Brendan Wiseman, 23, now works as a barista at Cafe W in Seaford and Sages Café in Baxter after joining Wallara Australia following school.
Wallara says the supported employment pathway helped him build confidence, social skills and community connection, with Brendan citing stronger customer interaction and a wider social network.
Brendan has also earned RSA and food safety certificates, helps behind the bar at his local football club and is pursuing broader work and sporting goals.
More than 40 supported employees work across Wallara’s five Melbourne hospitality venues, which served over 43,500 coffees in the past year, while 33 more clients are training in day programs.
The program addresses a wider gap in disability employment: people with disabilities face nearly double the general unemployment rate, and only about 25% of working-age NDIS participants hold full-award-wage jobs in open employment.