2018-2020 The Beach School

One of our long term initiatives, The Big Feed aims to improve youth wellbeing and help realise their full potential by providing a tangible experience of healthy behaviours, small business and social innovation. In 2017 we were grateful to get funding from the Commonwealth Bank for a 3 year project with The Beach School.

The grant application proposed this project summary: "An initiative for young people who are socially isolated to improve their food knowledge, digital skills and social standing. They will develop a food related product or service to sell online and benefit a local community group as well as producing audiovisual stories and peer to peer education resources."

We used a human-centred design process to collaborate with teachers, students and stakeholders on how we could integrate our proposed activities into their regular school program. First up, we got into the kitchen and began cooking and eating lunch together so we could establish a foundational relationship with the students and our team! Then we were able to begin our enterprise development which included creating a new school logo and tag line.

We (teachers, food educators & students) were able to achieve some amazing outcomes by growing, making, selling, cooking and eating amazing food and having great fun making food art and an instructional cooking video! Over the life of the project, we were supported by many volunteers and donations of books, cooking equipment and engagement with the local community (thanks to all).

Sadly due to Covid our time at the school was cut short, but we touch base from time to time and yes, this amazing school is still making a huge positive difference to the lives of their students.