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Next Steps Developments is a charity (registered charity no. 118222) which works with adults with learning disabilities, mental health illness and other additional needs. They have a workshop, laser room, café and showroom in their base in St George’s Road in Yeo Vale where they provide training and practical work experience for learners. Training covers important day to day things which their clients struggle with and which most people take for granted, like time keeping, handling money, talking people they do not know and holding eye contact. Each learner has different requirements so their individual development plans reflect this.
The café is called The Wooden Bowl, shown in the photograph. There is a bespoke T shirt printing enterprise that works alongside the Laser Printing room. They also have a site in Ashford with more advanced woodworking machinery on which advanced learners will be trained. The charity works closely with a local small farm for those who thrive in an outdoor environment. There is also a charity shop in Boutport Street in Barnstaple where learners work alongside volunteers and an allotment at Higher Raleigh Road to allow them to grow their own vegetables.