By NICOLE VALICEK
A SOCIAL enterprise that is proactively changing the story of disability and employment in the community opened the doors to its newest venture last Friday.
UCAN Café Williamstown officially opened its doors at a launch last Friday, with ongoing support from celebrity chef Adrian Richardson.
Adrian has signed on as mentor to the UCAN Café team and will lead the new UCAN Ambassador Program designed to support and grow the individual talents of team members.
UCAN Café provides employment opportunities to young people with disabilities.
The first UCAN Café opened at Altona North in August 2011 and created 3000 hours of employment for Hobsons Bay most vulnerable residents in just three months.
Sales and marketing manager Tom Bevan said in a short time the success of the UCAN Café has seen it expand across two cafes and a catering business.
Mr Bevan said more than 20 staff, who are paid award wages, work across the business – with all profits going back to the project.
“One in five people in Australia have a disability,” he said. “There are so many people willing to work and for us to be able to open a café and another catering site it’s great to be able to create those opportunities.”
He said UCAN Café has created more than 20,000 hours of employment since it started.
“All together we want to double the hours we’ve already created,” Mr Bevan said.
“The one thing that is going to make it work is community engagement and community getting behind what we’re doing.”
Aaron Mattiske started working at the café two years ago and will be a team member at the new Williamstown site.
The 25-year-old, who has autism, said working at the café has given him a new direction in life.
“I like going to work every day,” he said.
“The customers are really nice and I like the café itself – making all the food and coffees and meeting new people.”
The new UCAN Cafe Williamstown is located at the Williamstown Library, 104 Ferguson St.
