The Dressing Room and Meeting Rooms Redesign
The Dressing Room provides a collection of quality clothing, free of charge, to job seekers. Designed to empower individuals as they prepare for job interviews and their first months at work.
Tania Gouveia (Senior Employment Support Officer) says “we believe that everyone deserves to look and feel their best, regardless of finances. From suits to dresses, shirts to shoes, we’re here to help individuals overcome the barriers of unsuitable clothing and footwear."
Our heartfelt thanks go to the local Coop for donating uniform, which inspired the idea for The Dressing Room. With their commitments to community and sustainability, the Coop reached out to GET to explore if we could make use of uniform stock following a switch to a new uniform
GET’s commitment to inclusivity extends beyond clothing, as Nikki Ioannou-Droushiotis (Chief Executive) explains “We’ve made significant changes to our premises to ensure everyone feels motivated and welcome. And this wouldn’t have been possible without the support and vision of Claire and Maisie from Clermont Interiors. In late 2023, after seeing a third sector space which had been redecorated, we reached out to Clermont Interiors to see if they could provide our offices at the Fort Complex with a similar make-over. We are overjoyed with the final result which ticked all the boxes from the brief.”
The project has also received a glowing endorsement from Nigel Humphreys, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, who said: “The Guernsey Employment Trust have gone above and beyond in providing an environment that feels safe, welcoming and inclusive. The design of the space and the incredible Dressing Room communicates a sense of value to clients and the level of support afforded to some of the most vulnerable people in our community is amazing. They have created a lovely trauma-informed space and are backing it up with a trauma-informed staff ethos.”
The redesign improved accessibility by:
- Creating a usable Dressing Room space – rather than clothes being hidden away in boxes
- Improving accessibility for individuals with a visual impairment –providing colour contrast between the walls and doors
- Enhancing mobility access – providing a handrail for a stepped area
- Improving the experience for both clients and staff with autism – enhancing the acoustics and removing sounds that can cause overstimulation
- Using trauma informed design – using calming colours and spaces that remind visitors of home, to encourage engagement
While the work of Guernsey Employment Trust is about supporting disabled and neurodivergent people into employment, the purpose of this is to support individuals to belong, thrive and be included in society. The launch of the Dressing Room and the improvement to the premises act as a practical example of this purpose; supporting clients and staff, providing an inspiring and welcoming environment that accommodates as many people as possible.