Cultivating Community: After School Cooking

The Cultivating Community After School Cooking classes create opportunities for kids living in public housing estates to learn how to grow and prepare food, reduce food waste and act sustainably.

After school, the kitchen bursts into life as the group of kids get down to chopping, mixing, baking and preparing a two-course feast based on fresh, seasonal, simple, delicious and affordable dishes. A team of dedicated volunteers and a project worker from Cultivating Community work with the children to prepare the meal, instilling vital life skills without the children really noticing - they just love to cook! The menu also reflects the tastes and cultures of the children who love to suggest favourites from home. Once the meal is prepared, everyone sits down at the long table to share in the food and complement each other on the various elements – it can get pretty chaotic but somehow a wonderful meal always emerges on the table! 

The role

Working under the direction of the After School Cooking Facilitator, the primary focus of the role is to assist in the delivery of the weekly After School Cooking Program in Ascot Vale, Fitzroy, Prahran or Richmond.

Task and duties include:

• Assisting the kids with recipe reading, food preparation, cleaning up and setting up the space for the meal
• Assisting children to develop their cooking and social skills
• Promoting an appreciation of healthy, delicious food
• Ensuring safe practices are maintained including safe and hygienic kitchen practices
• Engaging with participants and ensuring that everyone has a job that they are comfortable with