A NEW venture, launched by Ayr Ark, will help young people gain the work experience they need to help them find employment.

Café Drift’s vision is to serve three purposes including providing young people with a place to volunteer and learn valuable skills as well as being a place for the local community to meet, catch up and enjoy themselves in a relaxed environment.

It is hoped the Café will generate income for the Ark, which has been working with young people in Ayr for almost 14 years and support young people in the Ark’s other activities.

Café Drift launched on Tuesday, May 1 with a short presentation of the project before special guests were treated to taster menu samples.

Gillian Aitken, Project Leader, said: “This is an exciting new development for the Ark, to diversify and impact young people in a new way”.

Karis Aitken, Senior Project Worker, added: “Café Drift is exciting because it has different layers in which it will impact the community.”

Heather Smith, Youth Project Worker, said: “Café Drift is an awesome new project that will impact our community while transforming young people’s lives”.

Rachel Stafford, Youth Project Worker, explained: “To succeed and help these young people to learn we need the whole community to support this new venture, so come along and help grow these young people.”

Matthew Grant, Youth Project Worker, continued: “Café Drift is going to help so many young people take their first step towards employment.”

As this project is to benefit young people, those who attend Café Drift, should expect to be served by young people when they go in for a coffee. 

The Ayr Ark has been working with young people in Ayr through diversionary youth events on Friday evenings, which will continue. and through work with local secondary schools. 

Today the Ark engages will around 80 young people per week through it’s activities.