Yankalilla, located one hour south of Adelaide, has no public transport system, leaving 95% of students at Yankalilla Area School without access to work experience opportunities. Through the Smart Giving program, the school launched Miss Buttercup; a vintage caravan café that provides hands-on learning and builds employability skills.
The cafe provides more than a place for students to serve coffee. Before its launch, business students worked on a marketing plan and tourism classes developed an events schedule to take Miss Buttercup into the community. Agriculture students planned and grew produce to supply the cafe and hospitality students learnt to cook commercial-grade food and beverages.
Manned with senior students, Miss Buttercup has catered at the Normanville markets, Yankalilla sports day and the Department of Education district morning tea. Two students have commenced school-based apprenticeships and local employers have already enquired about bringing students from the project on board.
The school is now using profits generated by the project to fund the program’s expansion, so more students can develop their job-ready skills.