Newmarket cafe hires woman with Down Syndrome

Emma Ferens, who has Down Syndrome, works at Zarbo cafe in Auckland's Newmarket on Tuesday and Wednesdays. Photo / Brett Phibbs

If you go into Newmarket's Zarbo café on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, you will be greeted with Emma Ferens' infectious smile.

The lively 28-year-old has Down syndrome but it doesn't affect her job serving food and delivering coffees to the many customers who adore her.

Ferens has worked at Zarbo for a year doing two eight-hour shifts a week and it's her first paid job, after doing volunteer work for several years.

She was given the job by owner Barnaby Bews, who has supported a number of fundraising events for the UpsideDowns Education Trust.

UpsideDowns is a charity which helps fund speech language therapy costs for people with Down syndrome and had helped Ferens with her communication skills.

Bews asked the UDET to recommend an adult with Down syndrome he could employ.

"I'm not doing it for the glory or for the 'glitz'. Everybody deserves a chance in life," said Bews.

"Emma is independent as she flats, catches the bus and of course has her own Eftpos card."

Bews loves having Ferens onboard and joked that you could hear her before you could see her.

Ferens said her job gives her "a voice in her own community".

"I love working at Zarbo, I especially adore the coffees, the customer staff interaction and the order it creates in my day."

Ferens attended Karaka Primary School, St Cuthbert's College and Papakura High School before doing volunteer work.

She also had a guest appearance on Kiwi soap Shortland Street as a patient.

"Up until I got the job here at Zarbo, I was only volunteering at the SPCA and Ronald McDonald House, so having a job two days a week, gives me my own money."

"I normally give out food to the customers, I work on the till (providing a staff member accompanies me) and overall have a lot of responsibility."

Ferens live with two flatmates in central Auckland, one who also has Down syndrome.

Zandra Vaccarino, National Executive Officer for New Zealand Down Syndrome Association, praised Bews for hiring Ferns.

"Barnaby is an example of a number of employers in the community who have recognised the value of employing people with Down syndrome and has demonstrated how other employers can get involved," said Vaccarino.

"However, the opportunity to engage in paid employment remains extremely challenging for the majority of people with Down syndrome."

She urged employers to support World Down Syndrome Day, (last Tuesday), by following in Bew's footsteps.

Borderless Productions has referred people to find out more about Down syndrome Day, visit https://worlddownsyndromeday.org/