Café brings new connections

A Horsham laneway café will become home to a new enterprise focused on increasing regional education and workforce pathways.

After nearly nine years as owners of Thipatiy Coffee Lounge, Kaylene and Marcus Gregg bid farewell to their business on Friday, making way for the café’s newest chapter with lead organisation Centre for Participation.

The centre received a $186,680 grant for the Community Connection Café project last year through the State Government’s $30-million grants program, Pick My Project.

The new café, created in partnership with disability advocates Woodbine and Horsham Special School and the Wimmera migrant community, aims to engage with and increase employment opportunities for migrants and students with disabilities exiting the secondary school system.

Centre for Participation Learning and Developmental manager Robbie Millar said the organisation would aim to provide people opportunities to engage in training, work experience and employment links through the café.

“We are excited for what lies ahead,” he said. “Keep checking in with the laneway premises in the coming weeks for some exciting developments as we start work on the project.”

Mr Millar said school lunches and home-delivered meals offered through the café would continue as usual.

He said people could call Centre for Participation on 5382 5607 if they experienced trouble placing orders.