The vision: pleasurable food education

2. The vision:pleasurable food education • By setting good examples and engaging children’s curiosity, as well as their energy and their taste buds, we can provide positive and memorable food experiences that will form the basis of positive lifelong eating habits.

3. How the Program works

4. Direct benefits • Flow-on: • Curriculum and learning framework connections • Increased student engagement and wellbeing • Connection to food networks and sustainability practices • Teacher professional development • Family and community engagement • Focus on inclusivity, diversity and social cohesion • Direct: • Gardening and cooking skills • Enjoyment of fresh food • Increased vegetable and fruit intake • Regular physical activity • Understanding of food production process

5. Sustainable roots • The Program and support model are designed to build capacity in educators, schools and centres, and communities. • Children in the program learn how to care for their gardens, from healthy soil up. • They reconnect with nature and the seasons, and take joy in their natural environment. • Children – and staff – learn how to recycle, compost, seed-save, preserve, budget, fundraise, cooperate, manage projects, be resourceful; and share food, resources, skills and knowledge, and build community. • Children are taught to take responsibility and become caretakers. • Children take their interest and enthusiasm home, and families engage.

6. Sustainable growth • Educators use the program as a health, wellbeing, educational and community building tool – following the permaculture principle. • The Program relies on – and thrives on – connecting community, building support and sharing resources and learning. • The community comes together around the common denominators of food and family. • Communities become empowered and food-secure, more self-sufficient and resilient as a result of this on-the-ground, locally driven initiative.

7. The role of the Foundation • Develop educational resources – garden, kitchen, classroom, planning • Support members – 9 to 5, online, on the phone • Train educators – face-to-face, Australia-wide • Share learning – with educators, communities, governments, other programs • Work with partners and communities

8. Working in partnership with local government

9. The Victorian Pleasurable Food Education Package • Kitchen Garden Classroom membership (2 years) • Face-to-face PD (2 workshops) • Getting Started Guide (book and online course) • Kitchen Garden Program Seasonal Planner • Sector-specific learning resource: • Seasonal Food & Gardening for the Early Years, or • Kitchen Garden Syllabus for Primary (Years 3-6), or • Kitchen Garden Education for the Secondary Years • Ongoing phone and email support • More than $1500 worth of value for $550 • Subsidised by the Department of Education and Training Victoria

10. Learn more (and become a kitchen garden council!) • Come to training • Visit a Kitchen Garden School • Ask us about an info session, workshop (anything!) • Support your schools and centres • Get in touch: • 13000 SAKGF • support@kitchengardenfoundation.org.au • www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au