The social enterprise giving those with learning disabilities a fair shot
This month, our founder, Priya Aggarwal-Shah, caught up with Bianca Tavella, Founder of Fair Shot, a social enterprise cafe and registered UK charity that aims to transform the lives of young adults with learning disabilities and/or autism through specialty coffee.
Having stumbled across Fair Shot’s quirky Covent Garden café a few months ago, we knew this was an initiative we had to support. After all, how can you argue with the fact that quite simply, everyone deserves a fair shot at employment.
In this piece, we share where the idea all started, how Fair Shot provides employment opportunities for those with learning disabilities, how it’s changing lives and what’s next for the charity.
As a bonus, we were truly humbled to volunteer at Fair Shot’s recent graduation, celebrating the achievements of all trainees, present and past, and we share a bit about that too.
We hope that through this interview, we can raise awareness about this incredible charity and encourage you all to drop by, donate, spread the message and simply, give someone… a fair shot.
About Fair Shot
When I walked into Fair Shot café, the first thing I read was that 95% of adults with a learning disability are unemployed.
This is why Bianca was inspired to create Fair Shot, a “café with a conscience.” Fair Shot café exists to combat the excruciatingly high unemployment rate in adults with learning disabilities. Their vision is to create a society where adults with learning disabilities and/or autism have an equal and fair chance at obtaining and maintaining employment.
Bianca Tavella, Founder and CEO of Fair Shot Cafe.
Fair Shot café doesn’t simply provide fantastic coffee! They offer 12 young adults (aged 18-25) each year, with a learning disability and/or autism the chance to gain real-life work experience through their hospitality traineeship programme.
Following this, the team works with employment partners to help the graduates settle into their next dream job.
“It’s essentially a steppingstone for the trainees. So far, we’ve helped 21 young adults and we’re taking on another 15 in September [2023],” said Bianca, proudly.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have funding to support people older than 25. However, this is just the beginning, and we have ambitions to go beyond the age of 25,” she added.
Where it all started
“I was 13 and told my parents this was something I was going to do”
No doubt, setting up a business is no easy mission. At 28 years young, Bianca initially had other plans for her early career. Having studied Politics at Exeter University, Bianca always wanted to work for an international NGO and after facing a few hurdles with this journey, she decided to just go for it and set up Fair Shot café.
Bianca grew up around people with learning disabilities, who she met through her church. When she was three, her parents set up a Friends for Friends Group in her local area, supporting people with learning disabilities. It was through this group that Bianca became close with an autistic child.
“This is where the café idea started. I was 13 and told my parents this was something I was going to do,” said Bianca.
Little did she know that the idea would materialise so soon. Having originally planned to set up this café later in her life, there was no time like the present.
With the encouragement of family and friends, she was ready to give it a go.
“You only regret what you don’t do,” said Bianca, a phrase I too could empathise with.
Bianca Tavella, Founder and CEO of Fair Shot cafe, with Priya Aggarwal-Shah, Founder and Director of BAME in Property Ltd.
From idea to execution
Having initially set up the café in Mayfair, Bianca moved Fair Shot to Covent Garden, after successfully pitching at Retail Convention last year and gaining support from Beacon Retail Consulting Ltd.
“Everyone matters and everyone has the right to aspire and the right to have a career… society needs to change, not the other way… We need to stop creating high expectations for everyone because adjustments are possible.”
Bianca’s role goes beyond ‘Founder and CEO’, and she wears several hats on a daily basis.
“I am the boss of disabled trainees. I have to manage the finances, customers, start up culture and raise money so we can grow… all these things come with their own set of challenges,” Bianca shared.
With no prior experience in running a business, and more specifically, a café, Bianca is learning on the job.
And for her, faith is important and that helping hand along the way.
“Faith gives you hope and something to fall back on. It’s perspective,” she added.
But despite the challenges, the work Fair Shot café does is so vital in supporting individuals with learning disabilities.
“Everyone matters and everyone has the right to aspire and the right to have a career… society needs to change, not the other way… We need to stop creating high expectations for everyone because adjustments are possible,” said Bianca.
The training and development process
All the trainees work four days a week and rotate between four different workstations in the café – the till, barista, floor and food station. This helps the trainees to focus on one task at a time and gives them the opportunity to really get stuck in, be it learning about different types of coffees, the cups to use, the frothing of the milk etc.
The focus may be on one task at a time, but the overall objective is about learning.
“Our trainees have been told their whole lives that they can’t reach their potential, but they need to know that they can make mistakes. We are creating a space for learning,” said Bianca.
There is also a wider café team to support the trainees, without whom the programme would not be possible.
Bianca Tavella (middle) with Geoffrey, last year’s trainee (left) and Celia, a trainee from the 2022-23 cohort (right).
Many of the trainees have graduated and gone onto work at other cafes, restaurants and the wider hospitality sector. Fair Shot supports them with their employment and keeps in touch throughout the process.
I met a former trainee, Geoffrey, who shared how his confidence had grown throughout the traineeship. He now works at a café in Fulham Broadway and is enjoying the experience of working with other people.
Meanwhile, Celia, a trainee from the 2022-23 cohort, has improved on her teamwork throughout the traineeship, and is now ready for her next role in another café.
Making adjustments in the café
“Most of the time it’s just about having a little patience, setting out tasks clearly and trying to control the environment around us.”
Speaking to Bianca about workplace adjustments made me realise that it really is possible to support people of all abilities. From making task lists for some trainees, promoting regular breaks for others, and providing ear defenders for those who feel overwhelmed, Fair Shot has considered a variety of adjustments to ensure the trainees feel comfortable and happy.
“Most of the time it’s just about having a little patience, setting out tasks clearly and trying to control the environment around us,” explained Bianca.
There is no complete list of adjustments, rather it’s an ongoing process, often with trial and error, but the good intentions are very much there.
There is also a ‘black room’, which any member of staff can use to have some alone, quiet time. A great example of when you design for accessibility, you design for everyone.
Bianca encourages companies that are interested in supporting employees with learning disabilities to work or partner with a charity that understands the barriers. Although it’s a time investment, it’s worth it to know that you’re making a difference.
Celebrating the trainees’ achievements
At the end of the programme, Fair Shot celebrate the trainees in a graduation ceremony, with all the grandeur you would want and expect.
It’s a celebration of the trainees and the wider staff at Fair Shot for the journey they have come on over the last nine months.
I volunteered at the last graduation event on 28th June and saw how humbling of an experience it was.
Each trainee gave their own speech, bringing tears and laughter in equal measures to many. These individuals, many of whom struggle with speaking, had immense courage to stand in front of 150-odd people – mainly friends, family members and supporters – and share what they had gained from the programme.
Former and present trainees, alongside the Fair Shot staff team.
What’s next for Fair Shot café?
Bianca has plans to open as many cafes as possible in London and support more people with learning disabilities get into employment. Can you help with this mission? Find out more here: https://www.fairshot.co.uk/corporate-fundraising
Because everyone deserves a fair shot, and you can help make that happen.