Visiting Social Enterprise Paperworks’ Showcase

I recently visited Paperworks, an invaluable social enterprise in Leeds whose focus is to deliver a social benefit to adults with learning and physical disabilities, autism and mental health needs-hey refer to as their trainees. Paperworks seek to provide their trainees with a solid grounding to learn new skills, progress at their own pace and enjoy being in a shared work environment. They are always supported by a team of experienced and nurturing staff (below) whilst learning new skills and making friends.

The enterprise’s trainees enjoy working on a wide range of fulfilment opportunities with 12 commercial clients (the colourful rooms you see here in the city centre, are adjacent to a warehouse the team are based from), where trainees complete jobs such as daily orders, packaging, labelling, and assembly.

These tasks not only provide valuable hands-on experience for the many trainees who come through their doors but it also helps them to develop practical skills, as well as learning teamwork and achieving a sense of accomplishment while contributing to professional business operations.

There’s a magic to Paperwoks, the care and passion the staff and volunteers have for helping the trainees learn important work and life skills respectively, is palpable.

Founded and run by formidable CEO, Joanne Forsey, who has decades of experience in the charity, business and early years sectors, with the brilliant Yamin Malik leading events, Paperworks is a business making a vital difference to the lives of everyone involved. The staff, the trainees and their friends and families too.

Walking around the exhibition I wa captivated by the imaginative and vibrant art work. Highlights were the bright butterfly wings, the silhouette sketches, and vast animal paintings, sculptures and collages.

Not only is Paperworks an enterprise providing trainees with an opportunity to learn, grow and experience work at a professional standard but they’re also expanded into creating their own brand, A Little Bird Told Me dedicated to producing a range of gift and wellbeing products designed in tandem with the trainees.

Last Saturday we celebrated the launch of their first product under the new umbrealla: an educational superhero craft box for children called You Can Build A Superteam the trainees and staff had collectively devised. We were also treated to a fashion show thematically tied into the game with the trainees strutting the catwalk in superhero style outfits they’d made.

The new offering would make a great addition to the curriculum in schools and also a wonderful gift.

A box bursting with hands-on activities, this imagination-booster encourages children to design their own superhero characters with masks and headquarters no less, before embarking on confidence-building missions with themed activities on a fully customisable board.

Kids can also develop storytelling skills, improve their problem-solving prowess and enjoy active superhero training tasks to help strengthen their physical and mental wellbeing. How utterly fab!

Vibrant, smart and quality tested, all of the trainees’ work, from working with stationery companies and fulfilling orders, to painting and now creating games was deeply inspiring! Like my fellow attendees, I felt so incredibly proud of the trainees’ dedication, talent and determination, and of course, the staff supporting them.

Thank you so much for inviting me to your launch, Paperworks!

Photos shared with permission.

Do please contact Paperworks if you know a trainee who might be interested in joining the enterprise and working in the fulfilment centre, or if you’re a brand looking to work with Paperworks to fulfil your orders.

Equally, if you’re a member of the press, happy to shine a light on their important work, do also get in touch. Thank you.