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The final year of high school can be a stressful time for students and their parents, thanks to high study loads, ATAR pressure and all sorts of career-related quandaries. But for Melbourne lawyer and parent Jonathan Wenig, there was a distinct challenge unfaced by most: helping his autistic daughter Tali find meaningful employment opportunities in a job market that often overlooks the potential of those who live with a disability.
Feeling disencouraged by the disturbing lack of inclusive workplaces or fairly paid roles on offer, Wenig launched a charity to support his vision. Enter All Things Equal, a commercially viable café that provides award-wage jobs, structured training pathways and a sense of belonging, where all abilities are embraced.
The Balaclava café opened in 2021, and though pandemic lockdowns presented yet another challenge of its own, community support was strong and immediate. Fast-forward to today, and the buzzing, well-loved brunch spot is proof that good hospitality can and should embrace a diverse workforce.
About half of the team are people with a disability, employed in both front- and back-of-house roles and all paid standard hospitality wages. While the premise is unique, the offering stands up to the best of Melbourne’s quality cafés.
Located on Carlisle Street, it draws in daily throngs with its happy yellow exterior, friendly service and an unpretentious menu of excellently executed brunch standards. An inclusive vegetarian and pescetarian menu spotlights all your tried-and-true faves: shakshuka, eggs benny, chilli scramble, waffles – and great coffee, of course (courtesy of well-trained baristas and specialty beans from Veneziano Coffee Roasters).
Beyond the café, All Things Equal runs training programs, a cooking school, pop-ups and catering initiatives, all while nurturing mutually beneficial partnerships with a growing network of local groups and employers. Volunteering opportunities are also available.
It’s no secret that the hospitality industry is facing staff shortages, but All Things Equal – which currently has a waitlist of more than 100 people seeking employment – shows that inclusive hiring presents a powerful, community-minded solution. Refusing to thrum along comfortably as a siloed experiment, the social enterprise is calling on its industry peers to commit to employ 1,100 people with a disability by 2035. And we’re ready to embrace the change.
Keen to get involved or learn more? Visit the website – or head here to download the enterprise’s incredible research report on equal opportunity. If you or someone you know is an adult with a disability looking for a path to paid employment, find out more about All Things Equal’s pre-employment program.
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