The Community Cares…So The Hospitality Industry Responds

Community eco-cultural concerns are going beyond buying energy-efficient light bulbs, using enviro bags and buying raffle tickets ‘for a good cause’. Hospitality Magazine reports that some consumers are now considering the environmental implications of what they eat, where they dine, where they stay and who serves them…

Community concern at ‘food miles’

Back in July we reported the opening of Melbourne’s 100 Mile Cafe and now we see hospitality, tourism and leisure management college, William Blue, is to include more environmental info in its courses.

”Consumers want to know that the organisation behind their meal, service or product is doing something to minimise their carbon footprint…restaurant, cafe and hotel staff need to be sensitive to the ethical and environmental concerns of their customers. They must have a strong knowledge of their organisations’ environmental policy, as well as how ingredients are sourced and prepared…when it comes to food, green consumers want to know the impact each stage of the supply chain has had on the environment…how far food has travelled to get to our plate, or food miles, is of growing concern”, says William Blue head of school, Jenny Jenkins.

Hospitality program reflects concern for disadvantaged people

HEAT – Hospitality Employment and Training – trains unemployed and disengaged young people and has won the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Community Partnerships in the business category award.

HEAT was developed by a consortium involving the Port Phillip Council, William Angliss Institute, Victoria Police, the Inner Eastern Local Learning and Employment Network and local restaurant ‘Metropol’ – and is managed by St Kilda Youth Services (SKYS).

The program recently secured St Kilda restaurateur and TV chef, Iain ‘Huey’ Hewitson, as its patron.

HEAT is designed to dramatically improve the lives of many young people who are presently unemployed and/or disengaged from mainstream education. Often these young people have few skills, negative experience of training and little understanding of the culture of work, leaving them with poor prospects of gaining long term employment.

The program trains 30 – 40 young people every year in responsible serving of alcohol and how to apply for jobs. It also provides them with two days-a-week training at William Angliss as well as a two-week work placement in local cafes, restaurants and bars.The course is free and students are supplied with free uniforms. It directly links young disadvantaged people to training and employment in a growing local industry.

Port Phillip Mayor, Janet Bolitho, says:

“The HEAT program has the right ingredients for success…students relish the hands-on training at William Angliss and the excursions the council organises for students to meet local café and restaurant operators and to food havens such as the Yarra Valley…They now understand that getting a job in the hospitality industry is just not just a matter of skills but of attitude. Employers want staff who want to work and can turn up on time.”

Behind the scenes

In May 2005 SKYS received a three-year grant from the ANZ Trust (William Buckland Foundation and the Felton Bequest) to develop and deliver a hospitality training and employment program for young disadvantaged people in the City of Port Phillip.

How to Contact Heat

HEAT is located at SKYS Training Centre, 81 Liardet Street, Port Melbourne. Contact: Emma Crichton Tel: 03 9676 9380 or SKYS 03 9534 3685 or visit the website at www.skys.org.au.