“Nourish is a gem of a programme with an amazing team. They have supported individuals we’ve referred from vulnerable groups to build confidence and motivation, helping them prepare for moving into the world of work. The programme provides a genuinely nurturing environment, with consistent encouragement and support, and the team take the time to really get to know each individual in order to build trust.
If there’s one thing Nourish could improve on, it would be to replicate this fantastic programme in the Kingston and Richmond boroughs!”
Sharon Pratt. Progress and Pathways Manager. Achieving for Children.
ABOUT US:
WK Foundation is a registered charity (No. 1203798) breaking cycles of poverty through sustainable food pathways. WK Foundation provides holistic hospitality training for young adults aged 17-29 facing barriers to employment in South London. Through our NOURISH programme, delivered in partnership with social enterprise Well Kneaded, we combine professional kitchen skills with sustainable food practices and life management support.
Well Kneaded's Earlsfield pizzeria and events catering business provide real working environments where trainees gain hands-on experience, learning everything from wood-fired pizza to seasonal British cooking in live commercial settings.
WHAT IS
NOURISH?
Nourish is a trauma-informed, holistic hospitality training programme providing a pathway to employment for young adults facing multiple barriers to independence.
Over 15 months, we combine skills training with sustained employment support, equipping young people with both the technical hospitality skills and life management capabilities needed to secure and sustain meaningful work or training.
Our approach recognises that young people facing complex challenges need comprehensive support that addresses underlying barriers alongside building professional capability.
WHO IS NOURISH FOR?
NOURISH is designed for 17-29 year olds who:
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Are not currently in employment, education or training (NEET)
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Want to build a career in hospitality
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Are facing barriers that have prevented employment success previously
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Are ready to commit to the full programme
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Have the right to work in the UK
We work with young people experiencing:
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Mental health challenges
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Learning barriers or disabilities
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Unstable housing situations
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Care experience backgrounds
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Long-term unemployment
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Limited educational qualifications
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Ex-offenders
Typical Nourish trainee profile:
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66% of trainees experience mental health challenges
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83% of trainees have learning barriers
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65% are experiencing unstable housing
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25% are care-experienced
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75% have fewer than 3 GCSEs
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75% have been unemployed for over 2 years
We don’t expect you to have previous experience working in hospitality but we do expect our trainees to show a willingness to learn, develop new skills and work with a positive attitude in what can be a high-pressure environment. If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you!
To find out more about our inclusion criteria, please click here.
If traditional employment programmes haven't worked for you, NOURISH might be different.
"Thank you Nourish for everything. With the support and training I received through Nourish – both in the kitchen and through the life skills sessions – I'm reaching my goals and I've just accepted a paid chef role in hospitality."
NOURISH Cohort Two Graduate, now employed by Dinner For One Hundred.
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PROGRAMME DETAILS:
Phase 1: Foundational skills training & work experience (10 weeks).
Nourish provides lunch for you every day and covers your travel costs, up to £5/day.
Training is delivered up to 3.5 days per week, Phase 1 provides over 200 hours of hands-on training combining:
Technical hospitality skills: Pizza cheffing, food preparation, customer service & customer experience, safe food handling (including Level 2 Health & Hygiene certification)
Sustainable food practices: Seasonal cooking, farm visits, understanding the food journey from farm to plate
Life management skills: Goal setting, communication, healthy boundaries, financial literacy (inc. Level 1 Money management)
Employment readiness: CV development, interview preparation, workplace professionalism, honing your job searching skills.
Real work experience: Supervised placements in professional hospitality environments
Community Lunches: These are lunches run by our trainees for members of our wider community. They are a beautiful opportunity for trainees to experience what it is to run a lunch service together, and for members of our community (including our Nourish network) to have lunch on us!
Phase 1 concludes with a graduation celebration, marking trainees' achievements and transition into employment. In as many cases as is appropriate we will make an introduction for our graduate trainee within our employer network, resulting in a guaranteed trial shift and often employment. Over 60% of our employed graduate trainees are working for one of our partner employers.
Phase 2: Employment Support & Progression (12 months)
Phase 2 provides two streams of ongoing support:
Weekly Employment Sessions (8 weeks, then transitioning to monthly).
Our employment coaches deliver regular group sessions covering:
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Interview preparation and practice
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Weekly job application support and accountability
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Workplace check-ins for those who have started employment
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Problem-solving common workplace challenges
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Peer support and shared learning
After 8 weeks, these sessions continue monthly on an optional basis, providing ongoing touchpoints as trainees progress in their careers.
One-to-One Mentoring (throughout 12 months)
Each graduate is matched with a dedicated mentor providing:
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Fortnightly one-to-one check-ins
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Confidence building and goal setting
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Accountability and encouragement
This dual approach supports trainees to continue to build the confidence, skills, and resilience to thrive in the workplace long-term.
WHERE DOES NOURISH TAKE PLACE:
Nourish training happens in Earlsfield, SW London in the following places:
Hospitality and food skills training: Well Kneaded, Garratt Lane.
Employment and life management skills: Sunday Mills. Trewint street.
Field trips: Various locations including Sutton Community Farm, Paradise Cooperative and Moxons smoke-house.
“Nourish completely changed my life! It's made me a lot more comfortable in day to day situations. I used to hate social interactions, which would cause issues in all areas of my life, not just employment. I feel a lot more comfortable being able to say what I think and what I feel. It has also changed my life fully through employment and getting job opportunities.
Nourish was something I wasn't too sure about joining at first, but after being on the programme, I 100% say to anybody, 100% go through with it, even if you're not sure.”
Patrick, Cohort 2 Graduate. Nov 2026
WHAT DO TRAINEES GET OUT OF NOURISH:
Proven employment & Training outcomes:
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Sustained employment or training- 80% of graduates are in employment or training 12 months after graduating.
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90%+ programme retention- 85% of trainees say the programme helps them achieve their goals.
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Level 2 Health & Hygiene Qualification- Over 80% of trainees achieve this and it is required for hospitality employment.
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Increased confidence- 80% of trainees and referrers report significant confidence increases by programme end.
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Money Management Level 1- 80% achieve this financial literacy qualification.
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Over 50 hours of work experience- In both front of house and back of house contexts.
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Access to an extensive employment network which includes Sodexo, Home Community Café, Base Face Pizza, Kerb, Dinner for 100, Lockdown Bake-house & The Wimbledon Championships.
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A peer support network- This is crucial for ongoing support, for job recommendations and to have a network that share your goals.
Please find our impact report here.
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“In the midst of peak youth unemployment, Nourish transforms young lives by removing real barriers to get in to work. With structure, access to qualifications, holistic development and paid work, the results of my young people speak for itself. I have watched my young persons careers flourish and never look back to now co-creating new Nourish hot sauces (I proudly own). Their model genuinely changes trajectories.”
Farhat. Youth Work Coach, Roehampton Hub.
I'M INTERESTED. WHAT'S NEXT?
If you or someone you know is interested in joining NOURISH, please email us or fill out the form for more information.
PROUD TO
PARTNER WITH:
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