People
Meet the Dockers: Hakan Elbir
Social entrepreneur, Hakan Elbir is the CEO and Founder of Dialogue Café, a unique enterprise that combines the experience of enjoying great coffee with learning and interacting through British Sign Language (BSL). In this Meet the Dockers interview, we spoke with Hakan about his journey into the food and beverage industry, the inspiration behind Dialogue Café and its significant role in creating inclusive community connections in the Royal Docks.
Early in my career, I worked as the marketing director at one of Istanbul’s leading museums, where I was also responsible for setting up the museum café. This experience sparked my interest in the food and beverage industry, particularly in creating spaces that foster inclusion and community engagement. My journey into the café scene continued with the creation of Dialogue Café, London’s first BSL café. It was here I saw an opportunity to blend my passion for cultural understanding with the accessibility of café culture.
Dialogue Café is an immersive space where you can communicate using BSL with our Deaf and hard of hearing baristas in a warm and welcoming environment. The café is in the Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability building at the University of East London, Docklands Campus (UEL).
The Royal Docks is an exciting, dynamic area with a rich history and a strong focus on sustainability and innovation. It’s become a vibrant hub for business, culture and community. Currently, I live in Chiswick, but soon I’ll be moving to Beckton to become more local and gain a deeper understanding of the area. I’m looking forward to getting to know the community better and seeing how the area continues to evolve. Royal Albert Dock has seen incredible changes over the years, transforming from an industrial area into a modern space full of opportunities for both businesses and residents.
The Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability is an excellent location for Dialogue Café due to its emphasis on inclusivity, sustainability, and community engagement. The area is home to a vibrant and diverse population and being located within a university campus allows us to interact with students and staff, offering a space to learn and practice BSL in an educational setting. The café is open to members of the public too. Everyone is welcome. As demand grows, we plan to open on weekends in the future. This will enable more people can experience the unique environment and learn about Deaf culture.
Visitors to the café will enjoy a unique experience. You don't already need to know sign language. Our friendly baristas will guide you through the process so you can communicate using simple phrases. You'll quickly master some basic signs and enjoy your coffee.
Hakan Elbir, CEO and Founder of Dialogue Café.
The feedback from customers has been incredibly positive. They have expressed excitement and appreciation for the opportunity to learn BSL and connect with the Deaf community in a meaningful way. Many have mentioned how rewarding it is to be able to communicate with our baristas, and it's been great to see people become more aware of Deaf culture.
The inspiration for Dialogue Café came from my desire to create a space that fosters communication and understanding between the Deaf and hearing community. I’ve spent years advocating this and my own journey with sign language began out of a desire to connect better with the Deaf community. I’m still learning BSL, and over time, my commitment has deepened as I recognised how powerful sign language can be in creating inclusive environments.
I saw the café as an opportunity to break down barriers and offer a platform for Deaf individuals to thrive professionally. There’s a need for places like Dialogue Cafe that helps challenge misconceptions and promotes empathy through direct interaction, providing both education and employment for the Deaf community.
As the CEO and Founder of Dialogue Café, my role involves overseeing the café operations, ensuring it remains a welcoming space for both our Deaf employees and customers, and developing initiatives that promote inclusion. The best part of my role is seeing the positive impact we have on both our employees and visitors. It's incredibly rewarding to witness how people connect with the Deaf community through something as simple as ordering a coffee.
The best part of my role is seeing the positive impact we have on both our employees and visitors. It's incredibly rewarding to witness how people connect with the Deaf community through something as simple as ordering a coffee.
I am passionate about addressing the systemic employment barriers and discrimination that the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community face. In the UK, there are 11 million people with hearing loss or deafness with 4.4 million being of working age. Despite this, only 54% of deaf individuals are in employment in stark contrast compared to 79% of the general population. Alarmingly 25% have left a job due to discrimination.
Our team are a mix of Deaf and hearing individuals who are passionate about promoting inclusivity and making a difference. We offer job opportunities to people from the Deaf community, providing them with skills in barista work, customer service, and BSL. As a London Living Wage employer, we believe in paying our employees a fair wage also ensuring they are supported and empowered in their roles.
One of the proudest achievements has been providing meaningful opportunities to Deaf people, offering training, employment and a platform to enhance their professional skills. We have also succeeded in creating an environment where both hearing and Deaf customers can interact using BSL, fostering a deeper understanding of Deaf culture. Additionally, the café's recognition in the community for its inclusive approach has been a significant highlight.
We’re committed to sustainability. We focus on using locally sourced ingredients, reduce waste through mindful packaging, and offer plant-based menu options. We also encourage customers to bring their own reusable cups to help reduce single-use plastic.
We offer a delicious locally sourced pastries and sandwiches with a variety of plant-based options. The menu also caters for different dietary needs. We are exploring options to expand the menu with new options to incorporate seasonal ingredients. Our specialty coffee is also very popular.
We also deliver engaging sensory experiences for schools and Deaf Awareness Workshops that help participants gain a deeper understanding of Deaf culture and communication. These workshops include sign language lessons, Q&A sessions with Deaf individuals, and interactive discussions, fostering empathy and inclusion. With BSL set to be introduced as a GCSE subject in schools, it’s important for people to start learning and using it now. Not only to prepare for future academic opportunities but also to contribute to creating a more inclusive society for the Deaf community.
Another workshop we run is called Managing Silence, a corporate training program designed for leaders, managers, and teams. This experiential workshop delivered by Deaf trainers, challenges participants to communicate without relying on verbal language, fostering skills such as empathy, teamwork, and non-verbal communication. The programme includes a BSL Dialogue Café VIP Tour where participants interact with Deaf baristas, followed by an in-depth workshop that explores communication, collaboration, and leadership in silence. The session helps develop key leadership skills such as building a shared vision, improving collaboration, and enhancing social observation skills.
In the future we’ll be hosting more volunteering opportunities, educational and cultural events and collaborating with other organisations to create more opportunities for Deaf people. We’re also delighted to announce that we plan to open a second location in Stratford where a repurposed train carriage will be transformed in a community café called Dialogue Express Café Carpenters Estate. This is another exciting chapter for Dialogue Café.
More about Dialogue Café
Visit Dialogue Café at Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability, University of East London, Docklands Campus, 4-6 University Way, London, E16 2RD
Follow Dialogue Café on Instagram, email to book workshops info@dialoguehub.co.uk and find out more at www.dialoguehub.co.uk/dialogue-cafe
