Margie Maccoll
Thrive cafe, a new venture of Noosa Coolum Salvos, opened last week to deliver not only great coffee to customers but to empower a generation of kids, who don’t quite fit into mainstream schooling, to thrive.
Noosa Salvation Army’s Lieutenant Matthew Gluyas said it was thanks to the generosity of Harcourts Noosa which offered the Salvos their cafe on Weyba Road, Noosaville, that has enabled them to use it as a training component of their school program.
Each term, the Salvos provide a full time school program to eight students who are struggling in mainstream school.
The cafe will enable the students to obtain training in barista and hospitality, giving them experience in working in a cafe, gaining skills such as dealing with customers, food handling and taking orders.
“It’ll give them confidence and experience,“ Matt said.
“Profits raised will go into the school program.“
Joe Young, a local resident with a wealth of cafe experience, has come on board to coordinate the cafe and train the students.
Padre national sales manager Andrew Harris said Padre set up the cafe with the best available equipment and the best coffee beans.
He said it meant students would be using a trusted and respected brand and working on “high end“ equipment that would give them the knowledge to work in any local cafe.
Matt said with Noosa’s current shortage of baristas and hospitality workers their provision of training would help the kids gain some employment and be part of the solution to the community shortage.
In addition to their school program, the Salvos are working on a variety of programs to help the community.
As the Noosa residents face increasing costs the Salvos are receiving increasing calls for their help and they are happy to help.
“There’s a hidden but emerging working poor,“ Matt said. “It’s impacting people who have never had to seek help before. People who are already stretched are finding they need to come up and another $300 a week to cover costs.
“We want the community to know we are here for all people. There’s no shame in coming to see us.“
Matt said the Salvos recognise the need in the community and want to work with the community to find solutions.
“We need to own that need as a community. We can lead people out of this.“
Thrive cafe is on Cnr Weyba Road and Swan Street, Noosaville.
