Launch of Swans Café

Swan Districts Football Club launched the Swans Café at last weekend’s Mother’s Day home game against Claremont.

The Swans Café is a new social enterprise providing employment training for at risk young people in a culturally safe environment. The Swans Café van will be serving coffee at every WAFL and WAFLW home game and at local community events.

The club will provide barista and customer service training for schools to offer students as an extension of the Swans Elevate program already being delivered in metropolitan and regional secondary schools.

Those students who become barista certified will be invited to work in the Swans Café on weekends and at Swans home games at Steel Blue Oval Bassendean.

The club’s Director of Social Impact, Ian Westmore, helped create the project.

“The Swans Café will create sustainable and ongoing employment in hospitality for at risk young people improving mental health and reducing risk of contact with the justice system. It will also create a new financial and sustainable social enterprise for the club.”

“The success of the social enterprise program will be determined by its financial sustainability and social impact. Like any successful enterprise it needs to become self-funding, but the Swans Café will also provide a job readiness program for local schools.”

Club sponsor Iron Mine Contracting helped fund the purchase of the van, and past Swans players, through donations to the Swan Districts Foundation, are helping fund the training program.

IMC Chief Executive Clinton Keenan is proud to be associated with the club’s Swans Café.

“We’re excited to help start this important social enterprise. Like Swans, we strongly believe that business relevance and sustainability is built from uplifting and empowering individuals in the communities in which they operate.”

Tony Cope, who played 40 League games for Swans between 1985 – 88, has also contributed to the program.

“I was delighted to help establish the Swans Café employment training program. It’s another way my old club Swan Districts is helping create a community where everyone belongs.”

For more information on the Swans social impact programs contact Head of Social Impact Jason Burton on jburton@swandistrictsfc.com or 0459 440 010.