Evolve
We are a Midlands-based social enterprise that provides young people who have faced barriers into employment with training and volunteering opportunities - all whilst serving up stellar coffee, freshly prepared sandwiches, and tasty treats. 100% of our profits are directly reinvested into Evolve and other community projects, so you can be sure that your morning coffee is truly making a difference
Our Service
Evolve is our social enterprise café project based in Birmingham, Digbeth, St Pauls and Selly Oak. It’s more than a place to grab a coffee. It’s a place to build confidence, skills, and brighter futures.
We’re here to help
Our Vision: We believe that every young person deserves the opportunity to fulfil their potential, whatever their background, circumstances or start in life.
Our Mission: Giving young people the tools to build a positive future by creating supported and meaningful opportunities.
We offer:
- On-the-job training in a real café setting
- Accredited qualifications and employability support
- A supportive workplace that understands life isn’t always simple
The combination of both commercial and service elements of the social enterprise work well together to create the following benefits:
- Real work experience and training – Young people gain handson experience in a supportive setting, alongside access to relevant training and qualifications to help them move into longterm employment.
- Early support for wellbeing – We create a safe space where young people can access early intervention around mental health, substance use and other challenges, linking directly to inhouse services delivered by Aquarius and our partners.
- Sustaining recovery – By offering meaningful activities and an alternative to mainstream services, we help people maintain their recovery and reduce the risk of falling back into the cycle of crisis and referral.
- Giving back to the community – We encourage young people to take part in social action, building confidence, skills and a sense of belonging.
- Reinvesting in services – Income generated by the social enterprise goes back into Aquarius projects, shaped by the ideas and feedback of young people themselves.
We know that moving from recovery or adversity into employment can feel like a big leap. Evolve bridges that gap by creating a space where young people feel supported, respected and ready to take steps forward.
We’re proud of the community we’ve built – not just for those behind the counter, but for everyone who walks through the door. From our pay-it-forward scheme for local homeless people to inclusive events and ethically sourced products, Evolve exists to serve in every sense of the word.
Who is this service for
- Young people looking for volunteering opportunities
- Young people looking for education opportunities
- Young people looking for training opportunities
- Young people looking for employment opportunities
Get support
Use the details on this page to get in touch and find out more.