Background

Learners at Whalsay school built skills for life, learning and work, including communication, numeracy, team work and enterprise. They promoted healthy eating and the importance of good food to our wellbeing. They set up a termly café for the wider community providing a range of baking and healthy options with tea / coffee and the opportunity for people to connect with each other. The café is part of the school’s strategic plan to provide young people with opportunities for wider achievement and the development of skills for learning, life and work.

The school took the initial idea further and created a partnership with Fernlea Care Centre. The café items were packed into crates and transported to the Centre to run an on-site café there.

Staff attended ‘Making a Difference’ – Shetland’s Council training on tackling isolation and loneliness in the community.

The project focussed very effectively on working with partners.

Dementia Shetland – the local support worker has an excellent rapport with learners, staff and community members and a very positive outlook. She mingled with customers and encouraged community members to attend.

Fernlea Care Centre – The manager spoke to groups in the school to raise awareness of dementia, using age appropriate resources. Learners are now more aware of the role of the Care Centre within the community and the responsibilities of people who work there. Clients in day-care and their families have been encouraged to attend the café.

Tesco Community Champion – the local community champion has attended some of the cafes, and has helped in the set up. Learners have been able to see how someone’s job role has varied and different aspects to it.

Improvement questions

You are invited to use this exemplar to reflect on the following questions:

• In what ways does the curriculum provision in your establishment incorporate practical cookery linked to career education for learners?
• To what extent are partners involved in delivering meaningful, work related experiences for learners and the delivery of skills?
• What potential partnerships with local agencies could enhance your learning approaches?
• How can you ensure that learner engagement and working in partnership with the community is embedded in the school and valued by all staff?

Download(s)

Newspaper articles from 'Shetland Life'

PDF file: Shetland Life (p32) Intergenerational working: cooking up a storm (92 KB)

PDF file: Shetland Life (p33) Socialising can be a powerful tool (235 KB)

Videos

What was the impact?

This was a very successful project which has resulted in every learner in the school using the cooking classroom to develop their skills. In making sure the learners are gaining hands on experience of cooking, serving and eating food this project has inspired them to appreciate and create fresh healthy food for the café and for Fernlea.

The project has had a significant impact on the wider skills development of young people (communication, enterprise, finance etc...). It also fostered community links and provided opportunities for intergenerational dialogue, awareness raising for needs in the community (e.g. Alzheimer's Scotland) and employer connections with young people.

Learners are able to implement their knowledge of Scottish Dietary Goals and Healthy Eating, nutrition, food intolerances and dietary diseases when choosing and preparing food items for the cafe. There are options suitable for gluten free, vegan and dairy free diets. This has encouraged interesting discussion in Home Economics lessons. The profile of Home Economics within the school curriculum has been highlighted and learners are very keen to volunteer help and ideas.

All state that they feel more confident when working with and talking to other people.

Several young people have been able to log volunteering hours for their Saltire awards.