Alternative Education Programme Comes To A Tasty End

Published on: 2 Apr, 2014
Updated on: 2 Apr, 2014

A 10-week catering course for seven Year 8 and 9 pupils came to an end with a celebratory presentation in The Basement, the new youth venue at YMCA Guildford.

Pictured back row from left: Mark Bowler (schools link worker), Dan Wilson (youth worker), Liam Manchester, Harrison Josey, Chris Phillpott (level 2 food hygiene trainer), Amanda Killen (youth worker), Hannah McEvilly (student placement). Front row from left: Lewis Riley, Erin Newbury, Channelle White, Leonie Howell.

The young people have spent one day a week in the new facility, spending the morning learning about nutrition and basic food hygiene, as well as producing meals.

Then in the afternoons they worked with YMCA youth workers on tackling issues of anger management, raising self-esteem and team building. Drawn from local secondary schools the course was designed to re-engage each young person with education in a fresh environment, out of the classroom.

Catering tutor Chris Philpott thoroughly enjoyed her time with the group. At the presentation she told them: “You have become such a good group. I’ve got to know you well and each of you has such potential. Every Thursday morning I have looked forward to coming in to work with you.”

Each young person spoke positively about their experiences. One said: “I feel like I learned a lot at the same time as having a good time.”

Another said: “I’ve learned more here in a day than I learn in a week at school.”

One reason for that may be the change of environment and being in a small group with a good deal of adult attention. The Basement’s brand new teaching kitchen is a great place to try out new skills.

Mark Bowler from the Guildford 11-19 Schools Programme, which funds the project, thanked youth workers Amanda Killen, Dan Wilson and Hannah McEvilly for their input and hard work, as well as Chris Philpott for inspiring the young people about food and healthy living.