Kids Café Network
Kids’ Café promotes healthy eating and exercise in a fun and memorable way to children aged 5 to 11 years. Volunteers who assist with the project include youngsters (from 11 to 16 years), many of whom have attended sessions in previous years. Sessions, run during school holidays, are based on a nutritional theme with games and activities, and include the provision of a healthy nutritious meal. Kids’ Café develops children’s cooking skills and encourages them to try different foods, increasing their opportunity for choice.
Kids Café has a range of food and nutrition based projects such as Kids Can Cook sessions, food growing work and assisting in the set up of healthy tuck shops.
The project currently operates in 3 sites within the East End of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Aims and Objectives
What is the general aim of the project?
To develop a strategy to promote the importance of healthy nutritious food for children and young people within the East End of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.What are the key objectives / expected outcomes the project is intended to achieve?
To share ideas and skills regarding community food initiatives for children, young people and their families within the East End. To encourage families to learn about food together and to encourage community participation in food initiatives by working together supported by expert nutritional advice. To promote the use of local sources of economical high quality fruit, vegetables and other foods. To offer local training opportunities to support this work.To develop a funding strategy to enable the sustainability of community food initiatives for children and young people and to encourage the development of a range of healthy eating initiatives for children and young people.
To access funding for small start-up or training or promotional grants to local projects
Is the initiative linked with any other project(s) and, if so, in what way?
The project is linked to St. Anthony’s Children’s House (an NCH Family Centre), Newcastle Nutrition (Dietetic Department) and community catering. There are also links to many other projects.Partner Organisations
What is the status of your organisation?
Voluntary organisation under the umbrella of Thomas Gaughan Community Centre (which is a registered charity).List any other organisations that are involved in the project and indicate the nature of their input .
St. Anthony’s Children’s House (an NCH Family Centre) is involved with the project in the planning and operation. The Project Manager is on the Kids’ Café Support Group – which manages the Co-ordinator and the overall management of the project. Thomas Gaughan Community Centre’s Development Worker is also on the Kids’ Café Support Group.
Methodology
What was the main prompt for the initiative / where did the idea come from?
The project was set up by local volunteers and workers from St. Anthony’s Children’s House (an NCH Family Centre), supported by a Community Dietitian from Newcastle Nutrition and Thomas Gaughan Community Centre. It was recognised that many of the children attending groups during school holidays were stating that they were hungry. It was seen as an opportunity to provide free nutritious food to the children whilst promoting healthy eating.How was the project researched?
Local people were involved in the initial stages, including parents. A multi-agency group develop the pilot.Was a pilot programme conducted and, if so, was it useful?
The pilot was run in 1998 and proved successful.How long did the development / planning process take?
Kids’ Café sessions ran during the summer holidays from 1998 until the Co-ordinator came into post in June 2001. Kids Café sessions operate every school holiday and occasionally after school. In April 2002, Children’s Fund funding allowed the project to employ a part-time assistant (previously a volunteer with the project). The current funding has enabled the project to expand considerably.List any regulatory or other approvals (if any) which were specifically required for the project .
Insurance, Children’s Protection (CRB checks), Health & Safety risk assessments, Basic Food Hygiene Certificates.The scheme also operates to the Kids Café Standards which were developed in April 2002.
What is the particular age range and background of those at which the project is targeted?
5 to 11 years. The target group is within a disadvantaged area with regards to socio-economics and health inequalities. The ethnicity statistics within the area have changed considerably over the last year and this is being addressed by the service.How many people from the target group have participated in the project to date?
Between April 2002 to March 2005, there have been over 500 children attending the sessions more than once (at 3 different sites).Have the numbers participating matched, or been above, or below the figure expected/targeted?
Above the figure expected.Costs & Funding
What is the main source of funding for the project?
Children’s Fund – a Government initiative.What, if any, are the other sources of funding (e.g. sponsorship for specific aspects)?
Local funding bodies eg. Newcastle School Food Initiatives and HealthWORKS.Is the current funding continuous and sustainable or guaranteed only for a limited period of time?
The funding is time-limited. The current funding runs until end of March 2008.Does the project create any revenue which contributes to self-financing?
The only income the project receives is through the sale of the Kids’ Café Manual "Getting a Kids’ Café Started" which is priced at £10.00.What is the per capita cost, if known, for participants?
This is dependant on the type of project the children attendWhich funding sources would you pursue, or recommend for future funding?
Children’s fund is supportive of the projects that they fund and the project has developed considerably with their guidance.What ,if any, are the significant constraints associated with the funding?
In terms of evaluation, it is difficult to provide hard evidence to prove that the project is successful in reducing health inequalities in the area.How was/is the initiative advertised to prospective participants?
Word of mouth, through schools and other similar projects.What criteria, if any, are used for selecting participants, or are all applicants accepted?
Age (5-11 years) and living within the East End of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.What, if any, are the "joining" requirements (e.g. written parental permission; reference from another agency; evidence of interest/commitment from the participant etc.)?
Parental or carer permission must be obtained prior to the child attending each session. The Consent Forms also request information about allergies (including food allergies), name and telephone number of doctor, emergency contact number, permission to be involved in food preparation, permission for photographs to be taken etc.Is there a charge made to participants and, if so, for what and at what rate?
The service is free.How is the programme structured to operate in respect of participant attendance time?
The sessions during school holidays normally run for 1½ hours from 1.30 to 3.00p.m.How often is the programme run?
