My CanTeam Dream
Blog written by Chloe, student volunteer and a member of the CanTeam Crew at Bedford Academy
Introduction
I first heard about CanTeam via my form tutor at school who seemed very excited and interested about it. I then asked a few questions about the programme and decided I would love to take part. I then helped to plan the event and during the event I helped to serve drinks to those who came to join the event with us.
My CanTeam journey:
The CanTeam event has helped me to further develop my customer service skills and has helped me to develop my communication skills. This event helped me to get out of my comfort zone and talk to those who I have never met before. After the event, I am very glad that I decided to take part as I feel as though it has helped me to develop many skills. It helped me learn that meeting new people can be a very positive and exciting experience.
The CanTeam event has helped me to go and ask others if they need assistance with anything and made me want to help others more as I have seen the positive outcome it has in others thanks to my experience at the CanTeam event.
Final Thoughts:
It was a very fun and enjoyable experience which I am glad I took part in.
Background:
CanTeam is an after school social dining initiative co-designed with young people that encourages students and their families to enjoy nutritious, delicious and diverse foods together.
Launched by Future Foundations in June 2023, CanTeam aims to embed a transformative food culture within schools, enabling young people to learn and thrive.
Over the first 6 months of the initiative, CanTeam was funded and supported by the Big Change Big Education Challenge to develop the concept, consult beneficiaries and test the idea. In January 2024, CanTeam was announced a winner of the Big Education Challenge and is being supported by Big Change to scale across the UK.
In partnership with HEART Academies Trust and Bedford Academy Future Foundations delivered a two-event pilot of CanTeam. The first was focused on Year 7 and 8 students and the second was opened up to local primary school families. The catering was provided in-house by Russell Abbey, Head of Catering Services at HEART Academies Trust. Many of the ingredients were kindly donated by Allmanhall.
We are excited to continue developing CanTeam and the impact we can have on the health and wellbeing of young people and their families throughout the UK.
BIG NEWS – CanTeam, is a winner of the Big Education Challenge
Future Foundations, the organisation behind CanTeam, has been awarded £225,000 to develop and pilot at scale the idea. The £1m prize fund is the first of its kind run by education charity Big Change and was set up to identify, support and reward bold ideas with the potential to transform education and learning in the UK. Click here to find out more.
Find out more:
- Read an article published by Bedford Today about the launch of CanTeam at Bedford Academy here
- Read about the Challenge here
- Read about CanTeam, our BIG idea for change here
Get in touch, if you think you can help…
- Email: jon@future-foundations.co.uk
We are looking for schools and partners who share our vision and can help us pilot CanTeam at scale.