活出不被定义的人生——1017咖啡厅与12名“心青年”员工Living an Undefined Life -1017 Cafe and 12 'Heart Youth' Employees

湖北日报全媒记者 龚雪 彭艺博 通讯员何莉 杨玲欢

7月22日，在位于武汉市江岸区高雄路8号的1017咖啡厅，患有心智障碍的员工们（从左至右分别为：王知涵、殷豪杰、王梓睿、华威、朱秀丽）吃中饭。（湖北日报全媒记者 任勇 摄）

用心运营两年半后，今年6月，1017咖啡厅开始盈利。

这家位于武汉市江岸区高雄路8号的咖啡厅，从外观看平平无奇。踏入店内，你便会一眼察觉别样：12位“心青年”员工各司其职，忙碌有序的身影成为店里独特风景。

“心青年”是心智障碍青年群体的通称，涵盖孤独症、智力障碍、唐氏综合征、脑瘫等类型的青年。曾经，他们自我封闭，很难走出那方小天地。

在1017咖啡厅，武汉爱特特殊儿童教育培训中心（以下简称武汉爱特）创始人胡弘像一位魔术师，让这些“心青年”在最合适的岗位闪闪发光，在主动融入社会与实现自我价值中，重新定义人生。

7月22日，在位于武汉市江岸区高雄路8号的1017咖啡厅，胡弘（左五）与患有心智障碍的员工们。（湖北日报全媒记者 任勇 摄）

一句“欢迎光临”，老师教了好几个月

200多平方米的咖啡店以淡绿色为基调，从墙面背景到餐桌台布，再到手中的杯盏，皆浸润在和谐的暖色调中，整体环境松弛惬意。“我会慢一点，请你懒一点”“梦想，从咖啡开始”……墙上的标语，既励志又与众不同。

7月18日上午10时许，湖北日报全媒记者来到1017咖啡厅。店里客人不多，员工们没有偷懒，在各自的岗位忙碌着。

见有客人进门，陈志敖弯下腰，伸出右手，响亮地喊了一嗓子：“你好，欢迎光临，里面请。”

7月22日，在位于武汉市江岸区高雄路8号的1017咖啡厅，咖啡师华威正在制作手冲咖啡。华威有轻度智力障碍，是1017咖啡厅最“资深”的员工。（湖北日报全媒记者 任勇 摄）

客人落座，扫码点单。华威麻利地制作咖啡，研磨、萃取、分装……动作娴熟，一点也不拖泥带水。

王梓睿负责给客人送餐。放下盘子时，他嘴里念叨着“请慢用”“祝您用餐愉快”。尽管，吐字不很清晰，但是他的嘴角始终挂着微笑。

每每看到这样的场景，胡弘就格外欣慰。冲泡咖啡、封装口袋、打扫卫生……这些常人看似简单的工作，心智障碍者却要付出百倍的努力，才能做好。甚至连一句“欢迎光临”，老师都要教他们好几个月。

这间小小的咖啡厅，承载着“心青年”们挣脱封闭、实现价值、拥抱社会的梦想。语言表达能力突出的陈志敖，被安排在门口接待客人；喜欢安静做手工的王知涵，在烘焙间里专注封装饼干；爱干净的王梓睿做服务员；拥有音乐天赋的殷豪杰，是咖啡厅钢琴演奏员……

胡弘介绍，12个“心青年”员工中，1人属全职就业，月薪1200元左右；11人是辅助性就业，每周工作15个小时，月工资600元左右。武汉爱特青职班6人还处于评估就业阶段，老师们辅助做咖啡厅的产品研发、运营等工作。

曾经情绪暴躁爱哭闹，如今考过钢琴九级

咖啡店大厅里，17岁的殷豪杰端坐在钢琴椅上，手指在琴键上翻飞，《秋日私语》的旋律时而婉转悠扬，时而急促，令人陶醉。

7月22日，在位于武汉市江岸区高雄路8号的1017咖啡厅，17岁的孤独症男孩殷豪杰正在演奏钢琴。（湖北日报全媒记者 任勇 摄）

“他出生时没发现哪里不对劲。2岁后，我们发现他不与人对视、也不讲话。后来，他被确诊为孤独症，我们的心情一下子从山峰跌落到谷底。”殷豪杰妈妈回忆起孩子的成长经历时，禁不住热泪盈眶。

