Organisation:
Blue Elephant Childcare /
Blue Elephant Future Steps CIC /
Nellies Coffee Bar
Location: North Devon (Barnstaple and surrounding areas)
About Blue Elephant
Blue Elephant Childcare is a family-run organisation that supports children and young people through trauma-informed, relationship-based care. Alongside its childcare services, Blue Elephant has developed community projects and employment opportunities designed to help young people build confidence, independence, and brighter futures.
Blue Elephant Future Steps CIC — a community interest organisation focused on helping young people transition into adulthood
Nellies Coffee Bar — a welcoming café that provides opportunities for care-experienced young people to develop skills, confidence, and work experience
Blue Elephant’s approach is centred around helping young people feel safe, valued, supported and able to move forward at their own pace.
How We Can Support You as a Care Leaver
If you engage with Blue Elephant Future Steps or Nellies Coffee Bar, support is designed around you as an individual. The focus is on helping you build confidence, practical life skills, independence, and opportunities for the future.
You will be supported by people who understand that life after care can sometimes feel uncertain or overwhelming.
Building Confidence, Skills & Independence
Blue Elephant Future Steps aims to support young people as they move towards adulthood and greater independence.
Support may include:
- Building confidence and self-esteem
- Developing communication and social skills
- Support with routines and everyday responsibilities
- Encouragement to take positive next steps at your own pace
- Opportunities to gain practical workplace experience
- Support to think about education, training, and employment goals
The focus is on helping you feel more prepared for adult life while knowing you have support around you.
Community & Wellbeing Through Nellies Coffee Bar
Nellies Coffee Bar is more than just a café, it is a supportive community environment linked to Blue Elephant Future Steps.
The café offers:
- A welcoming and inclusive space
- Opportunities to build confidence through customer interaction
- Experience working in a professional environment
- Opportunities to learn hospitality and café-based skills
- A chance to develop teamwork, responsibility, and communication skills
Some staff members involved with Nellies are care experienced themselves, helping create an environment where young people feel understood and supported.
Working within a café environment can help develop transferable skills that are valuable for future employment and independence.
Employment Opportunities with Blue Elephant
Why Work With Us – Blue Elephant Careers explains that Blue Elephant is a supportive, values-led organisation focused on helping both young people and staff grow and develop.
For care leavers thinking about future employment, opportunities may include:
- Support Worker roles
- Senior Support Worker roles
- Community-based support opportunities
- Hospitality and café-related employment through Nellies
- Opportunities to develop leadership and management skills over time
Blue Elephant highlights:
- Training and professional development opportunities
- Support to gain qualifications
- Career progression pathways
- A supportive team environment
- Staff wellbeing support
- A workplace culture focused on care, compassion, and relationships
The organisation values people who want to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
For care leavers, this could be a place where resilience, lived experience, empathy, and personal growth are recognised as strengths.
Why This Could Be Right for You
As a care leaver, you might be looking for:
- A supportive environment
- Help building confidence and independence
- Opportunities to gain work experience
- Employment pathways
- Positive relationships and community connections
- A chance to develop practical life skills
Blue Elephant Future Steps and Nellies Coffee Bar aim to create spaces where young people can feel encouraged, included, and supported while working towards their future goals.
How to Get Started
To find out more, you can contact: Blake Humphries at
recruitment@bluelephant.org.uk
Blue Elephant Childcare
Website:
Blue Elephant Childcare
Nellies Coffee Bar
Website:
Nellies Coffee Bar
Future Steps socials:
Website:
Home | Blue Elephant Future
