A new social enterprise café designed to create employment and training pathways in the western suburbs has opened at the Wyndham Law Courts.
Opened on Tuesday 2 December, the Little Social will operate as a hospitality venue as well as a training site for Youth Projects’ pre-employment program Here4Hospitality.
Youth Projects is a , Melbourne-based registered charity with a 40-year history of creating pathways out of disadvantage.
The launch marks the first Little Social café to open in the west and is the result of a three-year collaboration with Wyndham council, supported by $50,000 seed funding designed to support new social enterprise initiatives.
The new café directs all profits back into Youth Projects’ early intervention frontline services, including youth outreach, homelessness support, and employment programs.
Lauren Rowarth has secured a place at the cafe after completing the Youth Projects Transition to Work program.
“I used to feel overlooked at work, but The Little Social treated me with kindness and patience,” Ms Rowarth said.
“Now I wake up excited to come to work— I give 100 per cent every day because from day one they gave 100 per cent to me.”
Youth Project head of social enterprise Celeste Norris said the organisation has seen an uptake in its services and having opportunities for young people west of the Yarra is more urgent than ever.
“Social enterprises are facing one of the toughest operating environments we’ve seen in years,” Ms Norris said.
“Every order at The Little Social directly supports young people to gain skills, confidence and real job opportunities.”
