Regina cafe creates safe space, work opportunities for youth

What began as a grassroots initiative to help Regina youth has evolved into a comprehensive support system and, now, an opportunity to gain work experience and make some money.

Street Culture Project (SCP) has been offering mentorship, housing and community outreach to underserved youth for more than 25 years.

SCP helps about 350 youth a year. It focuses on ages 15 to 18, but also helps kids as young as 12.

The goal is to provide at-risk youth, who might otherwise fall through the cracks, an opportunity to explore, grow, discover and create.

The Safe Cafe & Catering is one of the newest initiatives. The Safe opened in July in the Conexius Credit Union head office on College Avenue.

CEO Jeff Dudar said SCP decided to open the cafe to give Regina youth, “an opportunity to learn, develop their skills in a particular area and generate income.”

The cafe serves food directly to customers, but also caters.

“We meet kids where they're at,” Dudar said. “Some people might not be ready for the public-facing, front of house, but they might want to learn and start in the, you know, the dish pit or with catering, and learn some skills, gain some confidence and then move into the public-facing space.”

All profits generated by the business go back into vital programs and services for underserved youth in the community, Dudar said.

“It really is an investment in youth and community.”

Katarina McGrath, a 20-year-old who works at The Safe, said she’s developing new skills.

“How to work as a team and communicate really well, and just having people to rely on when you need help,” McGrath said.

McGrath’s favourite thing to make is a latte.

“It's pretty and I can do art with it.”

Dudar said small things like latte art can be a good demonstration of how the workers build confidence.

“When an employee starts, their foam on the latte and their art might not be as crisp, precise, and artistic, but over the four or five months that we've been open, you know, that ever-important latte art has improved dramatically,” he said.