NOURISH

ABOUT US:

The WK Foundation, in partnership with our social enterprise Well Kneaded, provides training to 18-25-year-olds in London facing barriers to employment. We exist to connect our local community (including the young adults we work with) with sustainable, innovative, delicious, simple food through regenerative practises, great hospitality & positive social impact.

Well Kneaded specialises in British seasonal menu’s inspired by Italian street food. We have a pizzeria in Earlsfield where we create delicious wood-fired pizzas & small plates & we have an events business offering beautiful antipasti plates, salads, & slow roasted meats, canapés & desserts.

WHAT IS
NOURISH?

NOURISH is a 10-week training programme that offers individuals a pathway to sustained employment through workplace training & mentorship. Alongside the goal of sustained employment, NOURISH equips trainees with the tools necessary to flourish in a secure sense of identity & purpose.

NOURISH consists of two main phases:

1. Phase One - Training

Phase One runs for 8-10 weeks across 3-4 days per week. During this stage, we provide practical and classroom-based teaching on various aspects of the hospitality industry including but not limited to:

Customer Service
Safe Food Handling
Food Preparation
Pizza Chef Training
Private Events
Foundational Shift Management Skills

On completion of this first stage, trainees will participate in a graduation service where there will be an opportunity to reflect and celebrate progress made throughout the programme so far.

2. Phase Two – Employment, Progression and Support

Phase Two consists of 6-12 months support via fortnightly check-ins with a mentor. In phase two of NOURISH, trainees are partnered with a mentor and supported through the application and interview process of securing sustainable, long-term employment. We will provide opportunities to gain employment or further training.

Mentoring and support

We understand that committing to change can be a daunting and challenging journey, so from week 7 of the Nourish foundation, each trainee will be assigned with a mentor. Our mentors are there to provide guidance, support, and give career advice to ensure trainees can benefit as much as possible from the networks Nourish has within the hospitality industry.

PROGRAMME DETAILS:

Phase One combines hands- on chef & customer service training with crucial work experience hours (over 40 spread across the duration of Phase One) that give trainees the confidence, and experience, to be excellent candidates for our partner employers. The sole purpose of this first phase is to prepare trainees, ahead of them meeting our network of employers, to secure trial shifts, and then employment with them.

Training happens in three different locations in Wandsworth- all in the Earlsfield area, and is split into three different learning streams, to give trainees the confidence and work experience they will need to secure and sustain employment across the hospitality or broader food industry. The training culminates in week 10 with graduate trainees being matched with employers of their choosing.

Phase Two is focussed on supporting trainees for up to 12 months of employment. They are supported in three ways by us:

a. All trainees are matched with a mentor

b. We work with employers to create a positive working environment for our trainees

c. We provide workshops throughout the year which continue to up-skill our graduate trainee

Our Three Training Streams

1. Food and hospitality skills - including specialist training with Well Kneaded Head Chef and Head of food, specialising in pizza cheffing, private events menus & customer service plus gaining a level 2 Health and hygiene qualification.

2. Life and work skills - including gaining a qualification in finance and budgeting, all delivered by experienced trainers who are focussed on making content relevant and interactive.

3. Seasonal food growing and sustainable food - including grower and farm visits, learning how to repurpose waste food & getting familiar with what grows in each season. Employers are looking for employees who understand sustainability, this will set NOURISH trainees up to thrive, and even lead the way, in their ongoing employment.

Where does NOURISH take place?

Stream 1 training happens at Well Kneaded sites which include our popular pizzeria in Earlsfield and our private events client work across London (clients include Natural History Museum, Meta, Candy Kittens, Kerb- to name a few).

Stream 2 is geld at Arc Club, in Earlsfield, by the Wandle river.

Stream 3 is delivered across the above locations plus Paradise Cooperative and Sutton Community Farm

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM NOURISH:

During the programme, you can expect lots of:

Hands-on experience

Interactive workshops

Making friendships

Classroom based teaching

Off-site supplier visits and farm days

1-1’s with a mentor

Group activities

Work experience within Well Kneaded in the pizzeria or on events, or one of our local partners. This stage will help trainees to practice and progress the skills they’ve developed during their time on the programme.

Employment progression support including help with applications and interviews

NOURISH is not a paid opportunity but you will be given an allowance towards your travel and lunch costs.

IS NOURISH RIGHT FOR ME OR SOMEONE I KNOW?

To be considered for NOURISH, you must meet the below criteria:

Are you a young adult (age 18 – 25)?
Do you have the right to work in the UK?
Do you live in Wandsworth or Merton?
Have you struggled to sustain employment in the past?
Are you out of education and training and currently unemployed?
Do you have a desire to develop new skills?

If you answered yes to all the above, our programme could be for you!

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.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT NOURISH:

"Nourish (formerly the WK internship) provides a great on-ramp into paid employment for young adults who are needing the skills and work experience to gain (and sustain) a role in hospitality or in the food, retail or customer service industry. NOURISH provides a great mixture of hands-on training, mindset skills workshops and work experience which prepares the trainees for the paid work placement opportunities that are available in the second part of the programme. I have seen several young people that I have referred benefit hugely from the programme.” Kerry Astin - founder of FAST London.

“When I was 18 and just out of prison I didn't think I would ever get a job. Well Kneaded came to my rescue and gave me a sense of direction, family and hope. They taught me about in-season and organic produce and how to make sourdough. Because of their love and belief in me, I now have a family and I’m able to live and successfully achieve my goals within my own (food) business.” Trainee at Well Kneaded