Brought to you by: Pathways Verdun
“There are things that have motivated behaviors that weren’t there before at home or at school. Before [we] would buy things that weren’t healthy, but now [we] think a little bit more about what’s better for our health.”
A Pathways student
Program Activity Snapshot:
To help youth learn about healthy lifestyle skills, world cuisine, and other cultures from their peers:
- We organized a cooking class for young people to cook together
- Youth shared recipes from the country they were born in or a country of their choice
- Youth shopped for ingredients under a set budget
- Newcomer youth practiced their language skills while working together with other students
Objectives:
- Teach youth how to cook and about the nutrients in the food they eat
- Help newcomer students integrate into the class by creating two-way exchanges with their peers
- Build stronger connections between Pathways staff and students
- Promote resourcefulness in youth by teaching them how to plan meals and grocery shop according to a budget
What was the result?
- Youth reported learning strong leadership and collaboration skills
- Youth whose primary language is Spanish strengthened their French speaking skills, while sharing their language and their home recipes with their peers
- Youth learned how to budget and shop for groceries
- Youth learned to cook different dishes and about healthy eating habits
Want to try this out?
What you’ll need:
- Staffing Support: One Program Facilitator
- Duration: Two cooking workshops per week over the course of 10 weeks
- Teaching Aids:
- Digital platform
- Access to social media
What you’ll do:
- Contact the principal and teachers at the high school
- Plan cooking workshops twice a week
- Engage students in researching, planning, and shopping for workshop recipes
- Plan community partner visits during spring break
- Register for the creation of a community garden
Downloadable resources (e.g. templates, examples used):