3. Implementation Part

3.1 Preparation – Instructions to the workshop facilitator

3.1.1 Participants

As we mentioned before, the workshop series is addressed to people with different cultural and social backgrounds. We focus on people that are in danger of social exclusion and need support in order to feel and become integrated. It is a process that will be achieved by gaining skills, by sharing cultural aspects and through this by appreciating one’s own cultural heritage and the one of the other.

The workshop is aimed at a mixed group consisting of immigrants, refugees and long-term unemployed people that want to explore the value of food traditions, the dynamics that they create in a multicultural society and to gain basic skills that empower their self-esteem and their position to the job market.

It is preferable to have an equal number of participants from each target group in order to achieve diversity under a balanced cultural heritage. Working with a diverse group will get the “creative juices” flowing, opens the mind to new ideas and consequently opens up new opportunities. Overall these 3 22 are the essential elements in the workshops where the contribution of each individual and accordingly of the whole group can produce results that can motivate other people to follow the same path.

Also, the facilitator should take into consideration the gender of the participants, and try to enroll an equal number of men and women to avoid a significant gender gap.

3.1.2 How to find / engage your participants

Exploit your existing networks and inform groups through meetings, website, social media, emails etc. about what you are planning to do. Ask groups to make referrals of people who could benefit. Contact local agencies and public authorities (e.g. adult education providers or the unemployment office) and take advantage of local celebrations or events to further advertise the project and workshops. If possible, you can also contact local TV and radio channels to discuss the project and advertise the workshop series in your area.

By producing information leaflets these can express the value and purpose and duration of the Workshop series and make clear that there will be no fees for participating and that equipment and ingredients will be provided.

3.1.3 Recruitment of participants

By targeting your approach this will be a quick and effective way of engaging known groups of people to take part. Often people need to be reassured about the value and purpose of a practical project – which would not be achieved through a generalist approach to recruitment however, each setting is different and should be flexible to suit.

You can often just say to people, we are having a cooking workshop, want to take part? However, it is often beneficial to link to local events or celebrations such as national fests (i.e. refugee week / day, human right declaration day, labour day, …), religious fests (i.e. Christmas; new year day, nowruz, rosh hashana, losar and songkran; …)

-Advertise the project and the workshop series – what, when why and how; -Set a recruitment event at which interested participants can come along and find out more about the project and what is involved with the workshops;

-Collect contact details; check availability;

-Assess participants language ability.

If the workshops are advertised appropriately and careful attention is given to the selection and recruitment of participants, the risk of conflict amongst participants is reduced, as people know from the start what they are signing up to and what to expect.

One of the main goals of the project is to help people understand and feel that, even in areas like finding a job where the mutual interests might seem to be a cause of conflict, the way to solve this is collaboration and thinking in terms of creating something together. Thinking “out of the box” really, setting up something innovative that could help them all have the desired results. Solutions for all and not for the few.

3.2 Facilitator’s skills

The HEALTHNIC project is a real challenge for the facilitator 23 of the cooking workshop series. There are a lot of different factors to be taken into account and that is why it is also so rewarding.

One has to be an experienced group facilitator as the dynamics of this mixed group will be rather challenging. The cooking workshop syllabus attempts to cover as many aspects as possible, but since each team is different, it comes down to the facilitator’s skills as to how one will facilitate and lead at the same time the group to achieve the desired goals.

The most important prerequisite is to be a passionate food lover interested in healthy eating and to have an equally skilled assistant ready to help in every way, especially when it comes to cooking and preparing the raw materials for the dishes. One must have everything ready before the workshop starts. The assistant also needs to do the washing up during the session and help the facilitator monitor what each group is doing during cooking. Because of that the assistant needs to have at least basic cooking experience.

3.2.1 Other necessary skills

methodologies that is necessary in order to fulfill the goals of the cooking sessions.

• Be prepared to study the traditional cuisines participants will share.

• Before the workshop starts, it is important the facilitator to be aware of:

• The basic characteristics of each cuisine, cooking philosophy and ways, dominant herbs and spices.

• Basic eating habits and gender roles involved in cooking.

• Historical and climate factors which influenced the dishes during time.

• Prior knowledge of nutritional facts and healthy eating, although basic information will be given in the appendices.

One has to undertake local research to investigate how participants can obtain raw materials with high nutritional value, which they can afford. Street markets, local farms, ethnic supermarkets or grocery stores. For example the facilitator could find out the prices for ingredients like raw salt or unrefined sugar in order to help the group understand that sometimes we don’t decide by the actual price if something is affordable or not. The quantity of the ingredient used or the portions it provides when cooked, combined with its nutritional benefits, often make rather expensive materials a good, healthy, affordable choice. One needs to be ready to provide knowledge in alternative uses of “expensive” raw materials.

3.3 Cooking workshop requirements

The cooking sessions cannot take place if a sink and running water for washing all the raw materials used for cooking, washing hands and doing the washing up are not available.

For fulfilling the aims of the project it is important to eat all together after cooking. So forks, spoons, glasses and plates will be needed. Tables to use for eating and for preparing the dishes.

Other requirements include:

• Cutting/chopping boards

• Knives, small and chef like ones

• Basins for washing and then mixing the ingredients while cooking. They can also be used for serving the dishes.

• One or two citrus squeezers

• Two colanders

• Kitchen towels or kitchen paper for cleaning the surfaces and the participants’ hands

• Wooden or other type of spoons for mixing the food while cooking

• Pots and pans (the number determined according to the dishes the groups will agree on) If there is no stove, an affordable induction hob or portable gas stove, with at least three hotplates is required. If not, adjust the dishes the participants are asked to prepare. Ask for more that do not need cooking. The syllabus offers many options.

• When preparing for the cooking sessions it is important to have:

• All raw materials needed for cooking

• Cooking oil • Vinegar, lemon juice (if lemons are affordable)

• Raw salt and black pepper

• Herbs and spices needed for the third session

• Raw cane sugar

• Chalk or whiteboard

3.4 Digital storytelling workshop skills

For the digital storytelling stage of the HEALTHNIC workshops to be successful the trainers should have some particular skills.

ICT level above average in order to be able to answer all questions that might arise by the participants and attend all technical problems. Able to check the technical status of all the computers to be used.

Able to perform the technical preparation of the computers to be used and install the editing software. Be familiar with the software that they are going to use for the workshop.

Basic understanding of film editing, voice recording, storytelling principles

3.5 Language/Literature Support Activities

Within the project, participants are encouraged to develop vocabulary lists as well as building glossaries. They can do this in their first language and the teaching language, including pictures and diagrams as appropriate. For example the glossary lists can be subdivided by food groups and types of food; nutrition; food preparation and cooking methods.

Participants also keep a project journal to record notes and ideas arising from each workshop. By capturing their thoughts, ideas and questions this also helps in the preparation for the digital storytelling activities and workshops.

Surf The Guide

General Introduction

Theoretical

Implementation

Cooking Workshop Series

Annexes

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