We were very pleased to receive funding from the Young Camden Foundation to deliver a social action project with young people in Camden. The project took place in partnership with three youth centres in the borough: KCBNA, Somers Town Youth Centre (STYC) and the Surma Centre.
In each location, we had a group of young people working together, improving their cooking skills and their confidence in the kitchen. We were hoping that we could have two groups in each venue where the young people cooking in the first half of the course will mentor the group taking part in the second half. This proved somewhat difficult to execute, with two of the groups ending up participating in the entire course.
In STYC our session leaders taught a mixed group of able young people and those with SEND and LLD through Camden’s Count Me In Project. The sessions were so successful that we received further funding from Sherborne in the Community to continue the work. One of the participants from the Project commented: “I am autistic and normally a very fussy eater, but through this course I learnt to enjoy many new foods!”. A younger group from the NW5 Project joined and took part in the second half of the course.
It was rather hard work to coordinate all three courses to start and end at the same time (especially as the Christmas holidays happened in the middle of the project). In the end, all groups came together for a joint party. We had music and food and the young people chose to bake pizzas and cakes for the occasion. A certificate-giving ceremony marked the end of the programme.