Building skills, confidence & opportunity for people facing employment barriers, COIN Food Services is made up of two training enterprises:

• The Natural Blends Café 
• World2Go Catering  

Training Programs

For over 10 years, COIN has developed hands-on training programs dedicated to the advancement of career opportunities for people with intellectual challenges. We have recently expanded our services/programs to provide opportunity to others facing employment barriers.
Employment barriers include:

• Lack of work experience
• Physical disabilities
• Mental Health Diagnosis
• Lack of education
• Large gaps in employment
• Cognitive & Developmental disabilities
• English as a second Language (Lack of both English and familiarity with the Canadian workplace) 

Participants:
Clients are received into the program through ODSP (Ontario Disability Supports Employment Support Program), OW (Ontario Works), and The New Canadian Centre. We also receive co-op students from the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board. As well, CFS benefits from Sir Sandford Fleming College students completing work placements.

Training with World2Go Catering

The World2Go Catering initiative started in 1996 and was the beginning of COIN’s commitment to deliver food services training skills to those with employment barriers.  Working in a kitchen with experienced trainers, trainees learn how to prepare lunch items such as sandwiches, cheese trays, cookies, desserts and soups and many hot items such as lasagna and quiches.
Skill Development includes:

• preparing customer orders to exact standards
• acquiring an understanding of basic nutrition needs
• learning how to properly clean a kitchen
• participating in the County City Health Unit (PCCHU) - Food Handler course
• learning Customer Service Skills
• time management skills
• interacting socially with others: trainers, other trainees, customers 

Training at the Natural Blends Café

After the success of World2Go Foods, the Natural Blends Café was opened in the Peterborough Public Library in 2001 to enhance the customer-relations skills of individuals with intellectual challenges as well as others facing various employment barriers. Since 2006, a partnership with the New Canadian Centre has assisted in the training of new immigrants allowing them to gain more knowledge of Canadian work settings, while helping them improve their English language skills at the same time.
Trainees learn how to properly interact with customers and gain retail food industry experience and skills.  Interns who start at the Café may have the option of training in the kitchen with World2Go Foods to gain skills and knowledge of the catering industry
Skills Developed:
Upon acceptance into the program, trainees learn the daily operation of a café:

• Food preparation (after taking the Food Handler’s Course at the  PCCHU)
• Proper use of Café equipment
• Health and safety
• Inventory control
• Cash register/debit machine usage
• Food service to customers

Other Training Available:

COIN Food Services is developing other training modules to help diversify the food training and meet the interests of employers and incoming trainees.  Training includes:

• Administration
• Retail Sales
• General Labourer

The Kawartha Cookie Company

Created in June of 2009, the Cookie Company united training opportunities with local sustainability. The name was registered in July 2010 and a partnership of baking cookies made with local red fife wheat flour and other local ingredients, while continuing to provide training opportunities for clients was initiated. Cookies are available at local Farmers Markets and through World2Go Catering and the Natural Blends Café.

Want more information?

Please contact Jenny Nelson, Manager COIN Food Services
Telephone: 705-748-6403 Fax: 705-760-9887
Email: naturalblends@coin-ced.org
 
COIN Food Service Partners
Community Living Peterborough                                                                    (http://www.communitylivingpeterborough.ca/) 

City of Peterborough Library
www.peterborough.library.on.ca
City of Peterborough Social Services
http://www.peterborough.ca/Living/City_Services/Social_Services.htm

Peterborough Green-Up (GreenAudit) (http://www.greenup.on.ca/)

Ministry of Community & Social Services – Peterborough (http://www.mcss.on.ca/)

Buy the Bushel
http://www.bythebushel.ca
Kawartha Choice
http://www.bythebushel.ca

Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities: Job Creation Partnership (www.edu.gov.on.ca)
Knox United Church
CERP
http://www.communityerp.ca