Life Skills
The menu of options in Innovation Bridge is plentiful. We provide a bridge with local agencies that provide essential life and social skills to many individuals with disabilities. Some facilities support is given to access include the bank, post office, library, Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), Education Training Board (ETB), Word Aid, Kilkenny/Carlow Area Supported Employability Service (KCASES), and Kilkenny Leader Partnership (KLP). These services provide vital community supports in the Kilkenny area, and to our participants on a daily basis.
Quotes From Our Participants
‘I got my job in Zuni’s through Innovation Bridge. I work 3 days a week and volunteer in Jack and Jill charity shop’ Kathleen Gittens
‘My business idea took off with the help of Tanya and the other staff. I’m now a successful craftsman’
Conor Paybody
‘I like the money management course, it helps me with budgeting and banking’
Darragh Hayden
‘My favourite thing about Innovation Bridge is that it’s a easy going place to be, I don’t feel any pressure’
Donnie Trant
‘I work in Zuni’s and I help the staff with opening up and closing in the evening, I love coming to the Bridge’
Darren O Meara
Employment Support
Innovation Bridge largely aims to support participants with achieving meaningful employment. Kingsriver has worked hard to develop a number of relationships with business owners around the Kilkenny area. These relationships provide strong avenues and opportunities to aid participants with finding work. To date, Innovation Bridge has provided support and advice for the majority of their participants in achieving employment.
Financial Advice
Financial education and money management are important life skills for any individual. In Innovation Bridge, staff help to develop these areas on topics ranging from banking to budgeting. Receiving this type of support helps develop a further degree of autonomy and independence for participants. Having this type of relationship with Kingsriver allows them to have a degree of certainty, and an element of safe haven in the day to day challenges of their life.
Social Skills Development
Above all else one of Innovation Bridges key functions is to provide a social hub for participants. It acts as a meeting point for many friends and as a community hub to make new ones. These social interactions provide vital development to social elements of individuals lives.
