Work Placement at Gosforth Civic Theatre Cafe
Empowering Young People Through Real Work Experience
Our Work Placement Programme creates meaningful opportunities for young neurodivergent people and young people with learning disabilities aged between 16-24 years old.
What Makes Our Programme Special
Support on Every Shift: Every placement is supported with mentors who work alongside our trainees, ensuring they feel confident and valued as essential team members.
Skills for Careers: From mastering barista techniques to developing customer service skills, our trainees gain hands-on experience across every aspect of cafe operations.
Building Confidence Beyond the Workplace: We focus on developing both technical skills and personal confidence, helping prepare young people for careers and independent living.
Our Mission
We're here to raise expectations about what people with learning disabilities can achieve. Every young person who joins our programme has the potential to succeed, and our dedicated staff are committed to supporting their journey every step of the way.
What Our Trainees Learn
Barista Skills:
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Espresso extraction and milk steaming techniques
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Coffee menu knowledge
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Beverage preparation
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Food Safety & Preparation:
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Professional kitchen organisation and qualifications in Food Hygiene
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Serving and preparing food and drinks
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Allergen awareness and food safety protocols
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Customer Service:
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Welcoming customers
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Till system operation and order processing
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Creating positive customer experiences
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Workplace Essentials:
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Replenishing stock
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Health and safety protocols
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Team collaboration and professional conduct
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Valuable, Softer Life Skills:
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Increased confidence
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Improved social skills and widened social circle
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Developed communication skills
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Understanding how to work safely
Your Journey With Us
Our work placement programme runs for a minimum 12 weeks for a maximum of 52 weeks, providing a clear pathway from learning to real-world application. A typical shift is 9am-3pm. It follows the academic calendar, running from September through July.
Successful completion of our work placement programme can help open doors to employment, where we provide ongoing support to help our placement trainees to transition into employment with inclusive employers.
To help us evaluate if the cafe is the right opportunity for you, we will:
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Invite you to GCT to have a chat with you to find out a bit more about you, your skills and what you want to learn.
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We will ask you to take part in two taster sessions, split into two shifts.
How Much Does It Cost?
This programme is fee based. Fee based programmes can be funded through either a young person’s education and health care plan, or direct payments / personal budget. You can find out more about this from your college transitions officer or your local social work team.
Ready to Start Your Journey?
Whether you're a young person looking to develop new skills or an employer interested in inclusive hiring, we're here to help. Our programme isn't just about work experience; it's about unlocking potential and creating pathways to independence and success.
Please contact rebecca@gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk to learn more about how our Work Placement Programme can make a difference.