后来，长大了些的殷豪杰情绪暴躁，经常在家里哭闹打人。出于无奈，家人将他送到武汉爱特做康复，老师引导殷豪杰学习音乐。刚开始，他学习打架子鼓，11岁开始学钢琴。“老师发现他有音乐天赋，4个月学完了普通孩子2年的课程。他每天坚持练钢琴，现在已经考过了钢琴九级。”殷豪杰妈妈开心地笑了。

“只盼着他稳定情绪，开开心心地过完一生，从没想过他能融入社会、参加工作。”殷豪杰妈妈深知，要想孩子自力更生，还有很长的路要走，1017咖啡厅为他们点燃了希望的火苗。

7月22日，在位于武汉市江岸区高雄路8号的1017咖啡厅，郑小红（右）看着女儿王知涵（左）满眼爱意。（湖北日报全媒记者 任勇 摄）

看着女儿王知涵全神贯注地封装饼干，妈妈郑小红欣慰不已。王知涵今年24岁，出生才8天时，就被诊断为唐氏综合征和先天性巨结肠，医生判定存活率不到1%。当时，郑小红感觉“天都塌了”，但始终没有放弃孩子。等她具备身体条件做完巨结肠手术后，郑小红带着5岁的王知涵在武汉爱特开始康复和学习。

“她在咖啡厅工作了一年半，语言表达、认知理解能力都有大幅提升，性格也越来越开朗。”郑小红感慨，“这份工作对她来说是一个突破，打开了希望的大门。孩子在变好，感觉整个家庭重获新生。”

毕业等于失业？打开融入社会的一扇窗

胡弘曾是武汉市福利院的一名老师，目睹过不少心智障碍孩童被遗弃的揪心场景。身处特教工作一线，她更能读懂那些父母背后的辛酸：心智障碍多为天生，无法医治，缺乏社会支持与专业指导；无力面对孩子的一生，不得已放弃自己的孩子。

2005年，胡弘辞去公职，创办武汉爱特，让特殊孩子在家门口接受康复与特殊教育。“当时武汉已有盲校、聋校、培智学校等特殊教育学校，但针对心智障碍群体的民办教育机构还是空白。”胡弘说，“我要在社区、在家门口，创办一家专业机构，陪着家长和孩子们在荆棘中蹚出一条路！”

21年来，武汉爱特已累计吸纳8000余名心智障碍儿童康复，除了湖北，安徽、湖南、河南等周边省份的家长也慕名而来。目前，武汉爱特江岸、汉阳、黄陂三个校区，共有在校生400余人。

7月22日，武汉市爱特特殊儿童教育培训中心创始人胡弘坐在1017咖啡厅内。（湖北日报全媒记者 任勇 摄）

“不少孩子经过一段时间的训练康复，能够生活自理，融入普通校园。可是，他们毕业后，新的困难又接踵而至。”胡弘说，“很多大龄心智障碍青年由于缺少就业渠道，毕业等于失业，群居变成独居，导致康复成效大打折扣，有的甚至多年训练成果付诸东流。”

看着越来越多的特殊儿童逐渐长大，如何让他们步入社会，成为胡弘一直思考的问题。此前，有家长为孩子找过一些企业的工作，可效果并不理想。孩子入职后，因社交障碍、就业支持不足、外界偏见等屡屡碰壁，最终被退回家庭。

胡弘不甘心，她四处考察后，决定创办一家咖啡厅，作为“心青年”们的辅助性就业场所，让他们在“工作中康复，在康复中工作”。2023年10月，1017咖啡厅正式开业，为顾客提供咖啡、烘焙、果茶、果汁、节日订制礼品等服务。“1017，就是‘邀您一起’的谐音。”胡弘说，“这里既是心智障碍青年职业康复实践的课堂，也是他们融入社会的一扇窗口。”

