Our campaign to reach
10,000 lives
Well Grounded aims to create 10,000 career opportunities in the UK coffee industry over the next decade, helping individuals to access rewarding and sustainable careers.
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Our vision is of a UK free from unemployment, where everyone has the opportunity to build a fulfilling career.
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Our mission is to empower those who are unemployed into careers in the UK coffee industry. Alongside this work together with the industry to lead the way in creating inclusive and progressive career opportunities.
Impact in the next 10 years
10,000
Lives touched by our programmes across the UK with 4,000 individuals on our into work programmes, 2,000 on career progressions pathways and a further 2,000 reached through our advocacy work.
£134m
In just 10 years, the right action Well Grounded programmes could save £134 million in public funds, and transform thousands of lives
10,000 lives, transformational stories
The need:
1.5m
​Millions of people in the UK are currently unemployed and actively seeking work.
987k
Of 16-24 year olds are not in education, employment or training, 20% above pre pandemic level.
37%
Increase in those classified as economically inactive - those unable to work for health, or other reasons.
80%
of unemployed individuals experience symptoms of depression or anxiety, due to a range of factors
The solution
Coffee is a growing industry demanding talent at all levels across a range of businesses. The impact of Brexit and the pandemic has led to an increased demand for talent.
Well Grounded links people who need a supported route into employment into jobs in coffee, offering a social solution to this business need.
Coffee is an industry growing and ripe with opportunity
10,500
Coffee outlets with sales exceeding £5.8bn by 2026
5.8%
Coffee growth across the entire industry in the next 5 years
112,000
Current hospitality vacancies including barista jobs
Read Daniel & Liam's story
"Everything has changed for me since I started the course, growing in motivation, confidence and becoming more sociable.”
Daniel, or DB as he prefers to be called, was 17 years old when he applied for the Traineeship.
DB struggled at school, and met Well Grounded through a recruitment day at Arsenal Football club’s youth employment programme. After graduating he started his first role as Barista at Bench. In 2021 he secured the position of Supervisor at the new UCL x Well Grounded cafe.
In 2024 he introduced his brother Liam to Well Grounded. Liam had not worked previously and was mostly at home ‘playing video games and surviving’ as he puts it.
Speaking about his experience at our Graduation event, Liam shared that “everything has changed for me since I started the course, growing in motivation, confidence and becoming more sociable.”
After completing his work placement at the British Medical Association coffee bar, Liam was offered a role as a General Assistant at the Tower of London. He is now working full time at The Royal Opera House.
DB and Liam are incredible assets to the hospitality industry and to their families.
Liam, Graduate 2024
Testimonials
Tahmid, Graduate (2025)