December 27, 2023
Phil & Sebastion’s Rob Oppenheim with AHS occupational therapist Katelyn McNeil at The Summit’s 'barista station'. Photo by Leah Hennel.
Learning barista skills not only adds to their resume, but helps youth receiving mental health services at The Summit build confidence and believe in themselves. Photo by Leah Hennel.
Story by Melanie Veriotes | Photos by Leah Hennel
CALGARY — A team at The Summit: Marian & Jim Sinneave Centre for Youth Resilience (The Summit) — which provides mental health services for children and youth — has partnered with Phil and Sebastian, a local coffee company to provide a unique learning experience to its young clients.
This groundbreaking program sees baristas visit the centre to teach occupational therapists how to craft specialty coffees. These therapists subsequently pass on these skills to mental health clients, with the aim to give them the practical abilities necessary to secure jobs and gain confidence. Occupational therapy plays a pivotal role in assisting individuals dealing with mental health challenges with a focus on activities that bring purpose and fulfilment to their lives.
“We do a lot of traditional therapy here, but you need to do something that engages young people in a different way,” says Ryan Clements, Program Manager with The Summit. “What the coffee training program does is not only engage kids in participating in treatment, but it also gives them a skill they can use when they leave here and put on their resume.”
Clements has personally witnessed the sense of pride experienced by young individuals who participated in the training — and learned to craft a “really great” cup of coffee — a skill that’s not an easy one to master.
Rob Oppenheim, a partner with Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters, says their company works with a lot of students. He feels it’s important to be part of a thriving community and “give back when we can about what we care about and what we believe in.”
He adds that their team’s goal is to build confidence along with teaching skills, because it’s important for youth to believe in themselves.
Clements notes that that this program is unique in Canada, and is modeled after a program out of Denver. He’s grateful to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation and Phil & Sebastian’s for their support in making this program a reality, in a collaboration that shows how community partnerships can positively impact mental health initiatives.
