Banbury barista project helps teens at risk of exclusion

Founder of Get Fed Coffee Tim Parkhouse aims to re-engage young people with learning

A youth worker is helping young people at risk of exclusion and exploitation by teaching them barista skills.

Tim Parkhouse, founder of Get Fed Coffee in Oxfordshire, is giving students brewing and business training before they then manage their own event on the social enterprise's van.

The young entrepreneurs at Warriner School in Banbury keep 50% of the profits they make.

Deputy head Matthew Fisher said the project had been "transformational".

Student barista Eamon (right) said he was interested in "the business skills opportunity" that the project presented

The project is aimed at helping young people at risk of exclusion and exploitation re-engage with learning.

Mr Parkhouse explained: "I've been a youth worker for so long, mainly in youth justice, and I watched young people falling out of school with complex needs - and I also noticed that the drug dealers were very good at hooking them up at that time, and putting them to work.

"As a youth justice officer, it often fell to people like me to figure out what we're going to do with a young person who's already got themselves stuck into a horrible gang situation."

Student barista Eamon, 15, told the BBC what interested him was "the business skills opportunity", explaining: "How to work with people, how to work with the public - it was really good. You get to meet new people every day, I've met some amazing people."

Mr Fisher said the school "carefully selects" students to take part "because we can see the transformational effect it has on their young lives".

He continued: "We see, when they do this, they have those positive interactions and relationships and it comes back into the playground and the school, and we absolutely love it."

Following the success at the Warriner School, Mr Parkhouse is hoping to find more locations where the van can operate.

"It's a new start for some young people who thought their lives were over," he said.

The young entrepreneurs keep 50% of the profits they make