Our Community Cafes supporting Lucy and Josh’s employment goals
You might have heard word around Gippsland about the amazing Community Cafés, but did you know they’re an important pathway to employment for people with disability?
The hospitality program at Leongatha Community Hub, held in partnership with TAFE Gippsland, has been holding Community Cafes for many years – preparing thousands of meals for the local community, with overwhelmingly positive reviews of both the food and service.
More than just an opportunity to flex their hospitality muscles, these cafes are also an opportunity for participants in the program to develop the skills, confidence and experience of working in a hospitality setting.
This experience and the formal training offered through TAFE Gippsland can open employment opportunities for participants, and all the benefits and rewards that having a job offers.
Lucy's story
Lucy is one such client who participated in the hospitality program at the Hub, which she credits with helping her seek out new opportunities and connections leading to her current job – which has greatly enriched her life.
“What having a job means to me is that I get to go out to the community,” said Lucy.
“I get to meet other people from other cultures, I get to communicate with them, find out a little bit about them.
“I enjoy life with having a job…I just enjoy what I do, which is a big thing about getting employment,” said Lucy.
For Lucy, having a job also means having a steady income and, with that, the freedom to live out of home and to cover her expenses, like car costs.
Josh's story
Josh is another of our clients who is on their journey to find paid work in an industry that suits their interests, hobbies and strengths, aspiring to be a professional videographer. He filmed the amazing behind-the-scenes video below of one of our recent cafés, where you can see the Hospitality team in action!
Josh is gaining invaluable videography experience through different local organisations, which has helped him feel more confident in his creative abilities and potential for future study or a traineeship at a video agency. You can support clients like Josh on their employment pathway through the ‘My path, our future’ campaign.
Yooralla's 'My path, our future' campaign
Through our Giving Day on 1 June, we want to multiply the possibilities for our clients who want to be in paid work, Lucy and Josh, raising funds during the ‘My path, our future’ campaign to establish a personalised job pathways program.
Whether our clients want to work in a café, volunteer, start their own business, earn a qualification, or more – we will work with them to customise their journey towards employment, considering their own personal circumstances and aspirations.
Donate today
Donate to the 'My path, our future' campaign by or on our Giving Day on 1 June, when your donation will be doubled by a generous group of donors who have committed to matching every donation received dollar-to-dollar.