The Sandton doggy daycare was opened by Tamara Coumbis as a means to help her step-son gain meaningful employment, so the daycare hires special needs youth.
Tamara Coumbis realised there was a lack of employment opportunities for special needs youth when her step-son Julian finished his vocational studies at college and he was unable to find employment. Tamara managed to secure him a position as a volunteer at their local doggy daycare.
After watching Julian for a year with his volunteering, Tamara saw what a great impact it had and wished he could earn an income from it. She approached her husband and together they started their own doggy daycare which would employ Julian and other special needs youth.
“We thought no ways, we are going to create opportunities ourselves, we don’t have to wait for somebody else to give Julian a job opportunity. And the great thing about that is that it has created opportunities for plenty other special needs people,” said Ron Coumbis, Julian’s father.
The doggy daycare was opened a year ago in Bryanston and has since opened a second branch in Kyalami. The Kyalami branch is also a dog lodge. The doggy daycare branches currently employ three special needs young adults and have two volunteers. The hope is to employ the volunteers on a full time basis in the near future.
“The reality is that a large majority of young adults with special needs can and want to work,”, “It’s not a charity. It is a professional doggy daycare. I didn’t want people to be scared to support us.”, “Now I realise that people can follow suit and perhaps need to be made aware of the opportunities that they can create.” – Tamara Coumbis
Owners of the dogs that visit the daycare often say that their furry companions come home feeling very happy and well loved. It is because of this that they shower the employees and volunteers with small gifts and cards with thanks for the difference they make.
“There’s a real love, it’s not just a job. It’s giving them hope and a life and something to do every day. Besides that they earn a market related income now, they just have a purpose which I think everybody needs,” says Tamara.
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