Café provides special school students with recipe for success
A new internet café that is helping students with special educational needs to prepare for the world of work has held its official opening.
As well as offering the local community the chance to surf and snack, the ‘Community Cyber Café’ at Coton End in Warwick is helping students from Round Oak and River House Special Schools gain on the job experience by running their own café.
The project is being run in partnership between Warwickshire County Council’s Youth and Community Service and Warwickshire’s Special Schools and is giving students with special needs vocational training in hospitality and catering.
Sixth-form students from the Round Oak School and Support Service in Warwick and River House in Henley have been involved with the project since September.
Wendy Skyte, 14-19 Special Schools Coordinator for Warwickshire County Council, said: “This exciting and innovative project is providing a great link between our special schools and the local community and is helping students gain new skills and confidence. Running the café is not only teaching them about the hospitality and catering industry but it is also helping them to develop their numeracy and people skills which is great experience for later life.”
The Community Cyber Café is open between 11am and 1.30pm on Tuesday and Wednesdays during term-time. As well as serving a wide range of hot drinks and snacks the café has a computer suite with internet access.
The project has also won the support of two national charities, The Prince’s Trust and Guidepost, an organisation which helps those with mental health problems and learning disabilities. It is hoped that the project can develop its work further with the Prince’s Trust and Guidepost to help extend opportunities for the wider youth community.