New Training Cafe Provides Work Experience and Skills Building for Disabled People

A new cafe has opened its doors in Maidenhead, with a unique mission: to provide work experience and skills building for people with a range of disabilities. The Fashion Cafe, located at Boyn Grove Community Resource Centre, 11 Courthouse Rd, Maidenhead SL6 6JE, is conveniently located next to Optalis’ specialist recycled clothing store, Well Turned Out. It offers a welcoming atmosphere and a variety of delicious food and beverages, providing a relaxing shopping and dining experience, while also serving as a valuable training ground for individuals with a range of disabilities.

The Fashion Cafe offers a dual focus for our students and clients, offering work experience as well as valuable support from a dedicated Employment Coach to help people develop their CVs, improve their interview skills and ultimately find paid employment. The cafe offers a structured program that provides hands-on experience in all aspects of cafe operations, including food preparation, customer service, and inventory management. The program is designed to help participants develop new skills, build confidence, and gain valuable work experience that can be used to secure employment in the future. Joseph, one of the participants said - 

"It's been great working here, I've been preparing soups, taking orders and making coffee"

"We are thrilled to be opening the Fashion Cafe and providing this valuable opportunity for the people we support," said Donna Morgans, Head of Supported Employment Services, "Our goal is to help our participants gain the skills and experience they need to achieve their goals and become more independent. We believe that the cafe environment is an ideal setting for this type of training, and we look forward to watching our team members grow and succeed."

The Fashion Cafe is open for lunch, and snacks, and offers a menu of freshly prepared food and beverages. The cafe also features comfortable seating and a relaxed atmosphere, making it the perfect spot for a casual meeting or a quick bite to eat on the way to the park, library or local school. All visitors are welcome, please come along and support this local initiative.

For more information about the Fashion Cafe, visit Fashion Cafe | Optalis