Special summer training program opens in Port Hope

Photo courtesy of Melly's Market + Cafe Facebook.

By Cecilia Nasmith

A summer-training program at a Port Hope storefront at 102 Walton St. known as Melly's S.T.E.P. Forward for Teens launches July 21.

S.T.E.P. Stands for Skills, Training and Employment Preparation, and the aim is to help young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities build job readiness through practical training, real work experience and mentorship.

In Canada, only about one in four adults with an intellectual disability is employed, but that gap starts early. While many teens build confidence through part-time jobs, youth with disabilities are less likely to be able to access that same formative work experience. By the time they graduate and look for work, their resumes lack the experience potential employers expect.

Melly's is a registered Canadian charity, public cafe and training workplace that delivers an employer-informed curriculum that builds real transferable workplace skills through coaching, repetition, community-based learning and paid work experience.

The program in Port Hope is being delivered in partnership with the Hope Towns initiative, a local not-for-profit dedicated to the restoration and regeneration of Canada's rural communities and The Main, the Hope Towns cafe in Port Hope.

At Melly's summer location at 102 Walton St., participants will learn and practice skills connected to hospitality, customer service, workplace communication, teamwork, time management, professionalism, independence and the daily routines of a commercial establishment. The storefront will also give Melly's a place to meet the local community, offer samples and sell a selection of local products.

From there, participants will put their learning into action through real work experience at The Main and the Hope Towns Farm Hub, offering a structured pathway from training into practical workplace settings that will help them build confidence, fluency, work habits and a track record that can lead to future employment.

To date, Melly's has served more than 143 youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, provided paid work opportunities to more than 81 apprentices, supported 37 apprentices in finding paid employment outside of Melly's, worked with eight employers actively hiring and mentoring Melly's graduates, and supported disability-driven businesses through its market.

Melly's is now actively recruiting applicants for the Port Hope S.T.E.P. Forward for Teens summer program. For more information, visit STEP Forward for Teens