It’s hard to believe that the very first Mini Woolies opened six years ago. The brainchild of Woolworths Group’s Technology Director Patrick Misciagna and led by Sarah Corey, General Manager of Enterprise Operations, Mini Woolies provides a hands-on learning experience for young people with disabilities. Fast-forward to 2024 and Patrick has just overseen the plans to open the 80th store, something he says he’s immensely proud of. “As we approach the opening of our 80th Mini Woolies store in the next few weeks, I’m reminded of how this all started and of the intent. Put simply, we took our Woolworths Group purpose of creating a better experience together for a better tomorrow to heart and into a part of our society that is often overlooked,” he says. Patrick first conceived the idea whilst attending a Father’s Day breakfast at his daughter Kiara’s school. The Mini Woolies program creates small-scale Woolworths supermarkets for young people with disabilities to build confidence and life skills. Each space is set up to simulate the operations of an actual Woolworths supermarket, with baskets for fresh food, shelving for groceries, ticketing, signage, fully operational registers, and Woolworths branded uniforms that students can wear to create an immersive educational experience. As Woolworths celebrates its 100th anniversary, Patrick says the program has done brilliant work at closing the gap on opportunities for young people with disabilities. “The success of the program, six years later, is proof that there was a need. By working with the schools, teachers and local governments, we helped fill that gap and address that need. With over 6000 students to date having experienced the program, I would say we are living out our intent and the mantra,” he says. Alongside Patrick has been Woolworth’s Community Sponsorship Manager Simon Tracey. Simon was involved with the launch of 68 Mini Woolies sites around the country and helped plan the fit-outs, source building materials and create expressions of interest to get schools Involved. “There’s not a day I wake up and question, ‘What am I doing and why am I doing it?’ I feel like I get to be a deeply involved part of the conscience of the business,” says Simon.
Such a wonderful, inclusive initiative! I am lucky to work at a TAFE college that has relatively recently opened a Mini Woolies. This innovative initiative offers students with disability or disadvantage a chance to develop valuable skills and gain hands-on experience in a real-world setting. By working at Mini Woolies, students can build confidence, independence, and employability skills, preparing them for a successful transition to the workforce. The program also fosters social connections, teamwork, and communication skills, essential for future success. Kudos to Woolworths Supermarkets for their commitment to diversity and inclusion! This partnership not only benefits our students but also enriches our college community.
Never in my life have I learnt so much first-hand information as I learnt from the students, teachers and carers within the schools where we open Mini Woolies. Thank you.
An amazing initiative delivering wonderful impact. Omnia Inclusive is very proud of our ongoing partnership with Woolworths. Congratulations on the achievement.
Great shop. Online is now the cost effective choice for mainstream purchases but this creates an increasing desire for the hands on assessment and purchase of niche products. Children love Woolworths. Adults do too but can't admit it. I can almost taste that pick'n'mix!
What a cracking idea - and taken to scale. Congrats Patrick Misciagna and Woolworths Supermarkets ; this is what great looks like from corporate Australia!! 👍💪🙏
Brilliant to see how far this has come! Congrats and well done Patrick Misciagna Sarah Corey and all teams involved
Bravo Sarah Corey! Many retailers wouldn't have 80 stores but Mini Woolies does ☺️
Incredible initiative and what an amazing way to give back. Well done Patrick and the rest of the team, 80 in such a short time frame is an outstanding achievement.
Industry Leader @ Microsoft
1moWonderful initiative ...highly impactful and showing the way for all businesses to think about creating a more inclusive future.