Young Southern Housing Group residents are combining their culinary and camera skills to create a DVD cook book.
Seven residents, aged 16-24, living at 54 St John’s Road, the Group’s supported young person scheme on the Isle of Wight, have compiled video clips and photographs of them preparing and cooking healthy and low cost meals.
The footage, taken at weekly cooking evenings, is being used in a DVD which the residents have helped edit.
Some recipes shown in the DVD have used vegetables - including onions, carrots, leeks and courgettes – grown by the residents.
Support worker Mark Baker said the DVD would be included in the pack given to young people who were moving out of the scheme into independent living.
“The young residents were very engaged in the project, with many of them involved in all aspects of it from cooking meals through to the production and editing process. The residents will be able to refer to this DVD when they move into their own properties, drawing on the new skills and knowledge they gained around nutrition and healthy living.”
Paul Chiverton, 21, who participated in the project said: “It was good fun and I felt a sense of achievement at planting the vegetables, watering them, and watching them grow. I also enjoyed picking them once they were ripe, cooking and finally tasting them.”
“When I move into independent living I now have these skills so even if I don’t have a garden I can grow vegetables in pots or an allotment”.
The project was financed through the scheme’s Growing Opportunities To Create Healthier Young Adults (GOTCHA) Project. The fund was created after the Group’s two young people schemes – 54 St John’s Road in Ryde and Atkinson House in Newport – received a £1300 grant from the NHS Public Health Community Chest.
The funding was split between the two schemes and is being used to promote the health and wellbeing of young people.
Erica Myers, Healthy Weight Advisor, Public Health said: “We are pleased to see how creative young Southern Housing Group residents have been with the Healthy Lifestyle grant awarded to them at the beginning of the year.
“Public Health has committed itself to supporting young people in achieving healthy lifestyles. This project, which ranged from growing to cooking healthy food, will allow young residents to take these skills wherever they go.”