Stage 1: Learn – Pre-Employment Training
Duration: Approximately 3 to 12 months (tailored to the individual)
What it looks like:
Before stepping into the workforce, trainees join our skills-based training program. This is a chance to build hospitality know-how and get comfortable in real café settings. Training includes:
- Individualised goal assessment and setting
- Food preparation & customer service
- Occupational health & safety
- Front-of-house experience
- Workplace behaviours & teamwork
Support:
Every trainee is supported one-on-one by our cafe mentors, funded through their NDIS plan.
Funding & Payments:
- Fully funded through NDIS plans
- Trainees are not paid at this stage, as it is a pre-employment program
Stage 2: Grow – Paid Café Roles
Duration: 12–18 months (dependent on individual readiness)
What it looks like:
Once ready, trainees become employees at Blending Our Futures. Here they gain real-world, paid experience in a supportive environment while continuing to build essential workplace skills such as:
- Punctuality & time management
- Communication & adaptability
- Teamwork & self-advocacy
- Giving & receiving feedback
Support:
Each employee has access to an on-site mentor to guide and build confidence while they learn.
Funding & Payments:
- Mentors funded via NDIS funding
- Employees are paid award wages, (may be individually assessed under the Supported Wages System), directly by Blending Our Futures
Step 3: Flourish – Graduate Into Mainstream Employment
What it looks like:
Our final stage is about supporting employees into mainstream employment. We work closely with our employees and inclusive businesses to:
- Identify roles suited to our graduates
- Provide onboarding and training support
- Ensure long-term employment success
This means every participant has a clear career pathway: from learning the basics, to earning a wage in a supportive café environment, and finally stepping into mainstream roles, whether that be with us, or an external employer, with confidence.
🌱 Good Coffee. Great Cause.
When you enjoy a coffee at Blending Our Futures, you’re not just supporting a local café – you’re helping build brighter futures, one job at a time.
“I love being able to use my skills and knowledge. I like that I am getting to start my adult life with a job that pays me well. I am also getting the chance to be able to understand what a future job will feel like”
Supported Employee, Mel
“Thank you so much for your support. You’ve really made the workplace feel safe enough for me express my emotions rather than bottle them up. I haven’t been able to do that before”
Supported Employee
“He loves it! He learns café skills and cooking. To have someone supportive, mentoring him along the way, we need more opportunities like that.
Parent to a Supported Employee
Blending Our Futures 