Social Impact
Learn more about how Paws & Pause is making a change to your local community
Paws & Pause is a social enterprise dog daycare centre, established in 2019, which offers Trainee Placements to people who are unemployed with experience of mental ill health an substance use, to gain confidence for a return to work.
Our Mission, Vision & Values
Vision
People living with mental ill health and substance misuse addictions to have access to a choice of employment and training support in an environment that works for them.
Combining recovery with personal development, improved wellbeing and canine care. To be a leader in social enterprise dog daycare and dog care initiatives.
Mission
To provide a premium dog day care service that focuses on fun and trust.
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To provide training and employment opportunities in a therapeutic and dog based workplace to support people into their next steps of work or further education or self employment.
Values
Fun - We believe in creating a fun environment for dogs, staff and trainees!
Safe & Supportive - a safe place for dogs and our trainees to learn.
Community - we care about being local and the impact we have on our community
Innovative - Our approach to a new kind of city-daycare and our approach to employability is breaking the mould.
Diversity & Inclusion
We strive to have a team which is actively inclusive and values how a diverse workforce strengthens a team.
We aim to create an inclusive working environment where individuals are celebrated and we can also create and support opportunities for those who may not be in a position to usually start careers in the pet care industry.
Objectives
â–¸ Provide a caring and loving environment for the dogs
Ensure the highest safety and welfare standards for dogs
â–¸ Engage with people with Mental Health and Substance Misuse difficulties
â–¸ Provide routine, confidence transferrable skills for volunteers
â–¸ Reduce unemployment in those living with mental illness
70-90%
of people with mental ill health would like to work, but only
37%
are in paid employment. For people with severe mental ill health, this falls to 7%.
Getting back into employment increases the likelihood of reporting improved health (from poor to good) almost threefold, and boosts quality of life almost twofold.
Trainee Demographics
What the starting point is like for our Trainees
"I felt like I'd always be on benefits
and couldn't see how I could manage getting back to work, but now I see a future and I'm starting a part time job after being here for 3 months!"
"Starting this was massive for me.
I was really really anxious about even traveling there."
"Before I started here I struggled to have faith in anything I did and found it hard to interact with others,
but the team has always supported me and accepted me which has helped me to accept myself."
"This opportunity helped me regain the sense of structure in my life,
as well as a sense of responsibility and connection, which came from working in a team and being trusted with day care tasks."
Employability Model
The Why, What and How of 'Feeling' Employable
Our programme combines hands on experience in our doggy day care, with mentoring and a place to understand how to get back to work. We develop skills such as personal training budget and practice the practicality of being in a workplace – such as time keeping and organisation.
WHY do we focus on
feeling employable?
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Managing health with work
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Feel that employment is a viable option
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Able to commit and attend something
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Understanding what you're good at
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Having a plan/direction
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​Having responsibility
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Having self worth
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Connection
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Resilience and tools to work through problems
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Communicating confidently and appropriately
WHAT does it mean to
feel employable?
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Attend placement regularly
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Identifying strengths
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Participate in Workshops
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Team activities and socials
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Engage in action planning & goal setting
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Engage with customers
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Overcome set backs
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Achieving something
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Lead on tasks and projects
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Reflect on progress
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Build connection with team & dogs
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Problem solve when challenges arise
HOW does a trainee
feel employable?
Paws & Pause provides a place for trainees to build on the HOW within our daycare setting, alongside the dogs and team.
This is supported by 1-1 mentoring, employability and personal development workshops, team activities and the completion of our Workbook to compliment each placement.
Check out what some of our previous Trainees have had to say after completing the programme!