Building Skills for the Future

A first step into the workplace can make a lasting difference – and at Brew Me Sunshine, young volunteers are being given opportunities to learn, grow and discover what they can achieve.

Since 2022, 40 volunteers have joined our Morecambe social enterprise café, with 80% aged under 25 when they started.

Some have joined through college work placements, while others have been looking for experience and skills to help them take their next step.

And those opportunities are leading somewhere. Twelve volunteers have gone on to secure paid employment with Galloways, while many others have progressed into further education or employment elsewhere.

Skills for life

Working alongside our café team, volunteers can develop practical skills in customer service, food preparation and barista work, while learning about accessibility and inclusion.

Opportunities also include certified Food Hygiene training and Galloways’ own Visual Impairment Awareness training.

Our partnership with Beaumont College has also enabled six young people with autism and other learning and developmental needs to undertake longer-term placements in the café, experiencing a real working and social environment.

For some, the impact reaches beyond work experience. Connections made through our Morecambe community hub have opened doors to other opportunities, including Maths and English learning.

Sometimes volunteering is the beginning of something much bigger: confidence, skills, friendships and a pathway towards the future.

“I’d love to come back and do more work experience…that’s if you’ll have me!” – Emilio