Brewing Connection: What We Learned From Our Coffee Van Pilot

Bringing together communities

Across Altona, Footscray, Fitzroy North and Fairfield, renters quickly embraced the van. What began with cautious curiosity soon became a fortnightly ritual for many.

VMCH barista Dennis saw the shift firsthand:

“the coffee van’s about more than just serving coffee. It’s about building trust and making people feel at home, no strings attached,” he said. “When we first rolled up, people were a bit hesitant… but over a few visits, people were hanging around, smiling, asking when we’d be back.”

For some renters, the experience was genuinely new. “One lady in Fairfield told me she’d never had a coffee made by someone else in her life,” Dennis recalled. “Moments like that stay with you.”

A new kind of Unison-renter relationship

The relaxed setting changed how the team at Unison and renters interacted. Without the pressure of tenancy matters or formal appointments, our people could chat with renters on different terms:

As Team Leader Mel put it, “It was the perfect excuse to get out of the office and meet the people behind the screen… I loved having the opportunity to have a yarn about items other than tenancy.”

Place Manager Jen noticed renters opening up in ways they usually don’t:

“I have seen a very lovely and funny side of the renters who came to the van,” she said. “I’m sure they’ve seen a different side of me too.”

Seven out of eight Unison Place Managers said the pilot made them feel more empowered to engage with renters, an outcome that became just as important as the coffees served.

A welcoming space for raising issues

One unexpected finding was how often renters used the coffee van to raise concerns they might not otherwise bring forward. In the easy, conversational environment, discussions about maintenance, potential hazards came up.

At Fitzroy North, maintenance questions became a staple. In Altona, renters asked about shared spaces and supported one another’s suggestions. The Unison Team noticed that people were more comfortable approaching them before problems escalated.

As Unison Team Leader, Leah, reflected:

“By encouraging casual conversations over coffee, it has helped renters feel valued and supported. We saw a strong level of engagement, with attendance exceeding expectations.”

Building community, one coffee at a time

Many renters expressed that the van helped them feel more connected to their neighbours.

Lily, a Unison renter, summed it up simply: “I look forward to the van coming… It’s good to see everyone and come together and have a good chat.”

Others began taking initiative in new ways. Fitzroy North renter Sharon, planning a Christmas event for her building, said,

“The Coffee Van is a great thing for the community. It’s good to come together more regularly… My plan is to organise events on the weeks the coffee van isn’t here.”

Moments like these shows how the pilot sparked small but meaningful shifts in community engagement.

Big things brewing for 2026

Because of the pilot’s success, 2026 will see a major expansion of the idea. Unison and VMCH have already opened the new “Where Is My Coffee?” Café in Kensington. Building on that momentum, and with generous support from The Erdi Foundation and Hansen Little Foundation, Unison will also be launching a coffee van of our own, bringing the pilot’s impact to even more communities.

The Coffee Van Pilot proved that genuine community building doesn’t always require big interventions. Sometimes it starts with a cup of coffee, a friendly chat and a place where people can simply show up as themselves.

As Unison team member put it:

“You’ll be surprised what amazing stories you get from people over a cup of coffee.”

And in 2026, there will be many more cups of coffee, and stories, to come.