TAFE skills take a front seat at YIC cafe
Youth Involvement Council’s Fresh Start Cafe is steadily growing with two new, homemade, picnic tables donated from the North West TAFE.
Previously only seating four people, the social enterprise cafe at the YIC in South Hedland will now be able to seat up to 20 guests, thanks to the Try-A-Trade students at the local TAFE.
Try-A-Trade and construction lecturer Lee Elgood said the students made the tables in only three days as a part of the Vocation Individual Pathway Program.
“The program is a taste-test for students looking to start a Certificate II at TAFE in Years 11 and 12 and we teach them some skills to see whether they like it,” he said.
“Once they come and see it, they usually end up loving it, especially the girls lately.”
The students come in, plan, construct and paint the tables while learning safety and work skills in the process.
The tables are then donated to organisations in need around the Hedland area, and the YIC has been one of the lucky few.
YIC chief executive Vicki-Tree Stephens said they were grateful for the tables and hope they will encourage more community engagement at the cafe.
“We’re coming into some amazing weather at the moment so people want to be able to sit outside a bit more and enjoy the cooler mornings,” she said.
“Previously we’ve only been able to sit around four people — now entire groups can sit, and they will hopefully encourage people to hang out rather than grab a coffee and go.”
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