The proposed South Quay Hub is being developed by the award winning Pembrokeshire Supported Employment Programme.
The facility at 7 Northgate Street, Pembroke, will provide South Pembrokeshire residents with disability and long term health conditions with new and exciting opportunities for community engagement, access to services and work opportunities.
The hub will include a learning centre for people with a disability, a day centre for older people, an independent living assessment centre (the “Flat”) and a reminiscence centre to support people with dementia.
There will be strong emphasis on community inclusion with a gallery on the ground floor for local groups to use to showcase their work to the public.
Space is also included to allow partners from social care, health and community organisations to meet people in a central location so that people do not always have to travel to Haverfordwest.
South Pembrokeshire residents currently have to travel to Haverfordwest each day to receive support and for some this is not possible meaning that they miss out on the support offered. The South Quay hub will provide local support tailored to individual needs and will expand on the award winning work already been done elsewhere in the County.
Additionally, this development is a direct response to the stakeholder engagement and public consultation on Transforming Day Opportunities – and will enable us to provide opportunities for people to engage with and integrate with the local community.
This is a joint development between the Council’s Provider Services and the Supported Employment Programme – and will offer exciting opportunities for both older people and people with a disability during the day and evening.
Karen Davies, Programme Manager for Supported Employment said: “We know from experience over the last 10 years that the programme is beneficial not only to its direct participants who have much better outcomes and improved wellbeing but that it also benefits the community in which it operates.
“Participants of the programme and their carers use and support local businesses providing a significant uplift in footfall and income. The supported employment programme has had success in integrating the people it supports into these businesses and attracting other visitors who welcome the support shown.”
Pembrokeshire County Council is the only local authority in Wales to hold the Disability Confident Leader status from the Department of Work and Pensions.
The South Quay Hub development gives Pembroke the opportunity to become a Disability Confident town which would create a fantastic boost to all its businesses.
The scheme will bring around £8 million of investment to Pembroke. This has been possible through the strong partnership between the council’s Regeneration department and Social Care with funding coming from both UK Government Levelling Up funding and social care grant funding.
Cllr Tessa Hodgson, Cabinet Member for Social Care said: “I am really excited that this leading programme of work will be coming to south Pembrokeshire. The work that has been done of the last 10 years is leading the way in Wales and has made significant changes to the quality of life of the people it supports. Being able to expand this opportunity and make it available in the south of the county is fantastic news.”
