Mobile cafe for youth offenders opens its doors

The project is a collaboration between youth charity SMASH, Swindon Borough Council and the Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner's office

A Swindon charity has opened a mobile cafe where young offenders can become baristas in an attempt to prevent reoffending.

SMASH youth project mentors children and young people and has partnered with Swindon Borough Council and the Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner's office to set up the scheme.

Those involved have been selected for "restorative interventions", which is an alternative to being formally sentenced.

The cafe, named Solid Ground, is on the council's Civic Campus and is open to the public every Wednesday and Thursday from 10am until 3pm.

'Gained confidence'

One of the young people involved in the project said it had made a major difference in their outlook.

"Since starting at the van, I have gained confidence in myself and become more confident and tolerant of others, as well as gaining customer service skills," they said.

"I feel I have more hope and plans for the future now and I am starting to learn how to budget and plan better with the money I earn. I am grateful for the training opportunities."

The opening of the mobile cafe was attended by the leader of Swindon Borough Council Jim Robbins and Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson.

Mr Wilkinson pointed to the scheme as an example of what could be achieved by young people from difficult backgrounds.

"We are constantly looking for initiatives which give young people the opportunity to move out of the clutches of the organised crime groups which want to drag them down into the world of drugs and criminality," he said.

"Through funding the coffee van and working with an organisation like SMASH, we're able to provide them with the confidence and skills to give them the opportunity to find meaningful employment."

Rowan Kikke from SMASH said the van was crucial in developing young people's "employability skills"

Lead for innovation and collaboration at SMASH, Rowan Kikke, said it was crucial for schemes like this to give young people an outlet.

"We're really keen to work with young people in a way that develops their employability skills and getting them into independence and we didn't have a way of doing that," she said.

"About two years ago the youth justice service approached us and said they had this old chip van and asked could we do anything with it that would create a space for young people.

"It takes time to garner trust, but they are ready to learn the skills to be a positive presence in the community."