Beyond the Job

At CUP Coffee Houses, young adults are employed in a healthy, supportive work environment where they work alongside caring mentors who show up for them day after day. These daily connections create space for encouragement, problem-solving, coaching, and real-life support as students navigate the hurdles affecting their futures, families, and communities.

But the training goes far beyond the espresso machine. Students learn customer service, communication, teamwork, responsibility, and what it means to contribute to a healthy workplace. Along the way, CUP also helps identify and develop individual strengths in areas like marketing, inventory control, management, administration, and leadership: including how to have difficult but necessary conversations.

Through this hands-on job training, at-risk young adults gain the confidence, skills, and support they need to move toward better opportunities in the workforce. As part of CUP’s Beyond the Job model, every student employed at a CUP Coffee House also participates in a 12-week Youth Empowerment Program -YEP. Together, these two programs help young adults grow, overcome real-life obstacles, and take meaningful steps toward a stronger future.