By Jiayu Peng
Journalism intern from University of Melbourne
A new social enterprise café at Footscray Hospital is creating employment opportunities for young people struggling to enter the workforce in Melbourne’s west.
For Lauren Rowarth, the opportunity has been transformative. After leaving university and searching for work, she was referred by an employment agency to Youth Projects, a charity providing health, outreach, employment, education, and training services for young people.
The referral led to a job at The Little Social café. Lauren says her experience with the program has been “incredible”.
“A short coffee course I took through the program eventually led me to my current job,” she says.
“I remember stepping into the Werribee Hub for the first time, it was such a nice and inviting but professional space,” she says. “Everyone was super kind and supportive, often encouraging us to participate in events.”
Now working as a café all-rounder, Lauren spends her shifts moving between taking orders, making coffee and helping during busy lunch periods.
“Usually, my shift starts on the POS [digital ordering system], greeting and taking orders, then I might fill in on the coffee machine or jump onto food during the lunch rush,” she says. “There’s still structure, but I love how dynamic everything is.”
Operated by Youth Projects, The Little Social officially launched at the new Footscray Hospital precinct in April. The café is part of a broader social enterprise model aimed at supporting young people aged 15 to 24 through training, work experience and employment pathways.
Youth unemployment remains a persistent issue in Melbourne’s west, where barriers such as limited access to transport, rising living costs and lack of experience can make it difficult for young people to secure stable work.
Lauren says young people are often misunderstood in the workforce. “It’s not that we don’t want to work hard,” she says. “It’s that we often find ourselves getting taken advantage of, working long hours on low wages, not getting trained, or getting thrown into jobs without support.”
However, working at The Little Social gave Lauren a unique experience. “I had the privilege of being trained by really patient people from all sorts of backgrounds,” she says.
“Working in an environment that aligns with your values really makes a difference.”
The opportunity has also changed how she sees her future. “It’s definitely built my confidence, and it’s helped me develop a skill that I can take with me anywhere,” she says. “I feel more optimistic about my future.”
Since joining the program Lauren has not only gained employment but also a clearer sense of direction. She is now studying a Diploma of Community Services and hopes to support others facing similar challenges.
“I hope one day I can create a space that feels safe for others, the same way this program did for me,” she says.
As a social enterprise, The Little Social reinvests its profits into programs that support disadvantaged young people, combining everyday business operations with community impact, aiming to create long-term employment pathways in the community.
For Lauren, the difference lies not just in having a job, but in working in an environment that values and supports its staff.
