook recipes
  • preparing their own lunches
  • learning basic cooking skills
  • general cleaning duties

The project helps develop skills in customer service, team working and time keeping. It also increases understanding of healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle.

The Training Kitchen is based in Ellon Resource Centre.

Ellon Editors

Ellon Editors provides skills development opportunities for adults with learning disabilities interested in computers. Project members produce a monthly news magazine for the Resource Centre.

Ellon Editors:

  • support members with publishing, photography and filming projects
  • provides training and experience on computers, Smart Board, photography, making videos and using other IT equipment
  • help networking with other community groups
  • raise awareness of local issues to people using the service
  • identify individual strengths and includes these in the group’s activities
  • helps develop team working and planning skills
  • promotes working to deadlines

Ellon Editors is based in Ellon Resource Centre.

Pop-up shop

The Pop-up shop project provides training opportunities for adults with learning disabilities who are interested in developing retail skills. It sells fruit, vegetables, fair trade foods and gifts. Trainees help set the shop up, serve customers, take payments and pack goods away at closing time.

The shop helps participants develop skills in customer service, numeracy and money handling. It is open one day a week in Ellon Library.

Gardening group

The Gardening group provides opportunities for adults with learning disabilities to develop basic gardening skills. Members help tend the community garden at Ellon Community Campus.

Activities include:

  • planting seeds and plants
  • potting on
  • watering
  • weeding
  • growing and tending flowers, fruit and vegetables in the polytunnel

The group helps develop skills in gardening, promoting health and wellbeing and maintaining an active lifestyle.

The project is seasonal, running one day a week from April to October.