The educational facilities in Dunedin and Invercargill are giving young people with disabilities, training for jobs in supermarket aisles and checkouts, creating ‘‘launchpads’’ to employment in real stores around Otago and Southland.
The two new sites were recently opened at Idea Services, in Dunedin and at Front-Line Training Consultancy Ltd in Invercargill.
They are the first New Zealand ‘‘Mini Woolies’’ to be based outside of special schools.
Front-Line Training chief operations officer Nadia Steedman said for many young people and individuals living with disabilities, the biggest barrier was getting that very first opportunity.
‘‘Mini Woolies Front-Line Training is designed to remove those barriers and replace them with real workplace experience, support, and career progression.
‘‘Every shelf stocked, every customer interaction and every shift worked is helping build confidence, independence and genuine career pathways for people entering the workforce.
‘‘This is far more than a mini supermarket site.
‘‘It’s a launchpad for futures,’’ she said.
Idea Services Otago area manager Sonja Edmondston said the Dunedin facility also included a cafe, which provided another form of practical, hands-on training in environments that build skills and open doors to future employment opportunities.
‘‘We’re pleased to support community-based development opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, supporting greater confidence, independence and community participation.’’
Since the education initiative was launched in 2018, more than 8800 students with disabilities had been through Mini Woolies supermarket training and they were now in every state and territory in Australia and New Zealand.
Woolworths Group general manager, domain enablement group and Mini Woolies, Sarah Corey said the Dunedin and Invercargill facilities were the seventh and eighth in New Zealand, and the 121st and 122nd sites to be opened overall.
‘‘Students fill their baskets with real groceries, and use a real cash register to process transactions — but not with real money.
‘‘They can create shopping lists, learn customer service, and use products in classroom activities, like mathematics.
‘‘Mini Woolies helps students develop confidence, independence and retail experience.’’
Woolworths New Zealand managing director Sally Copland said it was ‘‘immensely satisfying’’ to see the initiative expand in New Zealand.
‘‘It’s just really joyful to be at a Mini Woolies opening, seeing the excitement and engagement it creates for young people and how it helps them build confidence and achieve their goals.
‘‘It’s also about the difference we can make in the communities where our millions of Kiwi customers live and shop.’’
