Blog

Onwards & Upwards for our No Limits team!

Here at No Limits Cafe, Kitchen & Hub we are all about building confidence and esteem as well as employability and life skills.

After being open for just 4 months here is an update on some of our fantastic team members!

With the help of our voluntary Transition Support worker, Vanessa, we aim to support our Work Experience team in their transition to employment or further training and are very fortunate to be building relationships with local education settings and local employers.

 

 
boy holding certifcate at No Limits cafe

Zach – From Work Experience trainee to Supported Internship

Zach joined our Work Experience programme whilst completing his final year of secondary school and has been a whizz at the coffee machine and front of house ever since.  Whilst working hard for his exams, dedicated Zach also passed his Level 2 Food Safety & Hygiene in his own time and completed his Barista training with us.
 
Always willing to lend a hand and a great team player,  Zach discovered a real love for cafe and barista work!
 
Zach has now progressed from the Work Experience programme to a Supported Internship spending his time both at a local education setting and here at the cafe  giving him the opportunity to expand his employability skills and also incorporate digital skills into his experience! 
lady holding brownies in cafe

Nicola – Supported Employment to Cafe Team Mentor

Nicola has been part of the No Limits Team from day one as part of the Supported Employment Scheme. Already having a wealth of cafe expertise after 9 years working at Seale Hayne’s Bistro, we head hunted Nicola after being so impressed with her bubbly customer service and fantastic ‘up selling’ skills! Nicola successfully obtained her Barista Certification ( we knew you could do it Nicola!) and her Level 1 Food Safety & Hygiene qualification. 

Nicola has a natural empathy with our Work Experience Team and is incredibly supportive and encouraging to new team members. She is also very open and positive about disabilities and just what can be just achieved! In recognition of these qualities, Nicola has now become Cafe Team Mentor and is the Work Experience team’s ‘go to’ for support and encouragement which is a responsibility she can more than handle 

Abbie – Paid employment in Care position

Abbie completed her 8 week’s of Work Experience with us this summer and flourished.  Really enjoying being part of a team her confidence  grew across the weeks and she threw herself into all aspects of cafe work from preparing food, serving customers and making coffees. 

We were really proud of Abbie for successfully obtaining her Barista certificate!  Abbie was also a whizz at cleaning – super efficient at clearing tables before anybody else had a chance!

Working here at No Limits gave Abbie the confidence to realise she worked well as part of a team and lead to her pursuing her goal to work in a Caring role. After leaving us, Abbie successfully found work at Torbay Hospital in an Auxiliary Role. We are pleased to say that she still comes in to visit us at the cafe on a regular basis! Well done Abbie!

 

Zac Z – From Training Programme to Volunteer 

Zac joined our Pathway to Catering & Hospitality programme at the end of June and he loved it so much he decided to stay!   
 
After obtaining certificates in Level 2 Food Safety & Hygiene, Food Allergy Awareness and finally Barista Skills, Zac now volunteers for us one day a week as well as finding time to study towards a Counselling qualification.
 
Super efficient Zac is a great team player, using his initiative to carry out any job needed! From washing up, making a delicious latte or running to the fruit & veg market for some last minute supplies, Zac is an essential member of the team, extremely professional in his role and with an excellent customer facing manner we are extremely fortunate that Zac has stayed with us on the team.