How Barista Training Helps People Back Into Work

A coffee bar can be one of the most practical places to restart a working life. The skills can be learnt in weeks, not years. The work is social, hands-on and visible, and hospitality is where many people find their first job.

This October, we ran our annual 10 Days for Change, raising money for employment opportunities and housing deposits for people experiencing homelessness. It felt like the right moment to look at why coffee training works, and how Change Please has built its whole business around it.

Why is coffee a good route into work?

Barista work combines a clear, teachable craft with everyday customer contact. That mix builds technical skills and the confidence that comes from serving people well, shift after shift.

It also opens a door into a big employer. UKHospitality says the sector accounts for 31% of first jobs for 16 to 24-year-olds. For anyone rebuilding a CV after time out of work, a first role in coffee can be the step that leads to the next one.

But a skill on its own is rarely enough. People who have experienced homelessness often face several barriers at once, from unstable housing to the knock-on effects on confidence and wellbeing. That is why the best programmes pair training with paid work and practical support.

What is 10 Days for Change?

10 Days for Change is our annual fundraising campaign. Each October, we raise money for two things that help people move on from homelessness: employment opportunities and housing deposits.

• Employment opportunities help people take the first step into paid work and build a track record. The funds raised went to providing housing deposits, 12-week Work Placements and Immersive Work Experiences.
• Housing deposits remove one of the biggest barriers to renting a home, so people can move into somewhere stable

A job and a home work best together. Stable housing makes it easier to keep a job, and a regular wage makes it easier to keep a home. Despite 10 Days for Change being over, you can still donate. 

How does the Change Please model work?

Change Please is a social enterprise, founded in 2015, that trains people who have experienced homelessness as baristas and supports them into work. All of our profits are reinvested into the programme. 

Paid training

Every trainee is paid the London Living Wage during training. Trainees learn barista skills while working in our coffee carts, cafés and partner sites over a 12 week training programme. 

Support beyond the coffee bar

Alongside training, trainees get help with housing, mental health, financial literacy and confidence-building. 

Next steps after training

Graduates can move into permanent jobs, internships, apprenticeships or secondments with our corporate partners. Weekly employability drop-ins mean support carries on after training ends.

Which skills last beyond the coffee bar?

Barista training teaches far more than latte art. Many of the skills carry into almost any job:

• Reliability: turning up for shifts and working to a rota.
• Customer service: reading people, staying calm at busy times and handling problems.
• Teamwork: working closely with others behind a small bar.
• Food safety and hygiene: standards that apply across hospitality.
• Cash handling and stock: everyday responsibilities that build trust.

Just as important is a recent reference and the confidence to go for the next role.

How can businesses support coffee careers?

You don't need to run a training academy to make a difference. The coffee your business already buys can do the work.

• Switch your workplace coffee. Choosing a social enterprise supplier puts your existing coffee spend behind its social mission. Learn more about our wholesale coffee.
• Host a coffee rave. Bring trained baristas into your office, venue or event. Drop us a message to host your own coffee rave.
• Open doors to jobs. Offer placements, internships or interviews to programme graduates. Become an employment partner or volunteer with our team. 
• Buy for home or as gifts. Every bag from the shop supports the programme. Shop for our online store. 

FAQs

What does barista training involve?

At Change Please, trainees learn barista skills while working in our coffee carts and cafés, and are paid the London Living Wage while they train.

Which coffee companies employ people who have experienced homelessness?

Change Please is a UK social enterprise that trains and employs people who have experienced homelessness as baristas, with programmes in the UK, France and the US.

Is Change Please a social enterprise?

Yes. Change Please reinvests all of its profits into its training and support programme. We are also proud to be B-Corp Certified. 

How can my company help?

Serve Change Please coffee in your workplace or venue, book a coffee bar for an event, or talk to us about offering placements to programme graduates. Wholesale / Partner with us