Like many great ideas, it was a light bulb moment that first led Vanessa and Brett Mitchell to establishing their own business.
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After seeing their son Brad, who has cerebral palsy, consistently turned down for jobs the family decided to take matters into their own hands.
Now 18 months on, the Mitchells’ Cafe Next Door is going from strength to strength.
The Kings Meadows cafe is now a National Disability Insurance Scheme provider, offering formal hospitality training to people with a disability on occupational health and safety, hygiene, cash handling, customer service and food preparation.
Mrs Mitchell said her son’s struggles in the workforce were always on her mind.
“Nobody would give him a go because he didn’t have experience. There were no’s around every corner he turned,” she said.
“It was a very frustrating situation as a parent where you have a child that you had instilled a work ethic into, but nobody would give him a chance.
“We thought that one day, we’d like to be able to help find inclusion and provide opportunities to people living with disabilities.”
With plans to open their own cafe, a friend suggested expanding the business to provide training for people with a disability.
Mrs Mitchell said bringing their staff to the forefront played a big role in the cafe’s overall design.
“It was a light bulb moment,” she said.
“We designed our cafe structurally around our people with additional needs.
“Our cafe is totally open so our staff are seen.
“They’re seen to make coffee, make food, washing up. Whatever the task may be, they’re not hidden away.”
Cafe Next Door currently employs eight staff, who are all working towards a certificate I in hospitality.
Mrs Mitchell said she hoped they would all be able to move into mainstream employment.
“We are working very closely with an employment agency in the area to support our participants getting national accreditation, so they are on the same playing field as any able other person to find a job,” she said.
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Jessica Willard
Being a health reporter to me is about more than just reporting the problems. It's about asking why they are happening in the first place and what needs to change to fix it.
Being a health reporter to me is about more than just reporting the problems. It's about asking why they are happening in the first place and what needs to change to fix it.
