Stepping Stones
core subjects:
Our timetable is seasonal and changes with the seasons. Students choose what sessions they wish to be part of for each timetable. We work in an organic way at Stepping Stones and we often support students with bespoke projects.
Art
As well as a means of expression, art sessions are used as a framework for broader learning, as an opportunity to pursue individual projects and to work as part of a team with a common goal. In line with our aim of engaging with the public and meeting others, students and staff create art and craft items to develop into saleable products. For some students, art is central to their sense of self-worth and how they relate to the world.
We love to visit and be inspired by the many amazing galleries and exhibitions and we have recently held exhibitions at Anteros Art Foundation and had some of our students work on display at the Sainsbury Centre (where you can buy some of our products).
We collaborate each month working with the Sainsbury Centre where the students take part in focused art sessions with the learning & communities team.
Horticulture
At our onsite kitchen garden we grow fruit and veg that keeps our commercial kitchen well supplied with fresh produce, as well as the ornamental plants that we sell at our community cafe and local events during the year.
Our students help with all aspects of our allotment (a 5 minute walk at Cottage Farm) - from planning the beds, planting and potting on seeds, maintaining beds and improving soil quality, watering and growing. The allotment provides a great opportunity to spend time outdoors and encourage movement. It is seen by our students as a place of wellbeing and happiness.
Seed to Sales: A new initiative for 2026 is designed to teach students the complete life cycle of horticulture and retail. In this “full-circle” program, students learn to cultivate, harvest, and professionally arrange fresh-cut flowers for public sale, gaining a sense of pride as they see their hard work bloom into a commercial product. This is done at our allotment and onsite flower growing beds.
Catering
Our onsite, commercial kitchen is at the heart of much of what we do every day. Students learn to cook healthy and nutritious lunches, and make a range of preserves, using our colourful allotment & kitchen garden harvest. We also produce cakes to order and to sell at local events as part of our Enterprise Project. We are adventurous cooks, sampling food from all around the world and we enjoy creating our own dishes too.
The kitchen reaches out to our local community by inviting guest cooks to come and share favourite recipes and cook alongside our students, through our ‘Cooks in the Kitchen’ project. We also make cakes and savouries to sell at our Community Coffee Shop.
Media
Our regular blog posts, videos, music and photography all come together in our on site, dedicated Media Room. Here the students are supported to use a variety of digital media to share Stepping Stones’ news through our website, social media and local radio.
Students design, produce, film and edit commissioned videos along with creating stirring, bespoke soundtracks and scores. The students use specialist cameras and audio equipment to capture their work before editing it using film and music software.
In our Media Room we have a recording booth where the students can record vocals and play instruments to a professional level.
Life Skills
At Stepping Stones there are many ways for our students to develop their independent living skills in a supportive environment where we can concentrate on more personal everyday tasks such as cooking, budgeting, and shopping for themselves. We also support students to learn and try domestic scale tasks and support them to organise their free time productively with exercise, entertainment, and social activities. We also support some of our students to learn new travel routes.
As part of this programme, we have recently launched weekly “DIY & Home-Life” sessions which covers essential maintenance, from basic plumbing and furniture assembly to tool safety and identifying home hazards to enable our students to feel safe and capable in their own living space.
Enterprise Project
In 2021 we launched our Enterprise Project with a pop-up art exhibition and shop, selling prints, cards, totebags and t-shirts created using our students’ art work - you can see these products in our online shop tab on the home page.
We are now focusing on developing this Project into a sustainable income stream for the charity - we have a dedicated instagram for our enterprise project - www.instagram.com/steppingstonesenterprise
To do this we are working with a small number of local and countrywide businesses who sell Stepping Stones products, using our online shop and also attending local events to sell our products.
We have recently exhibited at a trade show at the Olympia, Earls Court, London. Our students traveled to London to meet buyers and promote our products, this provides opportunities for interaction with the public, as well as helping develop communication skills and confidence.
Our students gain so much joy through seeing their artwork developed into items that people want to buy.
Health and Wellbeing
We support our students to embrace health, happiness, and prosperity in many ways at Stepping Stones. Whether an activity is going for walk, going on safari, visiting the coast, having a chat (tea and cake optional!) or doing yoga, we support our students to develop a sense of meaning, purpose, resilience to manage anxieties and to generally feel well.
Wellbeing is embedded in all of our sessions and we are always looking for ways to help our students stay healthy, socially connected, and purposeful.
We work with healthcare professionals to inform and educate our students, recent presentations to our students have covered how to stay safe online, breast cancer, eye health and maintaining a healthy diet.
Professional Skills & Employment
Started in 2023 due to student demand, our Professional Skills and employment sessions were embedded wholly into all aspects of the charity.
Some students are supported to take on volunteering, work experience opportunities and some move into paid employment, if they would like to.
We work with various local organisations to provide safe and positive experiences. We are a registered ‘Skills & Employment’ pathway provider with Norfolk County Council.
Our employment offer is tailored to the students wants and needs initially focusing on skill development and building confidence.
Stepping Stones coffee cart
In partnership with the Norwich Unity Hub, we have launched an in-house pop-up café at Carrow House, Norwich, currently operating two days a week.
Here, students are front and centre serving delicious, ethically sourced coffee from Symposium and Sheard which is roasted in Norwich direct from farmers. We sell our excellent homemade treats, made in our commercial kitchen ranging from gluten free and vegan cakes, to homemade soups and our famous cheese rounds!
This initiative provides invaluable real-world experience in hospitality and customer service, bridging the gap between the classroom and the community.
Students are given full, barista training and are on a rotational 12 week development programme, so over time, every student who wants to be part of this project can be involved.