BARISTA TRAINING PROGRAMME

The Barista Programme is a transformative journey with distinct phases: a beginning, a middle, and an end goal. It is a fun, interesting course that is designed to improve trainees’ current skills and help them develop lots of new ones. It has an easy-to-follow format that consists of a 3-day workshop, as well as in-store and video training and information. The key areas of focus are espresso production and grinder adjustments, milk texturing and latte art, drink production and customer service. Our dedicated team at the Change Please Foundation are experts, passionate about making a real difference in the lives of individuals who have faced or are currently experiencing homelessness.

The training programme is for people experiencing homelessness from a range of backgrounds, including Care Experienced / Seeking Refuge from Abuse / Hostel / Prison Leavers* / Sofa-Surfing / Supported Housing / Temporary Accommodation / Rent Arrears causing Risk of Homelessness.

Referrals are made via charity partners, government agencies such as JCP and Probation services and some NHS community services. We work closely with them to identify individuals who are willing and able to work. We have found that the sooner we assist someone experiencing homelessness, the quicker we can facilitate positive change in their situation.

REFER SOMEONE TO OUR LONDON BARISTA TRAINING PROGRAMME

THE JOURNEY OF A TRAINEE…

01

Initial Assessment: Candidates initially undergo a criteria assessment. Once eligible, they receive the details for a 3-day training workshop. During these days, we evaluate their attitude, aptitude for coffee, communication skills in a social work-environment, and readiness for employment.

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02

Coffee Training Workshops: The core barista training begins with a 3-day workshop at one of our training academies. These workshops are engaging, interactive, and practical. By the end of day 3, participants can confidently make any Espresso Coffee based drink and can create a latte art heart. Each workshop day starts with a warm welcome from our training team, accompanied by our award-winning coffee and pastries.

03

Training Contract: After successfully completing the coffee training workshops, candidates can be offered a 3-month training contract. Trainees work part-time hours (Monday to Friday) and receive the London Living Wage. Each Trainee’s journey is different. All Trainees have access to employability workshops, CV writing sessions, mock interviews, well-being and mindfulness workshops, and optional therapy or physiotherapy. Additional benefits include paid annual leave, a 50% discount on food and non-barista drinks, and complimentary barista beverages.

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04

Wrap-around support:Throughout each Trainee’s journey, they have access to an abundance of additional support. Initially the support team will speak with each Trainee about what support we can offer and what support they would like from us; this can be anything from help around housing, mental health, accessing therapy, physical health, finances, attending appointments to anything they feel is getting in the way of achieving their goals. This could be by signposting individuals to services which can store belongings or managing their time in a better way as well as expectations at work and how to meet these. Once the trainees have started their work placements, the support team will meet each Trainee on a regular basis at the training sites to check in. Further support takes place through helping trainees look for work and showing them the best ways to secure employment.

05

Onward employment: Change Please recognises that employment is the most effective solution to homelessness. We aim for all trainees to receive onward employment by the end of the programme and have created several onwards pathways: permanent job, internship, apprenticeship and secondment, working with countless Corporate Partners to do so. To achieve this goal, each week we offer an employability drop-in service where trainees/graduates are assisted by our impact team and/or a volunteer. Additionally, we have a day each month full of employability workshops. These sessions are designed to leave both trainees feeling positive about themselves and their future. Employability interventions include career coaching, CV writing, job boards, applying for jobs, cover letters, disclosures, preparing for interviews, competency-based questions and the STAR technique and mock interviews.

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HEAR FROM OUR GRADUATES

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LIAM

Liam found family at Change Please, and a place where he could manage his anxiety.  

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CHARLOTTE

"Change Please have helped me grow in confidence and as a person".

MORE STORIES

“I was signed on to universal credit for a bit, I went down a bit of a rut and didn’t really believe I was capable of doing anything, realistically. I had an interview with Change Please and my life has changed completely. The people, the job, it ticks all my boxes, puts a smile on my face and I actually want to wake up and go to work. The job has helped me a lot with my confidence and mental health, Change Please doesn’t just give you a job, they make sure you are mentally okay in all aspects such as anxiety, depression and they make sure you have everything else you need to make you good at your job. Once you are done with the training programme at Change Please they don’t just drop you and leave you, they make sure they find somewhere for you to start a career.”
 Kiera, Graduate

“Working at Change Please has increased my self-esteem, it’s great to know that I have learnt a new skill and that I have
become really good at it. It has helped me develop more confidence in the working world.
This role allows me to be optimistic about my future career as it fits perfectly into my business dream, a dream I know I can now achieve.” 
Hope, Graduate

“The moments spent at Change Please have allowed me to become focused because it’s a stress-free workplace, with staff who are friendly and great to be around. The initial training for me was easy. What I like mostly about it is that the sessions allowed me to acquire a new skill which is coffee making. The support team has played a major factor to my life mentally. Before joining Change Please, I was in a dark place, I found it difficult to control my anxiety and depression. I was unable to sleep, eat or even think, I worried a lot. Change Please has enabled me to do all of these things once again. The Change Please support team have helped me manage my mental health better and I feel good about myself. Becoming a barista has been life changing for me, I love the nature of the job very much!”
Joao, Graduate

“Being part of the Change Please programme has enabled me to learn new organisational, communication and customer service skills and given me the confidence to come out my shell. I had started to learn about IT gaming design in college, but my past had discouraged me from pursuing that path. After completing my Barista training at Change Please, I felt confident enough to look at this again. I am now doing an internship within the IT Department at Change Please, an opportunity I never thought possible. I’m hoping to excel in and ultimately advance in this profession. I now have my sense of independence back. I’m a living testament that your life can turn around depending on the support you have around you. I hope other people's lives can change, like mine has, through Change Please.”
Raph, Graduate

If you would like to become a Change Please volunteer please email volunteer@changeplease.org, if you have any employment opportunities please email: impact-team@changeplease.org or if you are interested in referrals please contact referrals@changeplease.org