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As part of Caudwell Children’s Employability and Life Skills programme Shaping Futures, students hosted their very own pop-up café, in partnership with bod, giving them practical, social and numeracy skills. Before receiving support within our Shaping Futures sessions, many of the students lacked confidence and experience.
The programme was devised to help neurodivergent 16–25-year-olds transition into the next chapter of their life, whether that’s applying for a job, work experience of volunteering.
We interviewed David Glenwright from Titanic Brewery to explain why bod got involved with Shaping Futures and to tell us about his experience of the day.
Why did bod decide to take part in Shaping Futures with Caudwell Children??
The bod café bars were set up in 2018 by Titanic Brewery to create friendly, inviting spaces where all people can come together to meet, eat, drink and relax. These venues are proud to play their part in helping to bring communities together, with inclusivity and accessibility to all being a core part of how bod café bars operate. Caudwell Children seeks to achieve the same thing in giving disabled and autistic children the means to access and be part of their local communities, meaning it was a natural fit to work together on this project.
What did the bod team enjoy most about the day?
The highlight of the day for us was seeing the growth and development of the students over the course of just a few hours. Whether they were in the kitchen or working front of house, not only could you see a clear development in their workplace skills, but we also saw their confidence soar. They more than proved their ability in the various roles, and it was a genuine joy for us to see just how proud they were of what they were achieving.
Did you notice a difference in the students’ confidence as the day went on?
The growth in confidence as the day went on was remarkable, and this building of confidence was key in allowing the students to practice and refine their skills, from taking orders to preparing the food and drinks, to interacting with customers. By the end, the students were completing tasks without any prompts or support. Our team who was supporting the day felt fairly redundant by the end of the day – it was fantastic!
Would you take part in another day like this in the future?
We would gladly participate in another day like this without any hesitation. Not only is it exactly the kind of thing that aligns with what we’re trying to achieve with our bod café bars, but all of the team from bod who helped out on the day found it to be an incredibly rewarding experience.
Do you think as a society more could be done to support young people with additional needs and disabilities with getting into work?
There is no question in our minds that there is so much more that we as a society could do. The most important thing is to realise that you don’t necessarily have to make sweeping or expensive adjustments to your business to enable you to employ young people with additional needs. All it takes is a little bit of time and patience to understand and appreciate just how dedicated, attentive and passionate these young people can be, and how they have the potential to be superb ambassadors for your brand.
For more information about our Shaping Futures Programme, please click here:
https://www.caudwellchildren.com/changing-lives/how-we-can-help/shaping-futures/