Good times brewing in western Sydney with free barista training for young people in need of mental health support

Barista training is on tap for young people in Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) who need a helping hand with their mental health.

Hemal Joshi, Team Leader & Nurse Unit Manager – Prevention Early Intervention and Recovery Services (PIERS), and his team have collaborated with Hills Community Aid (a non-profit small business) to arrange the barista training activity.

Hemal said from PEIRS point of view “we can see that young people are engaging well in this activity. It was great to see by end of the program, young people building their confidence by taking orders, processing bills and also then make a coffee with minimal instruction/supervision.

“This barista training group has helped in the recovery journey for sure but in addition to that, it might open up some career prospects for young people.”

The student participants found the experience very rewarding and helpful to their recovery; 

Gray:

“We make coffees for roughly a crowd of 700 people, it’s nerve-wracking but I’ll be able to do it. One of the main things for me is to gain confidence to be able to talk to people from the public without getting anxious and I can now confidently do it.”

Samantha:

“The program was good and I want to work at cafes now. I learnt how to make my favourite drink, a flat white.”

Jax:

“I really enjoyed this. I have learnt that there is lot involved in coffee making. I am confident in taking orders, helping customers and serving them their coffee.”

Well done to PEIRS in WSLHD on their continued work in child, adolescent and youth community mental health recovery.