SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Protective Workshop
Our Unique Concept
Alta Du Toit Centre's Protective Workshop Services offer a dedicated space where residents with intellectual disabilities engage in purposeful and fulfilling contract work.
It is an opportunity for individuals to show off their unique abilities, thereby engendering a sense of accomplishment and pride.
Our protective workshops are tailored to the individual’s ability, which gives every resident the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the community. From assembly and packaging to intricate crafts, each work area is designed to accommodate various abilities. From conceptualisation to design and implementation, everyone is allowed to see a project through to its completion, creating a deep sense of accomplishment for all involved.
Approach - Meaningful Occupation, Work
Contract work at Alta Du Toit is not just about the product, it's about personal growth.
Residents learn new skills, develop a strong work ethic, and gain a sense of responsibility that extends beyond the workshop.
Our Protective Workshop services are more than contract work; they represent our dedication to empowerment, independence, and community integration.
Contact workshop@altadutoit.org.za to learn more about how you can bring your contract work to our workshop!
Therapy & Life Skills
The goal of therapy & life skills at Alta is to empower individuals to navigate life’s difficulties more effectively and promote long-term mental and emotional health. Key components of therapeutic life skills may include stress management, effective communication, problem-solving, emotional regulation, and decision-making skills.
The Multi-Disciplinary Team also collaborates in the delivery of comprehensive client care to optimise health (emotional & physical) outcomes for our residents/dayworkers. Collaboration is key in the delivery of effective allied health services, as many residents may have complex needs that can best be met through engaging a range of professionals with diverse knowledge and skillsets.
Stimulation Activities
Stimulation activities at Alta du Toit Centre refers to a wide range of experiences or exercises designed to engage and activate various aspects of an individual’s physical, mental, or emotional capabilities. These activities are often used in therapeutic contexts to promote growth, learning, and well-being. At Alta we offer a variety of stimulation activities ranging between physical-, cognitive-, sensory- and social stimulation.
What are our Workshops?
At Alta du Toit Centre, we operate three protective workshop environments designed to meet the diverse needs, abilities, and comfort levels of our residents and dayworkers while promoting dignity, purpose, and meaningful participation in daily work.
The Green Area is an active, structured work environment where residents engage in deadline-driven tasks such as packaging, assembly, and mainstream production work. This space focuses on productivity, skill development, and preparing individuals for more independent and work-focused routines.
The Red Area provides a more sensory-sensitive and supportive setting, working in smaller groups with reduced external pressure. Residents and dayworkers here still participate in structured output-based activities, but within a calmer environment that prioritises emotional regulation, comfort, and consistency.
The Yellow Area is designed for older or lower-functioning residents, where the focus shifts from production targets to creative engagement and meaningful activity. This space encourages participation, stimulation, and social connection through simplified, creative tasks that support wellbeing and continued cognitive engagement without pressure.
Packing Products
Assembly
Packing
Our partners in Protective Work:
Down with Dough – Baking with Purpose
Down with Dough is a bakery based at Alta du Toit Centre where freshly baked, gluten-free treats are made with care, skill, and purpose.
More than a bakery, Down with Dough is a skills development programme for adults with intellectual disabilities. Through hands-on training in baking, hygiene, communication, and teamwork, participants are equipped for meaningful employment and greater independence.
Every purchase helps support their growth, inclusion, and journey toward real work opportunities — both on-site and within the wider community.
Clothes to Good – Upcycling, Recycling and Downcycling
Focused on sustainability, skills development, and community impact, Clothes to Good gives pre-loved clothing/materials a second life through:
- Sourcing and carefully sorting, with quality items reused/recycled through resale for profit or donation.
- Damaged garments are creatively upcycled into products such as denim bags, toys, and other handmade goods.
- While unusable textiles are downcycled into secondary materials for manufacturing purposes.
Where Alta du Toit Meets Clothes to Good
Our residents and dayworkers play an important role in this project, assisting with the sorting process as well as participating in selected upcycling and downcycling activities. This offers meaningful opportunities for involvement, skill-building and teamwork.
Through this partnership, Alta du Toit Centre and Clothes to Good are helping build a more inclusive and sustainable future.
