More Than a Cafe: How a Summer Barista Programme Is Helping Young People Prepare for Life

At first glance, Cafe Mindspace at the Lathbury Sports Complex looks much like any other community cafe. Customers arrive for coffee, conversations flow across the tables and, behind the counter, young baristas are busy serving drinks with growing confidence.

Look a little closer, however, and it quickly becomes clear that something much bigger is happening.

Now two weeks into the Mindspace Summer Barista Programme, dozens of young people have stepped behind the coffee machine, not simply to learn how to make cappuccinos, but to develop the confidence, independence and practical life skills that will stay with them long after the summer has ended.

The programme forms part of Mindspace’s wider approach to youth wellbeing, using real-life experiences to support young people in a safe, inclusive environment where personal growth happens naturally through everyday activities.

Participants from the first week, who proudly named themselves Team Pavo, quickly embraced the challenges of cafe life. Alongside learning customer service and teamwork, they discovered the importance of communication, responsibility and taking pride in every role, whether serving customers, organising the cafe or supporting one another during busy periods.

The second group, Team Lip Gloss, has built on that momentum while exploring another equally important aspect of becoming an adult: the practical skills that are rarely taught in classrooms.

Throughout the week, sessions focused on budgeting, banking, preparing a CV, interview skills, employment readiness, meal planning, shopping on a budget and managing everyday household responsibilities. The aim is not simply to improve employability, but to equip young people with the confidence and knowledge needed for independent living.

One of the programme’s most encouraging moments came when several members of Team Pavo asked to return during the second week - not as participants, but as volunteers.

Choosing to give up their own time, they returned to mentor the new intake, offering encouragement, sharing what they had learnt and helping newcomers settle into their first few days. It was an unscripted moment that reflected the supportive culture developing within the cafe.

That sense of belonging lies at the heart of Cafe Mindspace.

Unlike traditional supported employment programmes, the cafe integrates wellbeing support into an authentic working environment. Young people of different ages, abilities and experiences work alongside one another, with responsibilities adapted to suit individual needs. Some begin with close support before gradually taking on greater responsibility, while others naturally progress into mentoring roles as their confidence grows.

The model recognises that preparation for adulthood extends far beyond employment. Building relationships, learning to communicate, managing emotions, developing resilience and feeling part of a community are viewed as equally important outcomes.

The cafe also complements Mindspace’s wider services, including counselling, emotional wellbeing initiatives and youth and parent support programmes, creating opportunities for personal development in an environment that feels welcoming rather than clinical.

Perhaps the clearest measure of the programme’s early success is that many participants have already expressed an interest in returning when the summer ends to join Cafe Mindspace’s volunteer team in September.

For the team at Mindspace, that enthusiasm is about far more than filling volunteer places. It suggests that young people are finding something increasingly rare - a place where they feel trusted, valued and able to grow.

With several weeks of the programme still to come, the signs are already promising. While customers may see teenagers learning to make coffee, those involved are witnessing something much more significant: young people gaining confidence, supporting one another and quietly preparing for the next stage of their lives.