Column: Karen Weaver, Harrogate and District Community Action - An innovative local voluntary organisation

​Artizan International is a Harrogate-based charity that works locally and overseas, to create opportunities for differently-able people to gain skills, reduce their social isolation, show-case their talents to their local communities and in so-doing be recognised for their abilities, rather than their disabilities. This transforms attitudes towards people with disabilities and creates a more inclusive community, where people of all abilities can fulfil their potential, creatively and economically.

Visit their town centre café and you’ll meet their fantastic differently-able trainees, who serve the very best coffee in town along with hand-baked cakes, freshly made paninis and home-made soups.

Round the corner you’ll find their Oxford Street shop, which sells high quality gifts, cards and homewares made by their local trainees and by their disabled artisans overseas too.

The charity has established training centres and social enterprises in Ecuador and Peru, which are transforming the lives of differently-able people who would otherwise be living in poverty.

Artizan equips them will all the tools and equipment they need to have their own crafts workshops at home, and then purchases their work every week so that they can support themselves and their families with dignity and hope for their futures. The high quality of the work they produce transforms local attitudes towards people with disabilities, demonstrating how talented and employable they are, when given the right training and support. Not only is the Harrogate shop an outlet for their work, it also provides additional work-experience opportunities for local differently-able people too.

The Artizan Cafe and Creative Space, which was launched a year ago to create work experience, day services and skills training for disabled young adults, is also a great example of this.

Take a seat at any of the tables and you’ll soon pick up on the positive vibes emanating from the counter, where the trainees exchange happy banter with the staff that work alongside. It’s a really equitable place where they’re treated with respect and esteem just like anyone else, and the resulting quality they achieve has really taken the town by storm.

If you’d like to support this fantastic endeavour, do make it your go-to café in town. You can also support their crowdfunding campaign via their website, at www.artizaninternational.org.

As their founder Suzi Hart says; “Go for the cake, and leave with your heart smiling too”.

For more information on the huge range of local voluntary and community organisations visit www.hadca.org.uk and search our online community information directory.