Here Livia Riley (17) and Louis Collioud (18) can get a normal apprenticeship: “We go to places where people don’t expect us.”

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A young man stands concentratedly at the coffee machine and holds the plunger and cups. She graciously serves the guests at the counter and pours beautiful foam into the cappuccino.

“You may not realize it, but dealing with people gives me the biggest challenge,” admits Louis Collioud (18) in his interview with Blick. He suffers from autism spectrum disorder.

It is always possible to ask

At Fabrique28, run by the non-profit organization (NPO) Blindspot in Bern, Collioud is doing an EBA apprenticeship as a service worker. «I would like to add the EFZ doctrine. “That would be too much stress for me,” he explains. High error tolerance in operation is important for him. He may ask a second or third time: “Everyone makes mistakes.”

Duties include serving, preparing events, or assisting with catering. Collioud also worked at the in-house food truck and fondue chalet. He prefers making coffee. And – probably unimaginable to most – doing the dishes. Quiet, daily tasks suit him. But it also helps with big events.

Collioud worries a lot and therefore stresses himself out. “But he managed his stress so well that he is quite capable of entering his first job market. It is constantly evolving,” says Blindspot founder Jonas Staub (49). Fabrique28 is one of four NPO companies and is financially self-sustaining. Here people like Collioud can apprentice in the primary labor market.

“I prefer to serve”

Livia Riley (17) is one of them. The young woman with trisomy 21 is completing her practical training at the company this summer. And he’s doing a good job: “He got an offer to stay with us. “He will work primarily in catering,” says Staub. As a Canadian, Riley speaks English as well as German.

Riley is setting the tables for an event the next day when Blick comes to visit. She carefully brings out the placemats, cutlery and napkins. “I prefer to serve. “Sometimes I have a hard time raising cash,” Riley says. Later, he asks a colleague: “I feel very comfortable on the team.”

Staub can still remember Riley’s early days. He started by doing an internship and initially hid behind pillars. Four months later, he too became active. “That’s the power of involvement: You can learn from others how they do it,” Staub is convinced. Because disabled and non-disabled people work hand in hand in the company.

consciously publicly

After training, performance pay may become an issue for Riley. This shows how successful he is compared to someone without a disability. Their salaries will then be determined accordingly. “This eases the burden of additional benefits depending on the amount. And he has more money after IV retirement,” explains Staub.

IV covers the cost of Riley’s primary education. From now on, he will no longer pay anything to the company. Riley would have to work in a workshop. “It’s not possible for the two of them to be publicly known or have difficulty in a workshop,” says Staub.

Staub also makes a conscious public appearance with the food truck Collioud and Riley work with: “We go places where people don’t expect us. “This changes the mindset, or at least confuses it.”

Source :Blick