The Golden Scoop’s mission is to empower people to find new purpose, reach new potential, and write their own story. We provide meaningful employment for people with developmental disabilities; foster an environment where our employees are mentored, inspired, and equipped to succeed in their jobs and their lives; offer amazing, made-from-scratch products; and provide an inclusive, joyful customer experience that keeps people coming back for another scoop.

The Golden Scoop is a curriculum-based workforce development program and hands-on training program for young adults with developmental disabilities. The Golden Scoop has two ice cream and coffee shops in Overland Park, Kansas. The first location is at 9540 Nall Avenue, and the newest location is at 10460 W 103rd Street. These shops serve as the training facilities for the uniquely abled young adults, whom we call associates.

The Golden Scoop has 37 associates each that is uniquely abled. Our associates are young adults aged 18 and older with developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, Williams syndrome, and autism; some of the uniquely abled adults we work with deal with depression and anxiety, too. They each had (or currently have for those still enrolled in their high school programs) an individualized education program. Young adults with disabilities often face barriers to full-time, sustainable employment. They do not receive enough training and skills practice opportunities needed for employment during the course of their high school education to be ready to directly enter the workforce after graduation.

The Golden Scoop associates are taught the skills and competencies needed to work in the food service industry in The Golden Scoop University. Through a competitive hiring process, uniquely abled young adults are invited to participate in The Golden Scoop University and hired to work at The Golden Scoop. The Golden Scoop University consists of six weeks of orientation training prior to associates starting to work weekly shifts. The Golden Scoop University curriculum centers on four core components of being a good worker: (1) health and wellness; (2) professionalism; (3) interpersonal skills; and (4) physical skills to do the job. After orientation training, associates gain hands-on workforce training working in our ice cream and coffee shop. A shift supervisor is available every shift to provide one-on-one assistance and help to answer any questions. The associates may work in one or more core service areas: the retail shop, wholesale distribution, and catering depending on their comfort and skill level.

Within the retail shops, our associates take on a variety of roles. The roles include baker, barista, ice cream producer, customer service, and general cleaning. Their shift role is assigned by the operations manager based on their level. Bakers follow recipes to make specific products, use various baking equipment, assess the quality of each finished product to ensure the quality meets standards for sale to customers, stock the baked goods case, and maintain a clean and organized workspace. Baristas take orders, answer questions about flavors, prepare and serve coffee and baked goods to customers, package coffee for sale when inventory is low, restock supplies, and maintain a clean and organized workspace. Ice cream producers fulfill customer ice cream orders, answer questions about flavors, gather desired containers from display freezer and present to customers, replenish ice cream flavors and toppings to maintain display case inventory, manage tasks to prepare ice cream for sale (stickering lids, dating cups, scooping ice cream into containers, etc.). Customer service staff greet customers upon arrival, thank customers upon departure, and stock/straighten/inventory merchandise (e.g., apparel, drinkware, candles) when not interfacing with customers. The general cleaning role involves maintaining clean tables, utensils, dishware, machines, floors, etc. to ensure the shop is always presentable to customers. Initially associates start with shifts that are 2-3 hours long. During the winter, associate shifts are typically 3 hours, but during the summer shifts are usually 4-6 hours. Associates are paid an equitable wage for their work.

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