Our ‘Meet the Team’ series aims to highlight the exceptional staff and volunteers who work hard to make Camphill School Aberdeen the wonderful place it is. Next up in our ‘Meet the Team’ series is Alex Scott, who works as FRUVER Workshop Leader for Camphill School Aberdeen.

How long have you worked at Camphill School Aberdeen?

I have worked at Camphill School Aberdeen for around three years.

I spent a year and a half as an ASN care worker before moving into my current role of FRUVER Workshop Leader.

How did you first hear about the position?

I had previously worked in care roles, which I really enjoyed, and was on the hunt for a job in the sector. My partner was aware of Camphill School Aberdeen and thought the charity would be a good fit for me.

I had also previously worked in the fruit and vegetable department at a national supermarket, as a hairdresser, labourer and in other retail positions. All of these positions stood me in good stead for the role at Camphill School Aberdeen and I had a lot of transferable skills.

What does your role as FRUVER Workshop Leader consist of?

My role as FRUVER Workshop Leader consists of making sure everything at the workshop runs smoothly and that the young people are progressing.

It’s my role to make sure everyone is included and gets involved. At FRUVER, we all get stuck in together and work as one team – a great skill for the young people to develop. It’s great for them to see the full process, from seed to plate, of planting seeds, tending the gardens and then having a physical outcome of this work in the form of fruit and veg.

Tuesday’s are our busiest day at FRUVER and our students know exactly what needs to be done. They’re our busiest day as we get our pallets delivered in the morning from the gardens and stockists which we then need to organise based on what has been ordered. In the afternoon, these orders are then delivered across the estate.

Are there any key highlights that stand out for you during your time at Camphill School Aberdeen?

The biggest highlight of my time at Camphill School Aberdeen has to be seeing the young people developing and reaching their personal targets. I set realistic targets with the students who take part in the FRUER workshop, making sure they are SMART, inclusive and can be adapted to meet the student's abilities. Targets can include writing labels and counting stock.

It is rewarding and satisfying to see them reach their targets and develop skills that they perhaps thought weren’t possible.  

Will your role change when Murtle Market opens?

My role will mostly remain the same when Murtle Market opens. I will still be working closely with the young people and making sure that our produce is distributed across the estate and to the wider community.

How much difference will the opening of Murtle Market make to the lives of the young people who will be involved in the venture?

Murtle Market will make a huge difference to the lives of the young people at Camphill School Aberdeen. Murtle Market will provide them with retail skills such as customer service, cash handling and store preparation, helping them to really visualise themselves in a role in retail.

This is the first opportunity at Camphill School Aberdeen for the young people to learn and practice these skills in a real-life setting.

What are you most looking forward to about Murtle Market opening?

I’m most looking forward to seeing how the young people react to Murtle Market opening. They’re all really excited about it and, as they’ve been involved in the development process, they can’t wait to finally see the finished product.

Murtle Market is a fantastic opportunity for the children and young people to showcase what they’ve been working on at Camphill School Aberdeen.