On a busy afternoon at Sam’s Place Coffee shop in Winnipeg’s Exchange District, barista Wren Hildebrandt makes an iced latte — his favourite drink. Wren calls himself an avid coffee drinker and he’ll choose an iced latte even when the winter wind is whipping up snow on the city’s streets.
Wren didn’t always feel ready for work. Before Sam’s Place, he spent a lot of time at home. Leaving the house felt hard. Job searching felt even harder.
“I was not very confident in working at all,” says Wren. Past jobs had not gone well. Interviews felt rough. He kept running into a common problem: Employers wanted experience but he couldn’t get experience without a first chance.
Meeting new people also did not come easy to them. He describes himself as very introverted and did not always push himself to connect with others.
Then their mom encouraged them to apply to the youth program at Sam’s Place. The program is for youth who face barriers to employment, like anxiety, a lack of work experience or disability.
Wren’s application into the youth program was accepted and he joined in the summer of 2024. He started in the core program, then moved into barista training. In January 2025, he became the first graduate to test a new “Barista 2” program option, which provided extra time to practice skills and build steady work habits.
Volunteer and youth program coordinator Rebecca Engel said many youth arrive feeling nervous and unsure. Over time, she often sees a big change.
“For lots of our participants, they’re so shy — they’re so nervous — they can’t talk to anyone,” she said. “To see the change, from day one to joking with all the supervisors and having a great time … something that they weren’t even thinking about when they [first] came in.
“They leave so confident,” she added.
At Sam’s Place, youth practice “hard skills” like customer service, cash handling, cleaning and food safety. They also practice “soft skills” like showing up on time, asking for help and talking with customers.
For Wren, learning to interact with people was a big step.
“I definitely gained a lot of confidence when talking to people,” he said. “It still does make me quite nervous, but I can. And I know that I can.”
He learned how to work fast during busy rushes. He learned how to make small talk, even though he admits he still does not love it. He also learned how to answer customer questions, even when it relates to food he doesn’t personally like to eat.
He’s even learned to laugh at himself.
Wren remembers the day he had to call out a seasonal drink name — “apple pie tea latte” — and accidentally yelled “apple Thai pee” instead. He ran to the back, embarrassed. Later, the story became part of the team’s shared humor and a reminder for new participants — that mistakes happen and they can keep going.
Wren describes the community at Sam’s Place as supportive and flexible and says he feels safe speaking up on hard days. Wren shared that he once passed out during a shift, and co-workers have since started checking in and making sure he eats. One colleague even brings him snacks like pretzels. Wren said it matters to have a place where he can say, “I need to sit down,” and be met with care.
Sam’s Place, a social enterprise of MCC Manitoba, runs as a business but the mission stays front and center: Every purchase and tip helps fund training and support for local youth.
“It might take you 30 seconds longer to get your drink,” says Rebecca, “but my participant is learning how to steam milk for the first time.”
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“I definitely gained a lot of confidence when talking to people. It still does make me quite nervous, but I can. And I know that I can.”
That mission also shapes the next step after training. Last summer, Sam’s Place began offering paid, six-month barista roles for past participants. Two positions are always in place, staggered through the year. Each person is guaranteed at least one full day of work per week, with more hours depending on availability.
For youth, it’s a bridge from learning to earning.
Wren, who became the first paid, past participant at Sam’s Place in August 2025, said Sam’s Place changed how he sees himself. Before, it was hard to leave the house. Now, he enjoys coming in.
“I’ve definitely seen myself grow a lot,” he said. “Being more confident in myself… trusting that I can do something, even if I don’t know how.”
He also learned he does not have to figure everything out on his own. In the past, that was his default. Now, he feels comfortable saying, “Can you show me again?”, even if it’s something he’s done before.
To learn more about Sam’s Place, visit SamsPlaceCoffee.com.
