All Things Equal cafe and the future of employment inclusivity in hospitality

It’s the Balaclava cafe giving people with a disability the chance to get life and work experience — and it’s been a such a success it’s only getting bigger.

All Things Equal had one key goal in mind when it started: to provide employment inclusivity for all people.

Starting small in 2021, in its bright yellow corner spot on Carlisle St, Balaclava, the All Things Equal cafe originally employed five people with disabilities.

A year and a half later, it has grown to employ 25 staff, with a 50-person long waiting list.

General manager Bianca Stern said: “Our projects are really helping us to demonstrate what inclusive employment looks like in many different realms of hospitality.”

In the thick of the Carlisle St hubbub, Ms Stern said the position of the cafe had done wonders for their exposure.

“Most people know about us from the cafe,” she said.

“We truly are leading by example, and hopefully other cafes around us will start hiring with the same inclusivity in mind.”

Since beginning in 2021, the organisation has expanded not just in people, but also in locations.

All Things Equal opened up a site in Windsor aged-care facility earlier this year, have been running an in-house cooking school, and more recently partnered with the AJAX junior football club, opening a canteen, which enabled the enterprise to employ five more people.

All Things Equal cafe serving snacks and smiles at AJAX junior footy club canteen, image: All Things Equal

“It has been so awesome working with the footy club. It’s given us a chance to employ more people, and also trial something new,” she said.

“We are hoping to continue expanding in the same explorative and inclusive ways.”

People with a disability are twice as likely to be unemployed as people without disabilities — a statistic that All Things Equal is determined to change.

“Our main goal is to get as much support as possible, so that we can continue expanding,” Ms Stern said.

“There is a need for what we are doing, which is why we have grown so quickly, but we need the support so that we can afford to continue do our work.”

All Things Equal is at 263-265 Carlisle St, Balaclava, donate here.

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