Plus news

A new mini supermarket experience at Plus

15 October 2024

Woolworths Australia has partnered with our parent company, Fighting Chance to open our very own Mini Woolies at Plus, in Frenchs Forest. This innovative learning space will empower individuals with disability from Plus, as well as our sister enterprise Jigsaw, to build essential community participation skills while serving as a hands-on retail training environment for those aspiring to enter the workforce.

The Mini Woolies mimics the operations of a Woolworths supermarket, featuring fresh food baskets, grocery shelving, ticketing, signage, and Woolworths-branded uniforms. This immersive setup provides an engaging educational experience where participants can practise using registers to scan grocery items and process sales.

Fighting Chance Co-Founder and Director, Laura O’Reilly said: “At Fighting Chance, we believe that with the right support, everyone can develop their skills and make a contribution. A Mini Woolies will empower people with a disability to build their community participation and employment skills, supporting their increased social and economic inclusion. We are delighted to partner with Woolworths to launch this incredible skill-building opportunity.”

Von Ingram, Managing Director of W Living, said: “We’re proud to launch a Mini Woolies with Fighting Chance on the Northern Beaches, providing a space for participants to develop new skills that will equip them with confidence and knowledge of retail operations.”

Plus participants will practise shopping at the new Mini Woolies – becoming accustomed to the environment, understanding how to choose and pay for their groceries and interacting with shop staff. Some Plus participants may also choose to develop their work skills at the Mini Woolies, alongside participants at Jigsaw, which trains people with a disability for work.  They will learn to stock shelves, operate a register and practise customer service and communication skills.

Plus participant, Whitney says: “I’ve been at Plus for a few months now. I’m excited about the new Woolies, to be in it, and to be running it. I’d like to run it. I’ll go shopping there too.”

Not only will the Mini Woolies create empowering opportunities for Jigsaw and Plus participants to develop valuable skills in a retail environment, but it will also foster connections between the two groups. This collaborative space will enhance their social skills and build a strong sense of community.

The Mini Woolies at Fighting Chance adds to a network of over 75 locations across Australia and New Zealand that Woolworths has opened in collaboration with Fujitsu since the program’s inception in 2018.

A special thank you to Woolies, Fujitsu, Jamf and ForestvilleRSL for supporting this innovative project. Together, we’re creating meaningful opportunities for growth and inclusion!

 

Mini Woolies at Plus
Mini Woolies at Plus
Mini Woolies at Plus
Mini Woolies at Plus
Mini Woolies Fighting Chance Sign
Mini Woolies at Plus

If you’d like to learn more about Plus, please get in touch.

Stacy Slavin

Strategic Development Manager

Toni Alpert

Manager

Joanne Smith

Community Engagement Lead

Plus is Australia’s leading integrated program for people with complex behaviours – focused on positive behaviour support.