Managing director Dorothy Morrison calls Victoria’s Imagine Studio Cafe a “cafe classroom.”
The cafe offers employment to young adults who may otherwise face barriers due to mental health, addiction, and homelessness.
“There’s a lot of talk, but not a lot of action. So we needed to try to make a difference,” Morrison said.
She said that the idea to have that action take the shape of a cafe came from her experience traveling. Morrison said she often gravitated to cafes in different parts of the world.
“I felt safe. I felt like, I could go there and not know anybody and make some new friends, it was easy. So, I thought, at some point, we could do this here. Why can’t these kids or these people that need support come and be a part of a business?”
Imagine Studio Cafe was recently recognized with an Island Health Mental Health and Community Substance Use Award.
“I was shocked. I didn’t know that the award program was out there,” Morrison said. “We keep our heads down, we keep going. And when I heard about it, I was honored.”
“We’re just working away, we’re just a cafe.”
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