Volcano Coffee Works will launch its First Shot Fund in January 2027, creating a supported route into hospitality for young people in Brixton and wider South London who are not in education, employment or training. The pilot, delivered with charity federation Groundwork, will support six participants through practical training, coffee skills and work experience, with an opportunity to progress into a funded job. Seed funding from Volcano will be supplemented by £1 from every bag of First Shot coffee sold. By connecting employers with local young people, the programme offers a practical response to recruitment pressures while backing employment opportunities in the community.

A Route Into Hospitality

The First Shot Fund is designed around a four-week introduction to the sector. Participants will receive two weeks of training in hospitality basics, customer service and food safety, alongside specialist coffee instruction including Specialty Coffee Association Barista Skills Foundation training.

A further two weeks will be spent work shadowing at host venues, beginning with Volcano Coffee Works’ partner sites. Participants will remain on Universal Credit during their training and work experience, helping to make the programme accessible while they develop skills and confidence in a working environment.

The initiative is focused on a group facing a difficult employment picture. Office for National Statistics figures put the number of UK 16 to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training at an estimated 981,000 between April and June 2026, representing 13% of that age group.

Local Need And Opportunity

London has a substantial concentration of young people outside education and work. Centre for Cities analysis of 2021 Census data estimated that around 117,000 young Londoners were not in education, employment or training. A Young People and Work interim report estimated the wider economic, public finance and social cost at £125 billion annually.

For hospitality businesses, the scheme is intended to create a more direct connection with people looking for a first foothold in work. The sector has lost nearly 100,000 jobs in the past two years, according to UKHospitality, while the minimum wage for 18 to 20-year-olds increased from £8.60 an hour in April 2024 to £10.85 in April 2026.

Those pressures make structured entry routes especially valuable. First Shot combines coffee training with work shadowing at a host venue, enabling businesses to meet potential recruits after participants have completed an introductory programme tailored to the realities of hospitality work.

Funding A First Job

Where a host venue employs an eligible participant, the Government’s Youth Guarantee will cover basic wages for the first six months. The First Shot Fund will then top up pay to the London Living Wage, creating a paid opportunity after the placement period.

Volcano estimates that this arrangement could save a participating venue approximately £12,000 during the first six months, before recruitment, vetting and training costs. The company notes that savings will vary depending on working hours and age.

Emma Loisel, Executive Chair at Volcano Coffee Works, said:

“Too many young people are ready to work but lack a clear route into employment, while hospitality businesses need access to future talent. First Shot will give young people practical skills, confidence and experience, as well as the opportunity to take their first step into a paid role. At the same time, it will support venues to welcome new talent and build a stronger workforce.

“We’re proud to be investing in our local community and creating opportunities through every bag of First Shot coffee sold.”

A Call To South London Venues

Groundwork will identify participants through Jobcentres and youth services, support them through training and help participating businesses engage with the Government’s Youth Guarantee. Its involvement provides a link between the programme, local support services and employers able to offer meaningful experience.

Volcano is inviting cafés, restaurants, hotels, pubs and other South London venues to host a young person for work shadowing and consider them for a role afterwards. Businesses of all sizes can register their interest, helping to extend the pilot’s reach across the local hospitality community.

For a specialty coffee company whose work spans training, machinery and technical support for venues, First Shot brings its coffee expertise into a focused social programme. The fund gives every bag of First Shot coffee a defined contribution towards skills, experience and a potential first paid role for a young person in South London.