Caritas St Joseph’s Lifelong Learning Centre
With around 200 students of all faiths and none at our centre in Hendon, we celebrate the gifts and talents of people with intellectual disabilities and value their place in the world. We strive to create an environment where students can find friendship, family and love.
Students at Caritas St Joseph’s can choose from a range of life-enhancing courses, including stretching, arts and crafts, cookery, and music and movement.
Classes are also held at four Connect@ hubs in Hounslow, Feltham, North Harrow and Whitton.
To find out more, please phone 020 8202 3999 or email enquiries@stjoseph.org.uk
Autumn Term 2022
First Half: Monday 5th September – Friday 21st October
Half Term: Monday 24th October – Friday 28th October
Second Half: Monday 31st October – Friday 16th December
Spring Term 2023
First Half: Monday 9th January – Friday 10th February
Half Term: Monday 13th February – Friday 17th February
Second Half: Monday 20th February – Friday 31st April
Summer Term 2023
First Half: Monday 17th April – Friday 26th May
May Day Bank Holiday: Monday 1st May
Half Term: Monday 29th May – Friday 2nd June
Second Half: Monday 5th June – Friday 21st July
Click here to see the full list of courses or select a course to find out more.
| Internet Cafe Plus | 9.30 – 12.30 | £8 (per hour) |
| St Joseph’s Dance Studio | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| Musical Showtime | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| Our Ceramics | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| Yoga | 10.45 – 12.14 | £20 |
| Our Ceramics Plus | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| My Screen Heroes | 14.00 – 16.00 | £15 |
| Dance Steps | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| Bocce | 14.00 – 16.00 | £13 |
| Experience Cooking | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 (per hour) |
| My Foundations | 10.30 – 12.30 | £46 |
| Creative Paper Recycling | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| Voice Box | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| Exploring Our World | 10.30 – 16.00 | £33 |
| Tai Chi – Chi Fung | 13.45 – 15.15 | £13 |
| Arts and Crafts | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| Stage Right | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| Internet Cafe Plus | 9.30 – 12.30 | £8 (per hour) |
| Our Horticulture | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| Exploring My Artwork | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| St Joseph’s Drum Studio | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| My Fitness Routine | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| Living and Giving | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| Exploring Words and Numbers | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| Music and Movement | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| My Pottery | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| Soap Studio | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| Book Club | 16.15 – 17.00 | FREE |
| Music and Recording | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 (per hour) |
| Health and Fitness | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| Stage in the Making | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| My Creative Accessories | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| Music and Recording | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| St Joseph’s Floral Enterprise | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| Exploring Cookery | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| Useful Numbers | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| Enriching My Life | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 (per hour) |
| St Joseph’s Lunchbox | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| Exploring Communication | 10.30 – 14.30 | £35 |
| Rhythm Factory | 10.30 – 12.30 | £20 |
| St Joseph’s Drum Studio | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| Our Enterprise Workshop | 14.00 – 16.00 | £20 |
| Carpentry | 10.30 – 14.30 | £33 (per hour) |
The menu changes every week and runs from Monday to Thursday.
There is always a Vegetarian option available.
On Fridays, St Joseph’s Lunchbox make sandwiches which are available to buy.
Connect@Feltham
Our hub at the parish of St Lawrence in Feltham offers a full day of activites on Tuesdays for adults with intellectual disabilities. From 10.30 to 12.30 there is Connect through Cookery and from 2 to 4pm Connect through Drama.
For more info contact Laura
Connect@Hounslow
Our hub at the parish of St Michael and St Martin in Hounslow offers a full day of activites on Thursdays for adults with intellectual disabilities. From 10.30 to 12.30 there is Connect through Art and from 2 to 3pm Connect through Dance Class and from 3 to 4pm Dance for all.
For more info contact Laura
Caritas St Joseph’s Outreach
Our outreach work aims to integrate people with intellectual disabilities into the life of the church. We provide training, support and advice on liturgies, and help with spiritual and social events.
We also offer general support and advice for those with learning disabilities and their families/carers from advice about education to accessing benefits.
Programmes and Activities:
Family Groups allow parents and carers of people with learning disabilities to come together for mutual support.
Watford Family Group
What: A group is for parents and carers of those with learning disabilities.
When: Monthly, next meeting on 6th December
Contact: Veronika Dyckhoff, 07504104569
Ealing Abbey Family Group
What: A group is for parents and carers of those with learning disabilities.
When: Monthly, on the last Tuesday of the month
Contact: Phil Codrington, phillycodrington@hotmail.com
Hendon Family Forum at Caritas St Joseph’s
What: A discussion led by a guest speaker on current issues surrounding intellectual disability, open to all those interested in supporting those with intellectual disabilities, their families and carers.
When: Every three months
Contact: Paul Christian, paulchristian@rcdow.or.uk
Saturday Clubs are inclusive spaces for people with intellectual disabilities, their families and friends.
Below you can finding information on Saturday Clubs currently running in the Diocese of Westminster. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Paul Christian at paulchristian@rcdow.org.uk.
East London
Where: Kingsland
Our Lady & St Joseph’s Catholic Church
100A Balls Pond Road
London
N1 4AG
When: 3-5pm, first Saturday of the month
North London
New Southgate, first Saturday of the month
Palmer’s Green, third Saturday of the month
Enfield, fourth Saturday of the month
The Allotment Club also meets monthly (third or fifth Saturday of the month, from the spring until October) to learn gardening skills and to grow their own produce.
Contact: Paul Christian, paulchristan@rcdow.org.uk
North West London
Where: Burnt Oak
Annunciation Church Hall,
4 Thirleby Road,
Burnt Oak,
HA8 0HQ
When: 2-4pm, last Saturday of the month
Contact: Sue Masterson, 07855 038072
Outer West London
There is a Club running in the parish of Ealing Abbey currently online with in-person events and liturgies for Advent and Lent. It takes place on the last Tuesday of the month, 7pm-8pm
Contact: Phil Codrington, phillycodrington@hotmail.com
Symbols of Faith by Diana Klein is a resource for the faith formation and sacramental preparation of people with intellectual disabilities.
This book is aimed at parents, priests and catechists who wish to understand how to pass their faith on to individuals with intellectual difficulties, and how to help them to develop a relationship with God.
Catechists using the Symbols of Faith programme use a variety of resources to support those with learning disabilities. Music is used throughout the sessions, as is art, craft and making food. For example, a group at Westminster Cathedral, preparing for their First Holy Communion re-enacted the Feeding of the 5,000. They each helped prepare a different part of the meal and then shared their food together.
When preparing to make their First Reconciliation another group used symbols of things they might have done wrong but also, with symbols, emphasised the positive things that they had achieved during the past week.
Each session ends with visiting the Special Place, where there is an icon or Prayer focus where a short passage of scripture is read and a concise message given and shared.
We regularly hold training sessions for anyone – priests, catechists, parents – interested in using Symbols of Faith and supporting young people with intellectual disabilities to grow in their faith. Check our events page to see if there is a training course coming up, or email Paul Christian at paulchristian@rcdow.org.uk
Each copy is £15.95, which includes a CD with unlimited activity sheets and other resources.
To order your copy, please email Paul Christian at paulchristian@rcdow.org.uk or Finola Ryan at finolaryan@rcdow.org.uk