For many years, The Sunlight Development Trust has been supporting local people to build skills, confidence, and pathways into employment. We offer volunteering opportunities throughout the Sunlight Centre, on reception, in facilities, and as part of our Finance team. Through our community café, Café Sunlight, we provide high-quality training, meaningful work experience, and personalised support to individuals who face barriers to education, training, and work.

Café Sunlight operates Monday to Friday, serving hot and cold food and drinks to the local community. More than a café, it is a supportive learning environment where volunteers gain practical hospitality experience in both front-of-house and kitchen settings while developing the confidence and transferable skills needed for future employment.

Many of our volunteers live with learning differences, neurodivergent conditions, or common mental health challenges. We also work with individuals experiencing social isolation, economic hardship, or significant life transitions. Through strong partnerships with local education providers, health services, and community organisations, we create accessible opportunities for people who may otherwise struggle to access employment support.

We have long-standing relationships with Bradfields Academy, supporting young people with additional needs as they move towards adulthood and employment. We also work closely with the Hospitality and Catering Department at MidKent College, one of Medway’s largest further education providers. In addition, we receive referrals through Medway’s preventative mental health services and welcome individuals who find us through local networks, recommendations, and community outreach.

Our approach combines accredited training with tailored one-to-one support. Every Café Sunlight volunteer completes Level 2 Food Hygiene training before beginning their placement, and can attend our fire safety and first aid training if they’d like. Volunteers then receive ongoing mentoring from our Café Supervisor, a former teacher with extensive experience in supporting learners, alongside structured employability support from our Employability Coach.

We take a holistic approach to employability, recognising that sustainable employment is about more than technical skills. Our programme helps individuals develop practical workplace competencies alongside communication skills, resilience, confidence, teamwork, time management, and professional behaviours. By providing a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment, we enable people to build both skills and self-belief.

Outcomes and Success Stories

Our volunteers consistently demonstrate the transformative impact that meaningful work experience and personalised support can have:

• Volunteer W joined us through MidKent College, having trained as a chef. Following their placement at Café Sunlight, they secured paid employment in a local restaurant and have continued volunteering with us on Fridays, reflecting their ongoing connection to our community.
• Volunteer M came to the Trust while living in a refuge with their child. Through volunteering in the café, they rebuilt their confidence and continued studying for their nursing qualifications. They successfully completed their exams, moved into independent accommodation, and now work full-time within the NHS.
• Volunteer V volunteered with Café Sunlight while completing their university degree. They have since moved into a full-time caring role and now serve as a Trustee of The Sunlight Development Trust, as our Equality, Inclusion, Diversity and Accessibility (EIDA) Lead.
• Volunteer E, who is transgender, gained valuable experience in both café operations and reception services. Their confidence, professionalism, and customer service skills helped them secure full-time employment as a receptionist with a local business.
• Volunteer J, a mature person, left a career in retail about a year ago. Learning how to run a busy reception desk and operate kitchen equipment has given them the confidence to start looking for full time work again.
• Volunteer F had severe learning differences. They were extremely introverted and wouldn’t leave the safety of the kitchen. Our Cafe Supervisor gently encouraged and supported them, building their confidence and communication skills. They now work with babies and toddlers at a nearby nursery.
• Volunteer T was referred to us by MidKent College. They were largely non-verbal when they arrived but after three years both in the kitchen and front of house, they now work full-time at a local gastro pub.
• Volunteer L was outgoing, but lacked confidence. They were extraordinarily committed to Sunlight. They entered full time employment in an Indian restaurant, but continued to volunteer at Sunlight and successfully completed their university degree.
• Volunteer A was one of our most capable café volunteers, and excelled in the kitchen. Within a year, they were offered a position in our crisis recovery service as a Peer Support Worker.
• Volunteer E has autism. They volunteered on reception and regularly helped out with facilities work. A year ago, many of their friends went off to university, leaving them behind. Their confidence has now grown to the point that they will be joining their friends in higher education this Autumn.

Through programmes such as Café Sunlight, The Sunlight Development Trust creates opportunities for people to overcome barriers, realise their potential, and progress towards fulfilling, sustainable futures. Our work demonstrates how community-based employability support can improve individual wellbeing, strengthen local resilience, and create lasting social impact.