Skills exchange between The Crumbs Project and The Cafe Project Basingstoke promotes inclusive employment in the UK’s Hospitality industry

The Crumbs Project is collaborating with a fellow charity, The Café Project Basingstoke, to share knowledge and promote disability confidence and inclusive employment opportunities in the Hospitality industry.

Trainees and staff from The Crumbs Project join students and staff from The Cafe Project Basingstoke

The Crumbs Project’s mission is to empower disadvantaged adults through Hospitality-based training and development, guiding them toward better employment prospects and more independent living.

The Café Project’s mission is the relief of learning-disabled people in Basingstoke through employment, volunteering and development opportunities and the operation of a cafe to build their self-esteem, skills, independence and integrate them into mainstream employment.

Both charities provide training and support in practical and immersive settings. The Crumbs Project is based in a training centre in Bournemouth and The Café Project is based in a commercial trading setting in Basingstoke.

Through a skills exchange the two charities are working to deepen connections and promote disability confidence and inclusive employment opportunities within the UK’s Hospitality industry.

During July and August 2024, groups of Trainees and staff from The Crumbs Project made visits to Café Dome, at Brighton Hill in Basingstoke to work in the kitchens and front of house preparing and serving food and drinks to the café’s customers. This provided Food Production & Service trainees from The Crumbs Project with valuable work experience and social contact in a new environment.

A group of staff and trainees from The Crumbs Project visit The Cafe Project Basingstoke for a skills exchange

The Crumbs Project trainee Martin said:

“It’s been a great to work alongside Dome Café students and their staff. We’ve been getting to grips with using a different till, meeting their customers, and making new friends.”

The Crumbs Project Trainee Martin
A team member from The Cafe Project Basingstoke demonstrates how the Cafe’s till works

The Crumbs Project have also shared details of the charity’s professional training programmes, funding, and marketing strategies with The Café Project’s trustees and staff team.

A trainee from The Crumbs Project works in the Dome Cafe kitchen

More support is needed from Hospitality sector employers and suppliers to help both charities create inclusive employment opportunities and build brighter futures for people with disabilities. The charities are appealing for support from UK organisations to provide education and employment opportunities and to raise vital funds to help sustain their causes.

To get involved, contact via email info@crumbs.org.uk and dome@thecafeproject.co.uk or call The Crumbs Project directly on 01202 519320.

www.cafeproject.co.uk