Nundah Community Enterprise Co-operative (N.C.E.C.) was formed in 1999 to create sustainable employment and training opportunities for people with Mental Illness, Learning Difficulty or Intellectual Disability.
Supporting people with meaningful work
We are a Not-For-Profit Organisation that currently trains and employs 23 people with meaningful work opportunities through our two business arms: Espresso Train Café & Catering and NCEC Parks & Maintenance. We receive no ongoing funding (government or otherwise) to do what we do, so thanks for your patronage!
The people we support have struggled to find their place in the current economic structure. They’re keen to work but due to the pace they learn at, employers are often unwilling to support them – seeing their disability as a financial burden for their business.
The Social Enterprise approach
We are a ‘Social Enterprise’ – This means we are as concerned about community growth and social change as we are with making our business work financially. We invite people from all over the community to be involved in this exciting social movement…We are making money AND creating lasting changes for disadvantaged workers – what a success story!!
Our Partners:
We would not be here today without key partners and supporters including: Brisbane City Council, Community Living Association, Department and Communities, Social Ventures Australia, Westpac Bank and Foresters Communtiy Finance. Whilst we derive the bulk of our income (almost 90%) from trade, we would not be in this position today without our partners previous offers of business, support and investment.
Our employment/staff intake process:
N.C.E.C was established with the help of Community Living Association (CLA Inc); a government funded not for profit, working with people with an intellectual disability/ mental health issues (CLP service), and people with a intellectual disabiltiy at risk of homelessness (ARROS service). As there is a large pool of individuals seeking work from within CLA Inc, we currenltly offer employment only to constituents (i.e. clients) of CLA. The fact that we receive many more requests for employment than we can accommodate shows that there is a great need for the kind of opportunity NCEC offers.
NCEC IN THE SPOTLIGHT:
NCEC on the ABC TV!
Cafe expands job opportunities for people with disabilities:
"A suburban Brisbane cafe that employs people with a disability or mental illness is proving so popular it has undergone a major expansion".
NCEC featured in Cheryl Kernot and Joan McNeill's "Australian Stories of Social Enterprise".
Link to a PDF of the book on the Social Traders website can be found below. NCEC featured on page 199.
The NCEC has published a number of booklets and resources to analyse the work of the NCEC and share our experiences with others interested in the Social Enterprise model.
All our publications can be purchased from the Community Living Association's online store.
Home 
Nundah Community Enterprise Co-operative (N.C.E.C.) was formed in 1999 to create sustainable employment and training opportunities for people with Mental Illness, Learning Difficulty or Intellectual Disability. 
Supporting people with meaningful work