Did you know working-age people with disability are twice as likely as those without disability to be unemployed?
It’s a terrible statistic, isn’t it? That’s why we’re launching our Real Shot appeal, to give people with disability just that – a real shot at gaining vital work experience and a boost to enter the paid workforce.
With your help, we hope to raise enough money to buy a coffee van! A recent pilot coffee van program with community partners has been very successful, so now it’s time to go out on our own! This travelling café will be a mobile training site for people with disability to build their skills, confidence and independence.
We’re no strangers to creating job skills programs for people with disability. We do it because we know there is a real need. Insufficient work experience is one of the most common reasons people with disability have difficulty finding work (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2020).
We believe there should be many more opportunities for people with disability to reach for their goals and dreams. Do you?
The Real Shot coffee van would join a suite of other job skills programs centered around work experience. Just last year we opened a social enterprise café in Wangaratta, where eight people are completing work experience, and loving every minute!
Support for our Real Shot trainees and job skills participants, like Bianca, doesn’t stop once the coffee machine does! We guide trainees throughout the whole journey, building their job-seeking skills and linking them with employers, should they wish to find paid work.
The coffee van will also see some incredible inter-generational benefits. Real Shot will visit our aged care residences, where participants will serve coffee and engage in friendly conversation with our older community members. Win-win!
If you want to be part of giving people with disability a real shot at a bright future, please donate today.
We’re so excited to begin this journey and we hope you’ll join us for the ride!