Social enterprises plan to give Tassie’s underprivileged a hand

PEOPLE before profits is the ethos behind a growing number of new businesses in Hobart.

Emily Briffa is one of the founders of new social enterprise cafe, "Hamlet" on Molle Street. PICTURE: Luke Bowden

PEOPLE before profits is the ethos behind a growing number of new businesses in Hobart.

One of the latest additions to the social enterprise cafe scene will be Hamlet on Molle St, which opens in March.

Chef and project manager Emily Briffa came to Tasmania last year with a view to replicating the success of a Melbourne-based social enterprise cafe.

“Tassie has quite a big issue with unemployment so I started looking at ways I could do something related to my industry of food,” she said.

Partnering with service organisations such as the Migrant Resource Centre and Work Skills, the aim of the business is to provide training and work experience opportunities for people who have difficulties finding a job.

“Whether it’s due to lack of English fluency, long-term unemployment or lack of experience, we aim to help people become happy, active members of their community and the Tasmanian workforce,” Ms Briffa said.

Returning home to Tasmania recently, Stuart Churton and his business partner will next week open a Hobart franchise of Mexican restaurant Zambrero, with plans to open 10 sites in the state during the next seven years.

Zambrero’s intent is to tackle world hunger via its Plate 4 Plate initiative.

For every burrito or bowl sold, one meal is donated to an underprivileged person in Australia or abroad.

“It’s really good to be part of something where you’re not only serving up delicious food, but also doing a good thing for struggling people,” Mr Churton said.

Opening on Barrack St earlier this year, Permission to Eat is run by the Hobart City Mission and has a payment system that allows customers to assist those in the community who are struggling to put food on their table.

By buying a voucher when they pay for their own meals, patrons enable those in need to come in for a free meal.

Like Hamlet, the cafe is also a training facility for long-term unemployed and others at risk of long-term unemployment, offering training and skill development and helping them gain work within the hospitality industry.