Restart Coffee

Caffeina Consulting X United Baristas: Restart Coffee 
 
Let’s be honest; 2020 has been a really tough time for hospitality.  The knock-on effects on the coffee industry have seen many of us out of work; either furloughed or redundant and worried about our futures.  It would be easy to fall into negative thinking and start to feel sorry for ourselves.  I’ll admit to a few one-person pity parties during the early days of lockdown.  But while it is clear that the Covid-19 pandemic is a long-term difficulty & that the industry is still full of driven people, who care deeply about the fate of coffee professionals; it’s time to shake it off & opt for action, rather than passive worry. 
During the first lockdown I set to work on a long-term goal of mine, creating a series of training videos, lessons and assessments to make remote learning a possibility for coffee professionals.  Suddenly I had the time to focus on my idea & have created something I’m genuinely proud of.  Like a lot of self-employed people my income dropped off a cliff but I was able to find the positives and focus on a rewarding project.  If I’m honest it was just as valuable to my mental wellbeing as it was for my career goals. 
That’s why, with the start of a second national locdown, I was delighted to be partnering up with United Baristas on a project aimed at giving coffee professionals free advice, training and support.    
Restart Coffee was a project started originally by United Baristas in response to the first lockdown.  The project gathered & presented information, specific to coffee professionals, on the furlough scheme, reopening your coffee shops, financial information as well as tips on minimising the environmental impact of increased hygiene measures.  There were also segments on employment advice, including steps to take if you’re thinking of retraining or changing your job role due to the pandemic.  
When this new lockdown was announced Tim Ridley, the man behind the project approached me to discuss how it could be expanded to offering further support to our battered beloved industry. I was so excited to join & grow something so worthwhile! 
The future output of the project will focus on different employment areas in the coffee industry, with a higher focus on employment, industry skills and insight into the various roles available to someone with a love of coffee. Perhaps you have been made redundant, or facing job insecurity; here you can gather ideas of how to stay within the coffee sector, but consider up-skilling or a sideways step into a new aspect.  This is particularly necessary now as unemployment grows and more people find themselves furloughed, or re-furloughed.  It’s such a worrying time of uncertainty for so many; it’s good to be creating something positive and practical. 
Each week will see us focus on a different topic or area of working in coffee, starting with sales & account management where we will interview two experienced professionals who will give insight into their day to day workings of the role.  Alongside that we will share some handy tips & points to consider for coffee professionals looking to expand their CV. 
The project is growing all the time so make sure to follow our socials & check back regularly for further support, information and updates.  The intention behind the project is to take the current, challenging situation and offer as much positivity as we can to our colleagues and peers.  We feel strongly that the coffee & hospitality industry is facing its biggest challenge in our life-time and, while we may feel powerless in the face of such events, we are none of us powerless to affect change in our own sphere of existence.   


If you require more targeted support & advice please see the below links: 
 
For wellbeing & mental health: 
Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/  
Hospitality Action: https://www.hospitalityaction.org.uk/  
For financial & employment advice: 
Citizens Advice: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/  
Information on Furlough: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/furlough-scheme-extended-and-further-economic-support-announced