双向治愈，每一位奋斗者都不会被辜负

今年6月，1017咖啡厅开始盈利。“这份突破不仅是经营的突破，更是社会包容的最好印证。”胡弘说。

7月22日，在位于武汉市江岸区高雄路8号的1017咖啡厅，王梓睿与小客人击掌。（湖北日报全媒记者 任勇 摄）

入夏以来，咖啡厅线上线下日客单量突破100单。顾客们和“心青年员工”有了更多互动，为他们鼓劲，在他们动作慢时给予包容，她会带着朋友一起来光顾咖啡厅。

不少市民专程到咖啡厅打卡，用消费传递善意，也会来这里治愈焦虑。当天在咖啡厅消暑的顾客谢女士，曾因亲子关系紧张濒临崩溃。她带着孩子参加武汉爱特的公益活动，在与“心青年”相处中，逐渐消解了母子间的矛盾。如今，孩子考上大学，她特意重回小店，感受这份温暖力量。

“心智障碍者就像一面镜子，照见了健康的珍贵，也让我们看见生命的多元丰富。”胡弘说，社会融合从来不是让特殊群体抹去差异、变得普通，而是让每一份不同都被尊重，为每一种特质都能找到价值出口。

数据显示，全国有近2000万心智障碍群体，就业率不足5%。从一间咖啡厅出发，胡弘怀揣初心步履不停，计划持续拓宽就业渠道，搭建阶梯式融合就业体系：优秀学员可参与武汉市文旅咖啡厅、烘焙、食品等社会企业实习，逐步脱离庇护场景，适配真实职场；依托手工文创平台，学员可通过制作手工制品赚取劳动收入，多渠道实现自我价值。

“我不是一个人在战斗，现在有更多的关爱洒向他们。”胡弘介绍，国家为心智障碍群体织密保障网，有低保和康复补贴、家庭生活补助，企业有爱心基金，特殊教育也是百花齐放。

在这间小小的咖啡厅里，“心青年”们挣脱阴霾，在平凡的岗位上发光发热，让更多人看见：每一位奋斗者都不会被辜负。

Hubei Daily, all media reporter Gong Xue, Peng Yibo, correspondent He Li, Yang Linghuan

On July 22nd, at 1017 Cafe located at No. 8 Kaohsiung Road, Jiang'an District, Wuhan, employees with mental disabilities (from left to right: Wang Zhihan, Yin Haojie, Wang Zirui, Huawei, Zhu Xiuli) had lunch. (Photo by Ren Yong, a journalist from Hubei Daily)

After two and a half years of dedicated operation, 1017 Coffee Shop began to make profits in June of this year.

This coffee shop located at No. 8 Kaohsiung Road, Jiang'an District, Wuhan City, looks ordinary from the outside. As soon as you step into the store, you will immediately notice something different: 12 "Heart Youth" employees each perform their duties, and their busy and orderly figures become a unique scenery in the store.

Heart youth "is a general term for the group of young people with mental disorders, including autism, intellectual disabilities, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other types of youth. Once upon a time, they were self isolated and found it difficult to step out of that small world.

At 1017 Cafe, Hu Hong, the founder of Wuhan Aite Special Children's Education and Training Center (hereinafter referred to as Wuhan Aite), is like a magician, allowing these "heart young people" to shine in the most suitable positions and redefine their lives by actively integrating into society and realizing their self-worth.

On July 22nd, at 1017 Cafe located at No. 8 Kaohsiung Road, Jiang'an District, Wuhan, Hu Hong (fifth from the left) and employees with mental disabilities. (Photo by Ren Yong, a journalist from Hubei Daily)

The teacher has been teaching for several months with the phrase 'Welcome'

The coffee shop with an area of over 200 square meters is based on a light green color scheme. From the wall background to the dining table and tablecloth, and even the cups in the hands, they are all immersed in a harmonious warm color tone, creating a relaxed and comfortable overall environment. The slogans on the wall, such as' I will slow down, please be lazy 'and' Dreams start with coffee ', are both inspiring and unique.

At around 10am on July 18th, a media reporter from Hubei Daily came to 1017 Cafe. There are not many customers in the store, and the employees are not lazy, busy in their respective positions.

Upon seeing a guest enter, Chen Zhiao bent down, extended his right hand, and shouted loudly, "Hello, welcome. Please come inside

On July 22nd, at 1017 Cafe located at 8 Kaohsiung Road, Jiang'an District, Wuhan, barista Huawei was making handmade coffee. Warwick has mild intellectual disability and is the most experienced employee at 1017 Cafe. (Photo by Ren Yong, a journalist from Hubei Daily)

The guest sits down and scans the QR code to place an order. Warwick efficiently makes coffee, grinding, extracting, and packaging... with skillful movements and no dragging or dripping.

