Ruby Saltbush Cafe brewing up something special

By Patrick Morrow

Sep 16, 2022

**Catering to every need**: Melinda Bohan helping out in the catering department. Photo: Tracy Lamont

From making carrot cake to coffee, members of the disabled community are working towards employment with the help of the Ruby Saltbush Cafe.

Billabong Garden Complex manager Tracy Lamont says it makes her feel “complete” seeing the participants from Ruby Saltbush Cafe achieve their goals in the café, from completing tasks as simple as making orders to cooking food.

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ConnectGV’s Cafe Culture program operates from various locations, including its commercial kitchen at Bowenhall St, the Ruby Saltbush Cafe at Billabong Garden Complex and now the satellite café, which also provides a catering service.

“It puts a smile on our face to see the participants achieve their goals, and gives people with a disability a pathway in the catering industry,” Ms Lamont said.

“We are excited, and watching our participants grow and achieve is what drives us to help them achieve their goals.”

**Helping hand:** Melinda Bohan grabbing a drink for a customer. Picture: Tracy Lamont

The existing café has been helping people with disabilities for 12 months, and has opened another satellite service at the Wyndham Early Learning Centre, which operates Monday to Friday.

Ms Lamont said the overall goal was for participants to move from the Billabong site to the Wyndham centre to practise customer service and expand their craft.

“Our goal is to start them in the Billabong site and then once they have achieved their goals they go to the Wyndham Early Learning Centre where they will be part of the team doing customer service and waitering,” she said.

She said community feedback had been excellent, and was urging locals to make sure they came and supported the café.

“We are delighted by the community response, and we are hoping for more of the community to give us a shot in the future,” she said.

ConnectGV chief executive Jacinta Russell said it was vital to have this service for all, especially those with a disability.

Holding the fort: Annie Moseley, a barista from the Ruby Saltbush Cafe, operating the Wyndham café. Picture: Tracy Lamont

“Therefore, while providing our community with great coffee in two locations, importantly, we are providing our ‘Cafe Culture’ participants with a disability real café experience along with barista and customer service training,” Mrs Russell said.

All participants can learn the skills necessary to work in a hospitality environment, including barista training, customer service, table setting, baking cakes and slices, and general workplace practices, including health and safety.

“We continually seek and foster community partnerships that enable our participants to meet their goals and achieve their dreams, so we were thrilled when Wyndham Early Learning Centre approached us to operate a coffee cart at the front of their centre,” Mrs Russell said.

“They are genuinely interested in creating social impact by providing opportunities for people with a disability, with the spin-off access to great coffee for their staff, families and the broader community, who are invited to access the coffee cart too.”

ConnectGV is continually reviewing its programs to ensure they are diverse to meet the individual needs of people with a disability and our community, and “our Ruby Saltbush Cafe is just one example of this”, Mrs Russell said.