Brew crew helps Phoenix Center students build job skills - one ice coffee at a time
The program began last year after staff noticed one student's strong interest in iced coffee.
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It starts with ice, coffee and a little teamwork.
Twice a week, students at The Phoenix Center in Nutley spend about an hour making, selling and delivering iced coffee to staff as part of a student-led vocational program called the Brew Crew.
The program began last year after staff noticed one student’s strong interest in iced coffee.
“He’s obsessed with Dunkin’ Donuts, loves going there, and we kind of just took that idea and went with it,” said Jena Hinz, a speech therapist at The Phoenix Center.
What started as an idea has grown into a hands-on learning experience involving students, speech therapists and occupational therapists.
Students take on different jobs throughout the process. Some deliver order forms to staff, while others help set up the assembly line, gather ingredients, prepare the drinks and make deliveries.
The work is designed to build skills students can use beyond the classroom.
When students deliver order forms, for example, they practice navigating the school, knocking on classroom doors, interacting with staff and answering questions about the coffee orders.
The program also uses customized, color-coded order forms with picture supports to help students complete each order as independently as possible.
Students match the ingredients to pictures on the workstation, follow the order form and complete their assigned task on the assembly line.
Staff members say the goal is to gradually step back as students become more comfortable with the process.
“It’s really nice to see that as the process progresses, we’re able to take a step back,” Hines said. “And they’re becoming way more independent and doing this on their own.”
The Brew Crew has also expanded beyond making the drinks.
Students help track inventory and enter information into an Excel spreadsheet, giving them experience with organization, data entry and other workplace responsibilities.
The program was held once a week last year. This year, it has expanded to twice a week.
For the students, the experience is about more than coffee.
Staff say they can see the pride students feel when they finish an order and deliver it to a smiling customer.
The ultimate goal is to give students a chance to practice workplace and social skills in an environment where they feel comfortable and supported — skills they can eventually carry with them into jobs and the community.
“At The Phoenix Center, we’re preparing the students for when they leave here,” Hines said. “Hopefully, they can take these skills and apply it to the future when they have jobs.”
