Social enterprise cafe open for business

9 December 2021

9 Dec 2021

Social enterprise cafe open for business

VMCH has launched a new social enterprise café in Wangaratta, supporting people with disability to grow their job skills and independence.

Where Is My Coffee will give ten trainees the opportunity to build skills and experience in a real-life working environment, on their pathway to finding paid employment. They will be supported by hospitality and disability support workers, serving Wangaratta locals and visitors with delicious food and great coffee.

VMCH held an official launch for the café on International Day of People with Disability on Friday 3 December.

The organisation was honoured to have Helen Haines MP, Wangaratta Mayor Dean Rees, VMCH Board Chairman Julien O’Connell AO, and VMCH CEO Sonya Smart along for some great speeches.

It was also fantastic to have some VMCH Community Connections clients attend and see what fantastic opportunities await them within the café.

Client Zach (pictured below centre) said, “I would like to be a part of that as the first worker here. I would like very much to be part of the journey.”

VMCH Community Connections clients Akasha, Zach and Bianca

VMCH Community Connections Manager Harley Dalgleish said he was proud to see the café up and running after many months of hard work.

“And we’ve had a huge response from the local community already. Some of our food and beverage suppliers are already offering to take on clients when they graduate to work in their kitchens and different places.”

Where Is My Coffee? is part of a growing job and life skills program at VMCH, including coffee carts, gardening and horticultural programs, retail experiences and creative workshops.

Where Is My Coffee is located at 1/103 Murphy St, Wangaratta.

Find out more here: vmchcafe.com.au

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Acknowledgement of Country

We here at VMCH respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which we gather, and we would like to take a moment to honour the fact that we live on the lands of the oldest civilisation in the world. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging.