The story of STREAT Coffee starts when co-founders Rebecca Scott and Kate Barrelle worked for KOTO, a training program and restaurant providing street youth with life and job skills in Hanoi. Following her time at KOTO, Rebecca visited many outstanding social enterprises in Thailand, Laos and Indonesia.
Seeing the positive impact of such social enterprise work, this inspired Rebecca to pursue this as a research topic in her Masters of International and Community Development. STREAT was born from such key experiences and research.
In early 2008, STREAT Coffee piloted the program. They tested the model and developed strategies, policies and procedures to expand the model further, 2009 was used to lay down foundations while 2010 they kick-started the program. I chat to Michael Lawson, from STREAT Coffee about their work.
Why homelessness?
STREAT Coffee believe that every young person should be given the opportunity to reach their potential. This isn’t possible for a young person if they don’t have somewhere safe, affordable and loving to belong.
Streat’s Melbourne Central Cafe