INTERN Emma Hellyer is like any other young person who wants to work.

But the 21-year-old from south Oxford faces difficulty getting experience because she has Down’s Syndrome.

Now charity Yellow Submarine is setting out to tackle that problem with the launch of their new cafe in Park End Street, Oxford, backed by an Oxford Mail grant.

Miss Hellyer will be working one four-hour shift once a week at the cafe for 10 weeks from May.

She said: “It’s very lovely. I love serving the customers and I’m looking forward to working with other people.”

Emma’s mum Jenny Hellyer said: “It’s amazing, the work gives people dignity. There is so little opportunity in Oxford for people like Emma.

“Emma loves people and loves to feel that she can be part of the adult world.

“And it’s such a fun place.”

The Yellow Submarine social enterprise cafe is up and running this week after being awarded £10,800 from the charitable arm of the Oxford Mail’s parent company, The Gannett Foundation.

A total of 10 work placements for people with learning disabilities in Oxford will initially be provided by the cafe and sandwich shop.

A programme starting in July will then offer work experience sessions for young people aged 15 to 19 years with learning disabilities who are still at school. They will make sandwiches and drinks after the cafe closes.

It is also hoped the cafe will eventually offer two paid apprenticeships.

Intern Darren Doncaster, 18, from Witney, who has moderate learning difficulties, will also be working one four-hour shift once a week from May.

He said: “It is good to get some work experience.

“I’m looking forward to helping out and doing the sandwiches for them.”

He added that afterwards he hoped to get a job in a cafe.

His mum Beverley Walker, 47, a higher level teaching assistant at Witney’s Springfield School, said: “I’m behind it fully.

“Darren is very much a people person, he likes being with people and talking to people.”

Toby Staveley, the founder of Yellow Submarine, said: “We see this project as a means to enable young people to leave school or college with more options than a lifetime of attending adult day centres.

“Our staff and trainees will learn to commute. They will get the pride of having a uniform and a badge. They will gain transferable skills. “They will have the huge boost in self-esteem that comes through meaningful daytime activity.”

A launch party attended by the voluntary and business community marked the official opening on Thursday last week. The cafe is also supported by the Responsible Oxfordshire Business Involvement Network (ROBIN), Eynsham Rotary, One Design, an Oxford University student team and a host of volunteers.

Mr Staveley added: “It’s intended the café will make a profound difference to the participants’ lives and an even broader impact on the community as a whole.

“Each trainee will be a champion showing what’s possible to their peers, professionals and even their families.”

Yellow Submarine organises residential holidays and short breaks, day trips and classes for young people and adults with learning disabilities.

The cafe serves sandwiches, salads, pastries, teas and coffees and is open from 8am-4pm, Monday to Friday.

It also delivers to businesses.