Stepping Stone House is charity providing a safe place for young children and young people, helping them to heal, build resilience and better prepare them for making their way in the world.
As well as accommodation support and case management the charity looks to support young people in being job ready, so when Case Manager Katie Maker had a young person who wanted to be successful in the hospitality industry, she reached out on the Sydney Bartender Exchange Facebook group, and was amazed at the response.
“We have a careers program that is run by one of our staff members and she works with the young people to get them job ready with things like job coaching, preparing a CV, what you wear to interviews and really help guide them through the process of getting into employment and we’ve seen some really good success with that,” Katie told Bars and Clubs.
“At the moment we have a young person who is 19 and his big dream is to run a bar or pub. With some of the hardship that he’s dealt with throughout the course of his life, it’s quite difficult. But he’s engaged with a Certificate Three in Hospitality, which he’s been really good in attending and thoroughly enjoying, but part of it is finding a work placement.
“It’s quite difficult sometimes to get that foot in the door in bars or pubs, so that’s why I reached out to SBE and I have been overwhelmed by the response.
“It’s been absolutely incredible.”
Katie added: “What I was looking for, for him was maybe six or so shifts as a work placement. But as we expand I hoped I might find more opportunities for more young people. Having worked in the industry I know the opportunities it brings, it teaches you so many skills, communication, confidence.
“We have other young people who are looking for work like a dishy, or a glassy, or a waitress and so this response is amazing.
“Any opportunity that venues can offer either now or with any of the young people in the future would be awesome.”
Anyone interested in helping young people get the break that could help turn their lives around, can contact the Stepping Stone House website, info@steppingstonehouse.com.au, or phone on 0403 579 954.
Katie told Bars and Clubs: “I am very conscious that I don’t want this is be a burden on anyone, but if there is opportunity to have hands on experience of going through service and customer interaction; how you open a bar, how you close a bar. The hospitality courses are great but it’s filling that gap of dealing with customers face-to-face.
“Hopefully something that not a cost to the venue, but shadowing people around a quiet service, or a quiet evening, which helps get their CV bumped up, gets their skills bumped up and really helps them with their job readiness.”
