from YAPRap April 2006
by Rebecca Fowles, YAPRap Feature Writer
On the corner of Hannell and Albert Streets The Olive Branch Café offers Newcastle more then just fine food at reasonable prices, it provides a unique training alternative for young people aged 15 to 25. Through the Salvation Army College of Further Education, The Olive Branch Café is able to offer young people who have found it hard to access mainstream education, training and employment, a holistic nationally accredited training package that prepares them for work and assists them to overcome the personal barriers they may be facing.
The Café itself has been operating in Newcastle for over nine years in its current location at The Ark. The training program has been operating in its current format for the past three years and focuses on providing young people with on the job training that leaves them work-place ready whilst supporting them to overcome a variety of personal barriers through the ongoing support of the youth worker. Training offered by the program at present includes a Certificate I in Hospitality and a Statement of Attainment in Information Technology, complemented by life skills training in communication, job seeking, legal rights and responsibilities and more. This program offers young people in Newcastle not only a more holistic alternative to TAFE but a cheaper one as well.
When asked, what makes this training program so different to others, Tiffany Cooper, the Youth Worker currently employed with the program, responded "the flexibility." It acknowledges the fact that many young people have significant personal barriers which make it hard to access mainstream education, training and employment. In order for young people to be able to function in mainstream education, training and employment these personal barriers must first be addressed.
To do this The Ark has combined on the job training, where young people are able to complete accredited training courses whilst gaining valuable work experience in the Café, with added support. Young people participating in this training program are able to work through any personal barriers with the youth worker linked with the program. The program is flexible and is able to respond to the needs of the young people through "rolling enrolment" and the recognition that there needs to be some allowances for young people dealing with significant barriers.
Jessica
One previous participant, 19 year old Jessica*, had a mild intellectual disability and was referred to The Ark by an employment agency for people with disabilities. When Jessica commenced the program she had built a fantasy life of money, rich boyfriend, car and so forth. Jessica has since successfully completed Certificate II and has been offered a traineeship in the industry. While her hospitality skills are well developed, Jessica needed more support in areas of personal development so that she could become confident enough to make the move to open employment. Jessica now has had a permanent job with Subway for over a year, has a supportive network of friends and is engaged to be married.
With approximately 80% successful transition to work and often closer to 100%, they must be doing something right. Tiffany Cooper says that it is because when young people leave the program they are ready for the work environment and understand what was expected of employees in the "real" workplace - because The Olive Branch Café is indeed the real workplace.
Ben
Ben* (18 years) completed Certificate II in hospitality, gained employment in a hotel kitchen and then decided that he wanted to be a chef. He arranged to complete extra modules at The Olive Branch Café on his day off to reach second year apprentice stage. He has now held the apprenticeship for a year.
While Tiffany Cooper is employed as the youth worker to support the young people in the program, the café and training component of the program is run by an experienced chef who runs the kitchen the same way any chef in any professional working café would run a kitchen. The young people working in the café are exposed to the real demands and expectations of a real chef and "boss." The café only has a handful of paid staff including the catering/training coordinator, a second chef, and one casual waitress who assists in training the young people in front-of-house operations. The café functions primarily due to the young people involved in The Ark's training program who are at the café as work experience, not that you would ever know. All of the young people at the café work in such a professional manner, you would think they have been there for years. The positive workplace environment is obvious: you notice the camaraderie between the staff as you enjoy the delicious fare and friendly atmosphere.
The paid staff at The Olive Branch Café comment that most of the young people blossom in the environment.
"They get thrown in at the deep end because this is a fully functioning café, your first day might be a full house."
Staff from the Ark remarked that for many of the young people it was the first time in their lives they had that type of positive reinforcement.
"It is one thing for young people to be told positive things about themselves by youth workers but working in the café gives themselves undeniable proof about what they have achieved. After working shifts they cannot deny to themselves that they have been able to accomplish all of these things. It is one thing to be paid a compliment but another to have that self realisation of achievement."
The young people involved also experience the positive reinforcement of helping each other learn.
The training program at The Ark is unique for many reasons but still has many strengths that other youth services can gain insight from. It is able to offer young people a complete package because it is linked to a fully functioning café. Young people can access The Ark and its supports through the program's youth worker, achieve accredited training whilst gaining valuable workplace experience and can complete the program with full knowledge of the expectations of the work environment. Not to mention assistance with things such as resume writing, interview skills and a list of other group programs offered by The Ark.
So whilst we can't all have a functioning café attached to our services we can see the benefits of flexibility. The program accepts that some young people do have significant personal barriers which can affect their participation in work and education, and in response to that it has developed a system of 'rolling enrolment', flexibility, support and trust.
"It's important to develop that trust with young people we work with. If we know what's going on in their lives we can support them so that those issues can be dealt with and they can complete their program and successfully transition to work."
The training program provided by the Salvation Army has operated under various names including the Youth Enterprise Participation Program but is currently being referred to as Training at The Ark as it goes through a period of expansion to include other industry areas. Whilst it is obvious what they are doing is working well, they are currently unfunded with the Salvation Army covering costs. Management is presently investigating possibilities for future funding such as corporate sponsorship and is open to offers of support.
For residents of Newcastle and visitors to the area the scrumptious fare is indeed recommended for a lunch time meal. The Olive Branch Café can be found at 116-120 Hannell St Wickham.
*names changed for privacy
more information
Training at the Ark
Tiffany Cooper, Youth Worker
(02) 4969 8066