Wang Zirui is responsible for delivering meals to customers. When he put down the plate, he muttered to himself, 'Please take your time' and 'Have a pleasant meal'. Although his pronunciation was not very clear, a smile remained at the corner of his mouth.

Every time he sees such a scene, Hu Hong is particularly pleased. Brewing coffee, sealing pockets, cleaning... These seemingly simple tasks for ordinary people require a hundredfold effort for people with mental disabilities to do well. Even a single "welcome" would be taught by the teacher for several months.

This small coffee shop carries the dreams of 'heart young people' to break free from isolation, realize their values, and embrace society. Chen Zhiao, with outstanding language expression ability, was arranged to receive guests at the entrance; Wang Zhihan, who likes to do handicrafts quietly, focuses on packaging cookies in the baking room; Wang Zirui, who loves cleanliness, works as a waiter; Yin Haojie, who possesses musical talent, is a piano player in a coffee shop

Hu Hong introduced that among the 12 "Heart Youth" employees, one is employed full-time with a monthly salary of about 1200 yuan; 11 people are employed as auxiliary workers, working 15 hours a week with a monthly salary of around 600 yuan. Six students from Wuhan Aite Youth Vocational Class are still in the stage of evaluation and employment, with teachers assisting in the product research and development, operation, and other work of the coffee shop.

I used to be irritable and prone to crying, but now I have passed the piano level 9 exam

In the coffee shop lobby, 17-year-old Yin Haojie sat on a piano chair, his fingers fluttering on the keys. The melody of "Autumn Whispers" was sometimes gentle and melodious, sometimes urgent and intoxicating.

On July 22nd, at 1017 Cafe located at 8 Kaohsiung Road, Jiang'an District, Wuhan City, 17-year-old autistic boy Yin Haojie was playing the piano. (Photo by Ren Yong, a journalist from Hubei Daily)

When he was born, we didn't notice anything was wrong. After the age of 2, we found that he didn't look at people or speak. Later, he was diagnosed with autism, and our emotions plummeted from the peak to the bottom. "Yin Haojie's mother couldn't help but shed tears as she recalled her child's growth experience.

Later, as Yin Haojie grew older, he became irritable and often cried and beat people at home. Out of helplessness, his family sent him to Wuhan Aite for rehabilitation, and the teacher guided Yin Haojie to learn music. At the beginning, he learned to play the drums and started learning the piano at the age of 11. The teacher discovered that he has a talent for music and completed the 2-year curriculum for ordinary children in 4 months. He practices piano every day and has now passed the piano level 9 exam, "Yin Haojie's mother smiled happily.

I only hope he can stabilize his emotions and live a happy life. I never thought he could integrate into society and participate in work. "Yin Haojie's mother knows very well that there is still a long way to go for her child to be self reliant, and 1017 Cafe has ignited the flame of hope for them.

On July 22nd, at 1017 Cafe located at 8 Kaohsiung Road, Jiang'an District, Wuhan City, Zheng Xiaohong (right) looked at her daughter Wang Zhihan (left) with love in her eyes. (Photo by Ren Yong, a journalist from Hubei Daily)

Watching her daughter Wang Zhihan fully concentrate on packaging cookies, mother Zheng Xiaohong was overjoyed. Wang Zhihan is 24 years old this year. At just 8 days old, he was diagnosed with Down syndrome and congenital megacolon. Doctors determined that the survival rate was less than 1%. At that time, Zheng Xiaohong felt like "the sky was falling", but she never gave up on her child. After she had the physical conditions to undergo surgery for megacolon, Zheng Xiaohong started rehabilitation and learning with 5-year-old Wang Zhihan in Wuhan Aite.

She worked in a coffee shop for a year and a half, and her language expression and cognitive understanding abilities have greatly improved. Her personality has also become more outgoing, "Zheng Xiaohong sighed." This job is a breakthrough for her, opening the door to hope. The child is getting better, and it feels like the whole family has been reborn

Is graduation equivalent to unemployment? Open a window to integrate into society

Hu Hong was once a teacher at the Wuhan Welfare Institute and witnessed many heart wrenching scenes of mentally disabled children being abandoned. Being on the front line of special education work, she is better able to understand the hardships behind those parents: mental disorders are mostly innate and incurable, lacking social support and professional guidance; Unable to face the life of a child, one has no choice but to give up on their own child.

