Gold Foundation is seeking new sponsors for its ‘Shine Like Gold!’ Mobile Café social innovation project. Young people on the Autism Spectrum aged 14 and over build real-life practical skills through paid workplace employment. It is a Mobile Café run entirely by young autistic people and serves a massive part of our local community whilst ...
The Gold Foundation
‘Shine Like Gold!’ Mobile Cafe: Building Life Skills for Young People with Autism

GOAL
$10,000
RAISED
$10,000
Field of Interest
- Education/training and employment
- Social inclusion and justice
Target Population
- People with a disability, illness or disease
- Young people (6-25)

Gold Foundation is a non-profit organisation supporting young people on the Autism Spectrum and their families. Our mission is simple: connect young people on the Autism Spectrum to the world around them and empower them through the discovery and unlocking of their individual strengths.
We want young people to be proud of who they are, go above and beyond, stand tall, be inspired and feel like they belong. For over 15 years, Gold Foundation has provided a holistic service with a variety of workshops, seminars and programs, including social skills programs and groups, life skills programs, and numerous other fun events for young autistic people and the wider community. We have found that a combination of early intervention, ongoing social skills programs tailored to age groups and frequent opportunities to practice and learn social skills in supportive environments contributes to positive learning and engaging in young autistic people.
Gold Foundation was established in 2007 by Angela Pangallo OAM and a group of other mothers of children diagnosed with what was then called Asperger Syndrome. Gold Foundation has identified that there are three urgent needs for young people on the Autism Spectrum and their families, including: early intervention programs designed to develop social skills; a place, or ‘house’ where children can meet and socialise in a supportive, accepting environment. We serve the community to strengthen and help families, in particular young people who are most at risk and children who are disengaged from the world around them.
Gold Foundation's main goals are as follows:
- Provide a place of belonging for young people on the Autism Spectrum and their families.
- Empower young autistic people with the necessary skills to live full and engaging lives in our community.
- Act as a place of contact, support and resources for young people on the Autism Spectrum and their families.
- Be a centre where autistic children and their families can meet, link with the community and support programs or other professionals.
- Empower autistic children with the necessary skills to live full and engaging lives in our community.
- Offer the Gold Foundation Centre as a venue for other not-for profit groups for their activities and meetings.
- Take the Gold Foundation model to other States around Australia.
Project Summary
Gold Foundation is seeking new sponsors for its ‘Shine Like Gold!’ Mobile Café social innovation project. Young people on the Autism Spectrum aged 14 and over build real-life practical skills through paid workplace employment. It is a Mobile Café run entirely by young autistic people and serves a massive part of our local community whilst giving young people a sense of purpose and achievement in their lives. The Mobile Café project involves young autistic people operating a commercial coffee trailer in the community, developing, and applying business and professional skills. The Mobile Café enables young people with autism to advance their vocational goals, thereby filling labour shortages and reducing human capital flight.
By connecting young autistic people with the broader community, the Mobile Café facilitates positive interactions between these young people and their neurotypical peers, eliminating barriers to employment and community participation. The Mobile Café is an ongoing project delivered under the umbrella of Gold Foundation’s ‘Go for Gold Project’, in which we seek to create ongoing employment and tertiary education opportunities for young autistic people as they transition from school life into adulthood. Participants in the project are drawn from existing participants in Gold Foundation programs such as the Inclusive Hospitality Program and the Uni Ready Program. Gold Foundation also targets interested young adults participating in Gold Foundation’s social groups, including its Youth Group and adult equivalent, Not So Youth Group. Most participants are graduating from secondary school and seeking support for job obtainment and retention.
The barriers to employment experienced by young autistic people are well-documented.
In particular, young people with autism face challenges concerning the necessary social interactions for job obtainment (e.g. interviews) and retention (e.g. maintaining healthy relationships with co-workers). Consequently, many students with autism often experience a lack of positive adult outcomes integrated employment and independent living. Furthermore, young people with autism are less likely to have had paid employment experiences throughout their secondary education.
The Mobile Cafe Project will provide a unique employment pathway to improving the lives of disadvantaged people a sustainable, long term and tangible way. The ‘Shine Like Gold!’ Project is sustainable in that Gold Foundation is incorporating it within its core suite of services to young people with autism. The project is highly cost-effective and scalable depending on the level of demand for the Mobile Cafe.
Project Outcomes
Increased employment of young autistic people living in metropolitan Adelaide (immediate): Gold Foundation aims to provide supported employment to young autistic people via the Mobile Cafe.
Expanded services for young autistic people and their families living in Adelaide (immediate): The Mobile Cafe is part of Gold Foundation's 'Go for Gold' Project, in which Gold Foundation seeks to create ongoing opportunities for young autistic people as they transition from school life into adulthood.
Instilment of a sense of purpose and achievement in the lives of young autistic people (immediate): Gold Foundation anticipates that harnessing the unique abilities of young autistic people will enhance their sense of purpose and achievement in their lives. To this end, Gold Foundation is providing young autistic people with opportunities to work in the local community through a pathway that is familiar to but nevertheless engaging for them.
Improved psychological wellbeing in young autistic people (immediate): Gold Foundation anticipates that instilling a sense of purpose and achievement in the lives of young autistic people will contribute to improved psychological well-being.
Development of transferable employment skills in young autistic people (immediate): Mobile Cafe employees will be trained as baristas. Gold Foundation also anticipates that the Mobile Cafe Project will benefit the community more broadly as young autistic people will gain essential skills for seeking work independently following employment in the Mobile Cafe.
Greatly improved social and communication skills in young autistic people (medium-term): By working in the Mobile Cafe, young autistic people will learn social and communication skills that are more likely to occur naturally in neurotypicals.
Enhanced social and community inclusion for young autistic people (medium-term): The Mobile Cafe will promote neurodiversity in the local community and economy by enabling young autistic people to contribute to the local community and economy in their own unique way.
Improved family life for young autistic people (medium-term): Enhanced social and emotional wellbeing outcomes in young autistic people will have positive flow-on effects for their families, especially neurotypical family members.
Expanded future opportunities for young autistic people (long-term): Gold Foundation anticipates that at least 75 per cent of people who participated in the Mobile Cafe project for at least one year will have engaged a coherent employment, vocational or other tertiary pathway within one year following employment in the Mobile Cafe.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $50,000
FUNDING
Funding source | Amount |
---|---|
Gold Foundation contribution (confirmed) | $40,000 |
Funding gap (unconfirmed) | $10,000 |
EXPENSES
Expense item | Amount |
---|---|
Wages (Casual, Level 1, Fast Food Industry Award) | $33,378 |
Stock | $5,772 |
Trailer maintenance | $3,000 |
Project management | $7,850 |
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