Kick Start Cafe in Riverwood opening doors in employment for youths
A CAFE in a container could be a “circuit breaker” for young people in need of a kickstart in life.
The Express
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A CAFE in a container could be a “circuit breaker” for young people in need of a kickstart in life.
Kick Start Cafe in Riverwood is a social enterprise, run by property developer PAYCE, that offers paid training to disadvantaged youths.
The cafe is in the Washington Park complex where PAYCE is building 150 new social housing units and 650 private units.
Youths are referred by Riverwood Community Centre and then, under the watchful eye of head chef Shane Hillard, trainees take part in a 10-month program.
They leave with a Certificate III in hospitality, barista accreditation as well as their RSA and RCG and are supported into further employment.
For trainee Ravindra Lotomau, 21, it has been a life-changing program that has opened up many doors.
It has also been a welcome change for the Bankstown youth, who used to work 12-hour shifts at a cafe without being given any accreditation.
Mr Lotomau said Kick Start Cafe had provided a supportive environment where he can learn “without all the pressure”.
“Being here has given me time and a confident space to really think about what I want to do,” he said.
“I got to really work on leadership traits, teamwork traits, I learnt how to deal with a lot of different people here.”
Mr Lotomau has almost finished his training and has offers to stay in hospitality, go into youth work or study marketing at university.
Running for nearly three years, Kick Start Cafe, formerly the Arlington Cafe, has already helped 10 trainees.
Schibello Caffe has just come on board and will be providing barista training, work experience and supplies to trainees.
The cafe receives a steady stream of business from construction workers and residents and also does catering.
PAYCE Foundation’s Andrea Comastri said it is important that the cafe becomes self-sustainable – which would make it more likely to be replicated across Sydney.
“We have been running it as a business that needs to think as a business,” he said.
“We have a fairly mapped-out model now.”
PAYCE director Dominic Sullivan said the cafe is a “great example of what can be achieved through a social enterprise”.
“Unemployment in the Riverwood area is well above the national average,” he said.
“(Kick Start Cafe) provides young people the opportunity to break intergenerational disadvantage.”
Kick Start Cafe is open every day, from 7.30am until noon.
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