Impact felt across the coffee industry
We may have started life as a tiny training programme, but now our ambitions span nationwide. Because people with disabilities deserve advocacy and ambition everywhere and on every level of our industry.
With each pillar of our impact, we want to reach more people, empower more organisations and make radical changes to the industry so that supporting, employing and nurturing people with disabilities isn’t special treatment – it’s the norm.
Our mentoring programme
Our two-year course is based on an occupational therapy model, meaning our beneficiaries learn much more than how to be a barista – they learn how to be an independent adult, capable of looking after themselves and others, and ready for employment, be that in the coffee industry or otherwise.
Learners work closely with a mentor on a 1:1 basis, ensuring the programme is tailored to their specific needs. With their mentor, they work on two key strands:
Barista skills – an employable skill our learners can pursue if they wish. Even if this isn’t right for them, they will learn the routine of shift patterns, working with colleagues, taking responsibility for tasks and customer service.
Life skills – all the key personal skills which, when mastered, will put our learners in the best position possible to enter the workforce. This includes; independent travel; financial literacy; self-care; social skills and cooking
Our ultimate goal is to facilitate a training programme that elevates individuals facing adversities into highly proficient baristas, allowing them to embark on their careers not at an entry level, but as skilled professionals. We aspire for our efforts to underscore the immense value and potential individuals with disabilities possess within the broader coffee industry and hospitality landscape.
Because we work on a 1:1 mentoring basis, spaces are incredibly limited, and each year we receive significantly more referrals than spaces. However, if you know someone who might be right for our programme, or would like more information, please get in touch.
“This course taught me I can be anything I want to be. I wasn’t sure if I could get a job or make friends but I’ve made loads of friends and been to a trial shift!”
48 weeks of 1:1 mentoring followed by a year of remote support
Over 2,000 hours per learner
Barista training + life skills
Empowering partner organisations
We’re incredibly proud to say that thanks to the success of our mentoring programme, we often receive enquiries from like-minded organisations to collaborate and support them as they look to establish a programme similar to ours. We are always happy to share what we’ve learned, whilst acknowledging that we’re not experts and have far more experience of some needs and disabilities than others. We don’t claim to do everything perfectly – but we’re more than happy to share what we’ve learned and hope it helps!
If you’re an organisation looking to set up something similar to what we do, here are some of the ways in which we can help:
Set-up: recommending which machine to use in your space, how to arrange your cafe space
Machinery and equipment: secure kit for your space at preferential rates
Training: running training sessions for your baristas, ensuring they are delivering exceptional coffee whilst also supporting your organisation and your goals
Industry-wide change is possible
Yes, it sounds hard, but it’s so desperately needed. Our own research has shown a stark contrast between the perceptions of disability in the coffee industry and the reality experienced by people with disabilities in coffee.
In collaborating with baristas and shop owners alike, we often find the changes which would increase accessibility across the industry often aren’t hard, they aren’t expensive, they aren’t out of reach – they are simply not a priority for many coffee lovers setting up a business. We’re here to spread the word, highlight the tiny changes which can mean a lot for people with disabilities who love coffee and want to be a part of the industry.
Case Study: London Coffee Festival
We’ve been working with William Reed, the organisers behind the London Coffee Festival, for a few years now, helping tackle the challenges which come with organising an event in the old (but beautiful) Truman Brewery on Brick Lane. It’s not a naturally accessible building, but working closely with LCF, we’ve managed to implement:
A quiet room, where attendees can go to destress and escape from the madness.
An accessible entrance to the La Marzocco Secret Garden, so VIP attendees with access needs are able to enjoy every perk of their VIP attendance.
A dedicated lift, staffed by SEND Coffee team, reserved exclusively for users with access requirements so they can seamlessly travel between all three floors of the festival.
We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we are more than happy to share our learnings across the range of special needs and disabilities we have encountered. If you’re an event organiser, a coffee shop owner, roaster, or just someone who wants to know more, please get in touch.