A South Australian-backed initiative aimed at opening up employment pathways for young autistic people is set to extend beyond Adelaide, with new funding to take the award-winning ‘Shine Like Gold!’ Mobile Café into the Barossa, Renmark and Riverland.
The expansion, supported by the Government of South Australia, will see the mobile café model delivered in regional areas where access to inclusive training and paid work opportunities can be limited. The program is run by Gold Foundation Incorporated, which first launched the café in metropolitan Adelaide in November 2022 as Australia’s first initiative of its kind.
A $400,000 commitment over four years will support Gold Foundation’s broader programs across South Australia, with part of the funding directed towards ongoing costs for the regional café once it is operational. A further $170,000 grant from the JFM Fund is being used to purchase and fit out the mobile café trailer, including equipment such as a commercial food setup and generator. This follows an earlier grant that helped establish the metropolitan version.
The regional café will operate as a satellite of the Adelaide service, with oversight from Gold Foundation’s leadership team and a dedicated supervisor. A regional project manager with experience in neuro-inclusion will also be appointed to support delivery on the ground.
The program aims to provide paid employment and structured hospitality training for 15 to 20 young autistic South Australians aged 14 and over. It will also deliver multiple inclusive training programs across the three regional areas and attend community events, with organisers expecting to engage both direct participants and wider community members through the initiative.
Since launching, the Adelaide café has employed close to 40 young autistic people, many of whom have gained experience working at major public events. The mobile café has also been included in the State Government’s FIFA World Cup 2026 live site at The Drive, serving crowds during Socceroos matches broadcast on the big screen.
South Australia’s Minister for Disability Inclusion Katrine Hildyard said the program provides young people with practical pathways into work and community life. She said regional expansion would help reduce barriers to employment and create more opportunities for young people to build confidence and skills.
Gold Foundation Community Director Alex Zenios said the café model demonstrates what is possible when the right support is in place, noting that participants develop both work skills and confidence through paid employment.
He said expanding into regional South Australia responds to clear gaps in access to inclusive employment pathways and builds on the organisation’s long-running experience supporting young autistic people.
Jane Arnott said the fund supports projects that trial new approaches to disability inclusion, adding that the expansion reflects growing demand for practical training and work opportunities in regional communities.
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