Only A Pavement Away - the charity for the employment of those facing homelessness, prison leavers and veterans into careers within hospitality – has today announced it will be launching a series of employment training cafés in Spring 2022.

The training cafés will be open to the public and created within mothballed sites acquired by the charity from its employer partners. They will be staffed by Only a Pavement Away members as well as an experienced Management team, and will allow those helped by Only a Pavement Away to receive on-the-job training and to demonstrate their work ethic and values.

The goal is to have an Only A Pavement Away Employment Training Café in ten major cities across the UK by the end of the year, helping the charity to reach its target of placing 250 people into work within the hospitality industry in 2022.

Those who staff the Employment Training Cafes will receive qualifications whilst working in a retail customer-focused environment, together with the knowledge and skills required to live independently. They will receive a salary for their roles and the intention is that they would secure permanent employment with an Only A Pavement Away employer partner during their time at the café.

Greg Mangham, Founder of Only A Pavement Away, says: “This is a truly exciting start to 2022 for Only A Pavement Away and the people that we support. Our cafes will provide valuable training and employment opportunities for our members and will raise greater awareness of the role we play working in partnership with likeminded charities to place those facing homelessness, prison leavers and veterans into careers within the hospitality industry”

Since its launch in October 2018, Only A Pavement Away has placed 170 individuals into work, adding c£4million to the economy. In addition, it has helped coordinate the distribution of over £1.6 million worth of donated food & drink from the hospitality industry to those in need during the pandemic.