Young people with learning disabilities get a taste of employment in Brighton
Video report from ITV News Meridian's Charlotte Wilkins.
A charity in Brighton and Hove is helping young people with learning disabilities to gain life skills and build self esteem by training them in the art of coffee roasting. Team Domenica recognises that every young person with a learning disability has bags of potential.
This is the first coffee roastery in the country where the beans are roasted and packaged by young people with learning disabilities. The coffee is then sold through the charity's cafes and to different businesses across the city.
The roastery was started so the young people, or candidates, gain the skills and training they need to find paid employment.
Rosa Monckton, the founder, said: "I started Team Domenica nearly 5 years ago, when I was looking for somewhere for my daughter, Domenica, to go after she finished college and there was nothing that fitted the bill".
"I realised there were several people with learning disabilities who had no where to go and no purpose to their day".
But the scheme has been so successful it's been hard to keep up with demand. What I hate is having a waiting list.
Rosa said: "There's such a demand for what we do. We need to raise more money so we can get bigger, expand and help everybody have a purpose to their day. A reason to get out of bed in the morning and get a job".
Team Domenica started with just 20 candidates - now 80 are working across the 3 cafes in Brighton and Hove and in the roastery too.
The aim is to build confidence and self esteem by giving these young people a taste of employment.
To find out more about Team Domenica click here
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