The London café giving everyone a 'fair shot'

From the hiss of steam warming milk, the clank of emptying used coffee grounds and the chatter of customers, Fair Shot is like any another London coffee shop, but it's also a training centre for young adults with learning disabilities.

In England, just 4.8 per cent of people with learning disabilities were in paid work in 2022-2023, according to the government's annual survey of adult social care. Bianca Tavella, founder and chief executive of Fair Shot, believes the rate is too low and there's a way to help fix it.

"I'm so proud that I got a paid job," said Aya Bider, 23, a recent graduate from Fair Shot's training programme who now works for the sales department of a brand at luxury goods maker LVMH after being rejected by employers in the past.

"I would be sad if I didn't have a job. I would be sitting at home like a lemon, watching TV."

Having grown up with an autistic friend, Tavella, 29, hatched a plan to give those with learning disabilities or neurodevelopment disorders the chance to realise their full potential by providing training – both for them and for employers.

There have been multiple success stories, she said, remembering one non-verbal student whose parents could not believe their daughter could ever have a job. She has for the last two years been working as a barista at a different cafe.

"She kind of just stays in her lane, is not fazed by anything. She kind of just wants to work," Tavella said.

Fair Shot students may have autism, auditory processing disorder, motor skill difficulties, Down syndrome or an undiagnosed condition, the CEO said. The programme trains 15 people a year to be ready to secure paid jobs.

Nineteen employers have signed up to give jobs to the students. There are over 40 steps for a partner company to go through which can take a year or more as a Fair Shot consultant works to help train front-line staff to be ready for their new addition. Reuters