Grab a coffee and a snack at Hong Kong pop-up Mindbrew, and help raise awareness of mental health issues
- Mindbrew is a pop-up coffee shop in Hong Kong that is staffed by people who have experienced mental health issues
- Pop into the shop at the Landmark Atrium in Central, grab a drink and a pastry, and lend your support.
It’s 3pm on a Friday and Mindbrew, a pop-up coffee shop in Central’s Landmark Atrium, is buzzing with customers seeking an afternoon pick-me-up. They’re also supporting a good cause.
Mindbrew is a socially inclusive cafe that promotes mental health awareness and supports people in recovery. It’s the latest initiative by Mindset, a mental health charity set up by Jardine Matheson.
The cafe, says Mindset’s chairman, Andrew Wong Hei-lam, is staffed by baristas and individuals who have experienced mental health issues and have undergone Mindset’s job-training programme.
“It’s all about building their confidence and equipping them with coffee-making skills to help them take the first step in a potential career as a barista,” says Wong as he walks through the pop-up that operates until the end of October.
“To make sure the staff have support, in case they get nervous or overwhelmed, there’s a social worker there making sure we do pulse checks.”
Barista-in-training Sally Wong (not her real name) says Mindbrew’s training programme, which has trained 25 baristas, opens a door for people who are often stigmatised.