‘Good quality’ Perth cafe is being staffed by English language students

A new cafe in Perth city centre has been launched in partnership with English language charity Esolperth.

Acorn Cafe has opened in the former Little Bird unit on High Street and is serving up tea, coffee and a mix of sweet and savoury homemade goods.

The enterprise – which is classed as a Community Interest Company (CIC) – offers work experience to students at Esolperth.

It will also raise money for the charity and is run by Esolperth’s centre manager and senior tutor Linda El-Miligy.

She told The Courier that the cafe, which opened on May 12, will give registered Esol students the “confidence” to go out and find work.

Linda, 73, said: “We’re offering cheap and good quality food.

“The whole idea behind the cafe was because we have over 150 students registered this year from 23 different countries.

“99.9% of them want to work but they’re struggling to get work because they’re not familiar with the culture and they struggle with the language.

“Those of us at Esolperth thought this would be a really good idea to give them hands-on work experience so that after a couple of months, when they’ve got their confidence, they can go out into the real world and find out that I’m not so bad after all!

Perth cafe offering work experience to English language students

“They all want to stay here and they all want to become part of the community.

“Working is an important part of that.”

Linda explained that each student working at the cafe is a volunteer and added that the reaction to the scheme has been “positive”.

“The feedback has been absolutely fantastic,” Linda continued.

“Just positive and really good. Everybody has been really nice.

“Our goal is to see our volunteers go into proper jobs in normal restaurants and hotels with experience so they take pride in what they’re doing and they’re successful.

“They will then integrate into the community and everybody will get on.

“We will train them and then they will go onto other busy places.”

Rani Melrose, who works for Perth Minorities Association, has also offered a helping hand to Linda in the cafe.

She said that, as well as providing students with valuable skills, it is also a “cost-effective” place for people to come grab a bite.

She added: “Although the ethos is based on the students who are gaining life skills and knowledge of working within the community, it is also providing a really cost-effective place for folk to come and eat.

“It’s a really relaxed and informal environment.”