Landsdowne Special School, Stockwell Lambeth. Community Cafe Project - expanded pilot
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The Pitch
Problem statement
We are dedicated to nurturing the potential of young people with additional needs. Our school is not just a place of learning; it’s a vibrant hub, deeply rooted in the Stockwell area, working closely with the community that surrounds us. Lambeth faces a pressing need for more inclusive and well-resourced spaces where young people with additional needs can develop vital life skills and connect with the wider community. 95% of our pupils say they want more chances to connect with people living and working locally. 70% of people with learning disabilities ex Local residents deserve the opportunity to interact meaningfully with our pupils and benefit from everything they offer as individuals.
Solution
Our solution is the creation of a community café run by our pupils. With your support, we aim to expand our successful pilot. The café will be a multi-functional space offering drop-in art activities, sensory areas, yoga sessions, and community lunches. The grant of £5,000 will fund the scaling up of this project, supporting with equipment, staff costs, and promotional activities to ensure the café’s success. This would fund 20 weeks of our community cafe serving 300+ local residents, and supporting 20 of our pupils into meaningful employability pathways and lifeskill development. Our project seeks to addresses a gap by providing a platform for young people to interact with local people.
Why are we best placed to deliver?
At Lansdowne School, we have a track record of successfully implementing innovative programs that support the development of our pupils. Our dedicated staff ensure that each student is given the opportunity to thrive. The community café project will be no exception. With the experience gained from our 2 day pilot, where our pupils served over 150 local residents and the strong relationships we've built with local residents and businesses, we are uniquely positioned to deliver a project that will benefit pupils, their families, and the wider community. Together, we can create a space where everyone belongs, and all members of the community can thrive together.
Focus Areas
Delivery plan
Budget breakdown
| Equipment and café stock: Packaging, food items, drinks | £800 |
| Staffing: £25 an hour to plan for 148 hours (7.4 hours a week for 20 weeks) to project manage, supervise pupils and manage the community café project | £3,700 |
| Local promotion: Flyers and walkabouts connecting with local residents and businesses | £500 |
Beneficiaries
320 people
Who will benefit
Expected impact
Our project aims to create a measurable impact across: - Increased Inclusion & Social Connection: We expect a 50% increase in social interactions/chats among pupils and community members, measured through weekly surveys and attendance logs. - Sense of Belonging: 75% of participants will report a stronger sense of belonging, tracked via quarterly feedback forms. - Local Visibility: Our pupils will feel more seen and 60% of customers will say they have met our pupils properly for the first time. - Inclusive Environment: 90% of visitors will rate the café as welcoming and inclusive, captured through our feedback book. - Healthy, Sustainable Food and Packaging: 70% of café offerings will be sustainably sourced, and we’ll monitor this during procurement. - Life Skills Development: Pupils will gain 20% more confidence in key life skills, evaluated through practical assessments. - Volunteering & Skill Sharing: The project will offer 30 volunteer hours, fostering skills exchange.
Track record
We held a successful 2 day pilot of our community cafe and this has led to young people and their families asking us to source more funding to develop the project further. As a special school with a long serving leadership team we have a lot of local knowledge and we have worked with local community members to support us in the development of this venture using their knowledge of enterprise and catering.