Room for All
The Inclusion in Hospitality Podcast
Welcome to Room for All – the podcast where we dive deep into the world of inclusive employment and explore the power of creating opportunities for people with disabilities.
Andrea Comastri, CEO and co-founder of Hotel Etico, Australia’s first not for profit social enterprise hotel and Saraya O’Connell, General Manager of Hotel Etico. will be your hosts as they talk about the importance of breaking down barriers in the workplace with a particular focus on hospitality and other customer facing roles, and how businesses can lead the charge toward inclusion.
At Hotel Etico, we believe that everyone deserves a fair chance to succeed, and we’ve made it our mission to not only provide jobs but to build meaningful careers for people with disabilities. On this podcast, we’ll be sharing success stories, best practices, and inspiring conversations with industry leaders from the hospitality sector, disability sector, other social enterprises, philanthropy and of course our own trainees graduates and staff.
Whether you’re a business owner, an advocate for inclusion, or someone curious about the future of work, this podcast is for you.
So come and join us at Hotel Etico, or as we call it…the Hotel California for the heart. A place where once you have checked in…your heart will never never leave!”
So, let’s get started and open the doors for all.
Room for All
Room For All - S2 E22 - Live at 2025 Social Enterprise Festival - Vanessa Brettell, Stepping Stone
Creating Opportunities: Vanessa Brettell on Empowering Refugee and Migrant Women
In this episode of Room for All, we sit down with Vanessa Brettell, the co-founder and CEO of Stepping Stone Social Enterprise. Vanessa shares the mission of Stepping Stone, a work integration social enterprise in Canberra that provides employment and training to migrant and refugee women facing multiple barriers to employment. The initiative operates two cafes and a catering business, offering both long-term and transitional job pathways. Vanessa also discusses future plans for an urban farm and expanded catering services to provide more inclusive employment opportunities. Join us as we learn about the impactful work being done to help women gain financial stability and build their futures.
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
02:09 About Stepping Stone Social Enterprise
03:25 Employment Streams and Challenges
06:19 Running Cafes and Business Model
07:47 Vanessa's Motivation and Background
09:38 Future Plans and Expansion
11:54 Community and Support
15:13 Finding Stepping Stone and Upcoming Events
