Barista Volunteer

Volunteer Barista & Café Assistant

Location: Selly Oak or St Paul’s Square (Evolve Project @ Grounded)

Organisation: Evolve – a project by Aquarius Action Projects Ltd (Charity)

About Waythrough

Waythrough was formed in 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship. Together, we’ve created one of the largest mental health and social support charities in England.

Every year, we support around 125,000 people through nearly 200 services – and it’s all made possible by our 3,500 brilliant staff and volunteers.

Make a real difference in your community

Are you passionate about helping others live safer, healthier, more independent lives? Join our team at Waythrough and support people facing challenges around mental health, substance use, housing or domestic abuse. This is more than just a job – it’s a chance to build meaningful relationships and create lasting change.

About Evolve

Evolve is a social enterprise coffee shop with a mission to support local young people who have faced barriers to employment. In partnership with Aquarius, a Midlands-based recovery charity, we also work with young people overcoming challenges related to drug and alcohol substance use.

We know that moving from adversity to employment can feel overwhelming. That’s why Evolve provides tailored training, supportive work experience and a community-focused space designed to build confidence, skills and brighter futures.

At Evolve, we’re not just about coffee—we’re about community impact and meaningful change.

About the Volunteer Role

As a Volunteer Barista & Café Assistant, you’ll play a valuable role in our friendly café team. This opportunity is perfect for anyone wanting to gain experience in hospitality, customer service or social enterprise work, or simply to grow confidence and learn new skills.

What You’ll Gain

Accredited Training & Certificates, including: Level 2 Food Safety & Hygiene Health & Safety in the Workplace Professional barista training delivered by Union Hand-Roasted Coffee Certificates awarded for all completed training

Hands-on café experience, including: Barista skills Customer service Understanding daily café operations and processes

Behind-the-scenes experience, such as: Learning about our suppliers .Understanding ordering and stock management

Marketing & Creative Involvement, including: Sharing ideas for social media content, Contributing to promotional activities

Financial Support for Travel We cover your public transport costs to and from your volunteering shifts, A supportive environment designed to help you grow, build confidence and develop transferable life and work skills.

Key Responsibilities

Customer Service & Front of House

Greet customers and ensure they feel welcomed

Take orders, prepare drinks and serve food

Maintain a positive, supportive environment

Barista & Operational Tasks

Prepare high-quality coffee and learn barista techniques

Assist with daily and weekly cleaning duties

Help with stock checks, ordering, and receiving deliveries

Marketing & Community Engagement

Offer ideas for social media posts and café promotions

Support in sharing Evolve’s story and community mission

What We’re Looking For

A friendly, positive and respectful attitude

Willingness to learn and try new things

Reliability and good communication skills

Interest in community work, hospitality or personal development

No previous experience needed — just enthusiasm and commitment.

What We Offer

We value the people who make a difference every day. Alongside meaningful work, you’ll enjoy:

Discounts from various schemes

Training and personal development

A chance to make a real difference in people’s lives

Free induction and role-specific training

Support from experienced staff and regular supervision

Opportunities to meet new people and develop your confidence

Reimbursement for travel and agreed expenses

Valuable experience that can support your personal or career development

Inclusion and accessibility

Waythrough is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities, especially those with lived experience of the issues we support.

We have signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme - all applicants are welcome, and adjustments can be made to enable fair participation.

If you need adjustments or support to apply, please email our recruitment team: recruitmentteam@waythrough.org.uk

How to apply

If you’re viewing this advert on an external platform such as Indeed, please click ‘Apply via company website’ to view the full job description and submit your application.

Please note that while this role has a stated closing date, we reserve the right to close the advert early should we receive a high number of applications.

Closing date: