Good Thanks: City of Kwinana partners with Good Sammy to boost employment prospects for people with disability

Kwinana Recquatic will become home to the first expansion of Good Sammy’s social enterprise model, Good Thanks cafe. Opening on Monday, the deal was struck when the City of Kwinana was on the search for a new operator to take over the existing premises inside the city’s recreation facility. When WA disability employment and training organisation Good Sammy submitted an expression of interest, Kwinana mayor Carol Adams said the collaboration was a no-brainer. “This partnership helps both the City of Kwinana and Good Sammy to achieve their goals of embracing diversity and creating employment opportunities for people living in their local communities with a disability,” Ms Adams said. Good Thanks cafe hires locals with disability and provides an inclusive environment for employees to refine their skills in the hospitality industry, and head barista Tomsie is keen to get among the coffee beans and espresso machine. “I’m excited to work at the Good Thanks cafe,” Tomsie said. “I’ve always felt passionately about working in hospitality to show that my disability doesn’t affect my capability to work in an industry I love.” The Kwinana cafe will hire up to 15 locals, of which 50 per cent will be people with disability. This will be in line with the near 50 per cent of people with disability making up the entire Good Sammy workforce. It’s the first time Good Sammy has had the opportunity to extend the cafe model into the community — only running from its Canning Vale headquarters until now. Good Sammy chief executive Kane Blackman said the cafe brand was established to “foster a sense of inclusiveness and belonging for customers and employees” and praised the city’s leadership in seeking to deliver disability employment outcomes in the community. “We are committed to curating spaces where everyone is welcome,” he said. “Customers should expect to receive quality barista-made coffee, fresh local produce and friendly customer service.”