Kids Cafes run every school holiday, each site will run a session between 1½ to 2 hours, depending on the theme and range of activities. Usually each site will offer one session per holiday, apart from during the summer holidays, when a session per week is offered (i.e. 6 sessions over 6 weeks). After-school sessions are run on an occasional basis throughout the year. We hold 25 weeks of cookery projects per year and a food growing project. During term time we invite groups from the local schools to take part in condensed sessions.Is the programme designed to attract "new" participants each time or are participants able to attend a programme on a repeat basis if they wish to do so?
Children can attend as frequently as they want to – it is a service that is a self-referral process. Some children will attend regularly and others drop in and out of the service.How are the sessions structured and conducted?
The children are divided into 3 groups on arrival at registration. There are 3 activities including food preparation, art/craft and a physical game/activity. The groups rotate so that after an hour each group has attended each activity. During the last half hour, the children sit down to eat together. Evaluation takes place in the form of a smiley face questionnaire (for the children to indicate what they have/have not enjoyed) and an evaluation to measure how much the children have learned from the message that has been promoted.Is there any follow-up to a session for the participants and, if so, in what form?
The children receive a take-home bag containing information to promote the message at home. The bags also contain some fruit and carton of fruit juice and food that the children have made (if appropriate). Children who assess the Kids café session can then attend Kids Can cook projects and food growing groups.Which activity / feature of the programme do you think participants enjoy / benefit from the most?
The food preparation activities seem to be the favourite of most of the children, as well as eating together at the end of the session. It really revolved around the food! Some children even ask "What is on the menu?" before they register.What is the targeted optimum number of participants per session?
Depends on the site i.e. 2 sites can take up to 50 children at a time, the third site can accommodate 25 – 30 children.The most successful sessions tend to have 40 –45 children attending.
What is the ratio of staff to participants for sessions /activities?
The Kids’ Café manual recommends 1:6 adult to child ratio, but we usually have more adults, many of whom are volunteers.What is the management /operational "structure" for the project)?
The project is managed by The Kids’ Café Support Group, comprising the Project Manager from St.Anthony’s Children’s House, the Development officer from Thomas Gaughan Community Centre and 2 nominated volunteers from the project.The project is operated by the Kids’ Café Co-ordinator, Kids’ Café assistant and volunteers.
How many hours per week / month / year, would you estimate, are required to run the project (administration and operation)?
The Co-ordinator works on a full-time basis (37 hrs per week) and the assistant works part-time (18½ hrs). There is also an additional time commitment from the workers and volunteers who run the sessions.How many staff, if any, have been specifically recruited to work in association with the project, and in what capacity?
The Co-ordinator was recruited in June 2001 and assistant in April 2002 specifically to run the project.What, if any, special / additional training has been required for those running the project?
The Co-ordinator has a degree qualification in Nutrition.Workers and volunteers are training in food hygiene, nutrition and play skills.
Resources
What do you consider are the essential physical resources required for the project activities?
a) Type of venue:
Accessible, well-located, suitable rooms for activities
b) Facilities:
Cooking / kitchen facilities
Separate hand-washing facilities
c) Equipment:
Cooking equipment and utensils
d) Other materials:
Food ingredients
Aprons for children and adults
e) Training materials:
None specified
What "luxury" resources would you recommend (e.g. any specialised equipment, training support materials) which either have or would enhance the project?
The project requires good kitchen facilities but basic cooking can be carried out with very few luxuries. The projects started without a fridge/freezer but it is difficult to imagine how we managed without it.
Evaluation
How is the success of the project measured?
Short term:Session evaluations by means of smiley face questionnaire for the children and nutrition questions to answer. Evaluation by adults for the sessions.
There has recently been a session for children to tell the project what they like/dislike about the sessions; what they would like to do at the sessions in the future and what decision-making they would like to be involved in – to allow them to participate more in the development of the project.
Long term:
Comparisons of results from nutritional questionnaires against baseline data.
Evidence of change in attitude and / or level of understanding of children attending the sessions.
Which project objectives have been met and to what extent?
Some of the project objectives have been met but it is an ongoing process and has not reached completion.What are your feelings about the project so far?
Since the project has secured funding from the Children’s Fund, it has developed considerably. The project had previously been limited by lack of money, but the recent funding has provided the opportunity to put some ideas into practice which have benefited the children.What are the most significant achievements to date?
Securing funding from the Children’s FundReaching the targets set by the Children’s Fund
Employing a full –time co-ordinator and assistant for the project
Producing a recipe book (with over 50 recipes) with input from children and volunteers
Contributing to a Healthy Eating Songs CD
Establishing a website
What plans are there for the future of the project?
To continue promoting nutritional messages in the kids’ Café sessions and to increase the number of sites at which it is operating. To expand on other areas of work and develop new food based projects such as Kids can Cook, food growing and Kids café condensed.Lessons Learnt
What obstacles or problems have been encountered?
FundingEffective evaluation
How have these been overcome?
Securing funding to continue (although for a limited period)Evaluation training
What particular advice would you give to others wishing to start a similar project?
Consult with the target group to find out whether the scheme is what they want and need.Seek advice from similar groups / projects.
Try to involve a variety of agencies which will help development of the project. Multi-agency work may also increase the possibility of securing funding.
Have you been contacted and given advice/information to any other organisations on setting up a similar project, and, if so, please indicate how many and what type(s) of organisation?
We have been contacted by many projects and organisations. Most of these were voluntary organisations, but have included Primary Care Trusts and Local Government.Contact Details
Name: Sarah MillerJob Title: Kids’ Café Network
Organisation: Kids’ Café Network
Address:
Thomas Gaughan Community Centre,
Yelverton Crescent,
Pottery Bank,
Walker,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
NE6 3SW
Phone No: 0191 224 2349
Fax No: 0191 224 2349
Email: kidscafe98@yahoo.co.uk
Website Address: www.kidscafe.org.uk