Sometimes, all it takes is the right support, encouragement and opportunity for a young person to discover what they’re truly capable of.
For Jaz, that journey began when our lovely Catering Assistant, Simone, first introduced her to cooking through the Wellbeing Champions Project and one-to-one mentoring. What’s followed since has been nothing short of inspiring.
“Since I started mentoring Jaz in July, her growth has been amazing. She has a real passion for cooking and truly comes alive in the kitchen, always curious, focused and eager to learn,” says Simone.
Over the summer, Jaz volunteered throughout the entire programme, showing real dedication and enthusiasm. Since then, she’s continued to get involved at every opportunity, taking part in our Well-Being Project and Social Action Day, and she hasn’t missed a single cooking session delivered in partnership with Square Food Foundation, a cooking collaboration delivering workshops for young people.
Alongside this, Jaz is also a valued member of our Youth Development Group, helping to shape what we do and how we do it, ensuring young people’s voices are at the heart of our work.
Jaz always turns up on time, ready to get stuck in, and never afraid of hard work. Her reliability, commitment and positive attitude make her an absolute joy to work with, and we’re incredibly excited to see where her journey takes her next.
One particular highlight has been Jaz’s Yorkshire puddings, made completely from scratch. Light, airy and full of volume, they genuinely stood up to restaurant standard, something both Jaz and Simone are incredibly proud of.
Jaz’s story is a brilliant example of how young people can gain confidence, develop new skills and uncover new passions when they’re supported by dedicated youth workers and given opportunities to explore their interests.
It’s also one of the many reasons Simone, and the rest of the team, can’t wait to get into the training kitchen at 224 Youth Zone, where even more young people will be able to discover their potential.
We’d also like to say a huge thank you to Square Food Foundation and 91 Ways for supporting young people to learn how to cook through a series of workshops in South Bristol. A special thank you as well to Chef Ben Harvey of Bianchi’s Group, and Toby, owner of The Pump House, for leading some of the sessions and inspiring what could be the next generation of Bristol chefs and of course to Simone who cooks healthy, tasty meals for our young people every week!