The Café Project

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The Café Project

All you ever wanted to know about The Café Project

The Park Café is managed and run by Tameside Adult Service. It has been set up to give people with disabilities, including those with learning disabilities the opportunity to improve their chances of getting a job, by working in a busy café and outside catering business.

The café trains people in catering preparation and service skills ready for employment in the hotel and catering industry. The Park Café works closely with the supported employment team, Routes to Work and Adult Learning at Union St. As well as catering preparation and service training, working in the café gives people customer service, retail, recycling, caretaking and cleaning skills and experience.

Background

Photo of The Civic Mayor shaking hands with manager Alison Shockledge The café project was first discussed in 2006, with the modernisation of day services as its main driver. It took another few months before a core planning team was established in 2007; which included Day Services, Supported Employment, Adult Education, Economic & Development, Planning & Commissioning and Assessment & Commissioning.

One year later 2 staff members and 12 people with learning disabilities formed and met in a room at a day base, where they developed all the ideas that would later become The Park Café. It took another few months before a building was found and the money needed to develop the project. Nearly 12 months from their first meeting the café was launched on 9th July 2009 and opened on 6th August 2009. Watch BBC footage on the Park Café Opening.

News & media

DVD’s -

Who can access this service?

The Park Café may be of interest to you if you are moving into adulthood (transition) or if you require the services of Adult Assessment and Customer Care Team.

A referral is needed to access the service. You can ask your social worker or reviewing officer for a referral. After a referral is received we contact you to arrange a ‘taster day’ to see if the café is suitable. A six week trial will then follow before we offer you a placement. Placements are up to 2 years after which you are expected to apply for a job with the help of our supported employment service.

If you have a learning disability or you are a relative or carer and would like more information about working in the café please contact us for more information.

The Park Café and the wider agenda

This project embraces the Government’s Valuing People initiatives, including:

Valuing People Now: a new three-year strategy for people with learning disabilities 2008 'Making it happen for everyone'

Both focus on using outcomes from person centred plans to design new work opportunities for people with learning disabilities. The project is supported by the Tameside Learning Disability Partnership Board

What is the Haggle ‘n’ Barter scheme?

The Haggle ‘n’ Barter logo The café supports and promotes further social and micro enterprises, such as the ‘Haggle ‘n’ Barter’ concept. The scheme encourages people to grow their own produce and swap it for someone else’s. Whether you have an allotment, garden or window box start growing produce now!

Photo of people holding vegetables and other local produce In March 2009 staff and helpers went to the Farmers Market in Ashton to publicise the scheme to the public.

(Haggle ‘n’ Barter testimonial) “This is just what we need in these difficult times: things like this really bring the community together; it reminds me of the 1950’s – people really pulled together then”

For more information you can view the Farmers Market Day video

The Park Café and healthy lifestyles

Working in The Park Café promotes good physical and mental health and wellbeing by being active and promoting healthy eating. We work closely with our health partners to promote initiatives such as, ‘soup, sandwich and a bike ride’ and ‘guided park walks’.

Bayley Hall can also be used by the wider community for meetings, social groups and training. Links have been made with the Health Improvement Team and Health and Well Being Services to tackle health inequalities, they provide services such as Weight Matters and Connect 4 Life. Invitations are positively encouraged from organisations to introduce initiatives at the project, such as food co-ops, physical activity and well-being groups.

We recently achieved a Gold Award from the Healthy Choice Awards; which highlighted ways in which we could improve further. Our winter menu introduces lots of ideas to help you make a healthy choice include , use of low fat spreads and dressings. We have removed from sale crisp and confectionery and introduced healthier options such as nuts and seeds.

Funding

We continue to explore alternative funding streams including:

Local Food Award
- Learning Disability Development Fund
- Working Neighbourhood Fund
- Mainstream funding – allows us to work with different groups & agencies
Social enterprise

Customer testimonials

“What a wonderful place – congratulations to you all for providing such a retreat” Photo showing people attending the opening of The Park Café

“(Haggle ‘n’ Barter) This is just what we need in these difficult times: things like this really bring the community together; it reminds me of the 1950’s – people really pulled together then”

“I think it is a fantastic idea and wish you all the best for the future!

“How lovely, what a lot of hard work must have gone into the project, but well done everyone. I hope you do very well”

“Excellent and well done. Tameside to be congratulated for their initiatives. Brought back memories of pre-war!”

“Mother saw the feature on TV and had to come, she lives in Oldham, I live in Panama. Wonderful operation, wonderful concept, wonderful people. Keep it going”

“Great place, lovely food, fabulous service. What an inspiration”

Success Stories & trainee testimonials

Caroline originally travelled on Community Transport or with her carer. Caroline started some 1-1 work with a pre-employment officer and has now completed a very successful Independent Travel Programme. Caroline travels independently all over Tameside (and more recently to Bournemouth!). About her work in the café, Caroline says “I’m really happy working here, I love the atmosphere”. Photo of trainees preparing food in the kitchen

Adrian has always wanted to get a job in catering, he says “I feel happy it gets me out of the house and helps me get experience in work”. Supported by our pre-employment officer, Adrian has secured a work placement in the customer café of a local supermarket.

Vicky discussed her dreams of being a waitress in her person centred plan. Working at the café Vicky soon gained all the skills needed to be a waitress. Vicky says, “I love the Park Café, I really enjoy being a waitress. I feel great meeting friends and talking to customers”.