A coffee stop at Carrow House offers something that a classroom cannot: the chance to practise working with real customers.

At Stepping Stones Café, people with learning disabilities take part in a supported hospitality project, putting skills into use beyond the charity’s training centre.

The café is a partnership between Stepping Stones Project and Norwich Unity Hub.

An anniversary report published by Folk Features in August describes its launch in September 2025 and plans to expand after its first year.

A chance to learn, with support

The detail that makes the project especially interesting is how students take part.

Stepping Stones says they receive barista training through a rotating 12-week development programme, allowing those who want to join the café project to have a turn.

Its website describes students serving coffee and homemade food, with the café offering practical experience in hospitality and customer service.

The focus is on learning through doing, with support around the student.

This sits within a wider approach to independence.

Founded in Norwich in 1989, the charity now has its centre on Heartsease Lane.

Its workshops include literacy, numeracy and communication, and students are encouraged to help shape the activities they take part in.

Carrow House gives that learning a public setting.

Norwich Unity Hub brings charities, social enterprises and creatives together in shared premises on King Street.

The café connects students with people beyond their usual training sessions.

What the first year points towards

In the anniversary report, director Roger Bilton-Hill described the café as a way to develop confidence, independence and employment skills.

He also set out an ambition to turn short-term work experience into paid opportunities, dependent on the project’s financial success.

That distinction matters: gaining experience and securing a paid job are different steps.

The café offers a place to practise; paid roles are an ambition described by the director, rather than an outcome this article can confirm.

For Norwich readers, visiting is a practical way to engage with the project.

Carrow House is at 301 King Street, NR1 2TG.

Before making a special trip, contact Stepping Stones to check café opening days and any access requirements.

A visit starts with something ordinary, coffee and conversation, while giving students an opportunity to put their learning to work.