In 2005, Hu Hong resigned from public office and founded Wuhan Aite, allowing special children to receive rehabilitation and special education at their doorstep. At that time, Wuhan already had special education schools for the blind, deaf, and intellectually disabled, but there was still a blank space for private education institutions targeting the mentally disabled population, "said Hu Hong." I want to establish a professional institution in the community and at my doorstep, to accompany parents and children through the thorns and forge a path

Over the past 21 years, Wuhan Aite has absorbed more than 8000 children with mental disabilities for rehabilitation. In addition to Hubei, parents from surrounding provinces such as Anhui, Hunan, and Henan have also come here to admire its reputation. At present, there are more than 400 students enrolled in the three campuses of Wuhan Aite Jiang'an, Hanyang, and Huangpi.

On July 22nd, Hu Hong, founder of Wuhan Aite Special Children's Education and Training Center, sat in Caf é 1017. (Photo by Ren Yong, a journalist from Hubei Daily)

Many children, after a period of training and rehabilitation, are able to live independently and integrate into ordinary schools. However, after graduation, new difficulties arise one after another, "said Hu Hong

Watching more and more special needs children grow up, how to help them enter society has become a question that Hu Hong has been thinking about. Previously, some parents had found jobs for their children in some companies, but the results were not satisfactory. After the child entered the workforce, they repeatedly encountered obstacles due to social barriers, insufficient employment support, and external biases, and were eventually returned to their family.

Hu Hong was unwilling to accept it. After conducting extensive research, she decided to establish a coffee shop as an auxiliary employment place for the "heart youth", allowing them to "recover in their work and work in their recovery". In October 2023, 1017 Coffee Shop officially opened, providing customers with services such as coffee, baking, fruit tea, juice, and customized holiday gifts. 1017 is a homophone of 'invite you to join us', "Hu Hong said." This is not only a classroom for vocational rehabilitation practice for young people with mental disabilities, but also a window for them to integrate into society

Two way healing, every struggler will not be let down

In June of this year, 1017 Coffee Shop began to make profits. This breakthrough is not only a breakthrough in business, but also the best proof of social inclusiveness, "said Hu Hong.

On July 22nd, at 1017 Cafe located at 8 Kaohsiung Road, Jiang'an District, Wuhan City, Wang Zirui clapped with a young customer. (Photo by Ren Yong, a journalist from Hubei Daily)

Since the beginning of summer, the daily customer volume of coffee shops both online and offline has exceeded 100 orders. Customers have had more interaction with the 'Heart Youth Employee', encouraging them and showing tolerance when they are slow. She will bring her friends to visit the coffee shop together.

Many citizens make a special trip to coffee shops to check in, using consumption to convey goodwill, and also come here to heal anxiety. Ms. Xie, a customer who was cooling off at the coffee shop that day, was on the brink of collapse due to a tense parent-child relationship. She took her child to participate in the public welfare activities of Wuhan Aite, and gradually resolved the conflicts between mother and son through getting along with the "Heart Youth". Now that her child has been admitted to college, she deliberately returns to the small shop to feel this warm power.

People with mental disabilities are like a mirror, reflecting the preciousness of health and allowing us to see the diversity and richness of life. "Hu Hong said that social integration has never meant erasing differences and making special groups ordinary, but rather respecting every difference and finding value outlets for every trait.

Data shows that there are nearly 20 million people with mental disabilities nationwide, with an employment rate of less than 5%. Starting from a coffee shop, Hu Hong persevered with his original intention, planning to continuously expand employment channels and build a tiered integrated employment system: outstanding students can participate in internships in Wuhan's cultural and tourism cafes, baking, food and other social enterprises, gradually breaking away from sheltered scenes and adapting to the real workplace; Relying on the handmade cultural and creative platform, students can earn labor income by making handmade products and realize their self-worth through multiple channels.

I am not fighting alone, now more care is being poured onto them, "Hu Hong said. The country has woven a dense safety net for people with mental disabilities, including subsistence allowances, rehabilitation subsidies, family living allowances, corporate love funds, and special education.

In this small coffee shop, the 'heart youths' break free from the haze and shine in their ordinary positions, allowing more people to see that every struggler will not be let down.