THinc-ing outside the box

The new THinc café on opening day

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Skills for Life students at Hopwood Hall College have been THinc-ing outside the box and have opened a new café on the Middleton campus – the THinc café.

The name, THinc café, stands for incluion in life – a key message the College conveys within its Skills for Life provision.

Skills for Life at Hopwood Hall College offers life skills and work skills programmes predominately for students with learning difficulties and disabilities. The students will all be timetabled to work in the café where they’ll be preparing and serving, and there will also be community volunteers to help out each day, as well as support from the tutors.

Emma Whittle, Programme Manager for skills for life and community learning, commented on the new venture: “The Skills for Life department recently moved into a purpose built facility for students with learning difficulties and disabilities. There had always been a café there, which was run by the students, but it became far too small for the amount of students we currently now have on programme.

"This amazing new facility offers invaluable work experience for learners who may not have necessarily ever had the opportunity of work experience previously.

"As part of the programme the students will develop their independent living skills such as managing their money, being able to cook for themselves and living more independent lives at home.”

The students will all be involved in devising the menu and preparing the recipes and the menu will change every month.