The Christmas Pop-up shop: Supporting routes back to work
The Christmas Pop-up Shop, an initiative developed by Change Mental Health’s Employability Support Project in Dumfries, has created opportunities for people to build confidence, develop employability skills and feel part of a team through volunteering in a real shop environment.
Many involved shared that the initiative lifted their mood and helped them feel wanted and part of a team. The experience brought routine and purpose – feelings that many people affected by mental health challenges and isolation struggle to experience regularly.
The Christmas Pop-up Shop has been developed to strengthen employability support through meaningful involvement. The aim was to sell items created within groups and use the profit to support the Employability Support Project. Using an existing shop space has helped keep the focus on participation and support.
People supported by the Employability Support Service often experience mental health difficulties that affect their ability to find, return to or sustain employment. Confidence may be low, routines disrupted and opportunities to practice skills limited. For some, volunteering represents a manageable first step. As one volunteer explained, “Volunteering is a small step in a long road back, hopefully, to employment,” while another shared that they wanted to volunteer to give a little back for all the help they received from Change Mental Health.
Project in practice
In the lead-up to Christmas, service users have worked within their groups to create a wide range of items, including portraits of the local area, handmade pebble pictures, Christmas pottery, hand-painted canvases and photography. Alongside making items, time has been spent developing the shop space itself, creating an environment that felt welcoming and reflective of the work being produced.
People could take part in different ways. Flexibility meant individuals could engage at a level that felt right for them. Seeing items sold has had a powerful impact. As noted in feedback, “seeing items sell gave many service users and volunteers a real sense of achievement and pride,” helping to build confidence while also challenging stigma around mental health.
Volunteer leadership
Volunteer leadership has been central to the project. Saskia Allen, Student Placement – Group Work Support, managed the volunteer team and developed an induction, describing the experience as “a shared learning journey”. Kerry McGregor, Senior Project Worker, led the setup of the shop before stepping back so volunteers could run it day to day.
Reflecting on the experience, Saskia said, “This has been a completely new experience for me, as well as for the volunteers. Managing the group allowed me to build closer relationships with people who use the service and it has been incredibly rewarding to hear what the pop-up shop has meant to them. They should be very proud of what they achieved.”
Impact
The Christmas Pop-up Shop supported volunteers and service users in developing communication, teamwork, confidence and routine. One volunteer shared that the experience had increased their confidence in trying something new, pushing them out of their comfort zone and interacting with people. While another person reflected that volunteering has reminded them that they still have a place in society and can help others with similar issues. Knowing that staff were available to provide support helped people feel safe and build confidence in a shop environment.
The project showed how volunteering can offer a meaningful and supported step towards employment, while also providing purpose, connection and a sense of achievement for those involved.