As a learning & development trainer, it’s usually Max Brown’s job at GRA to provide others with new skills and the opportunities & confidence to put them into practice at our training centres. However, roles were reversed recently when Max spent the day learning meat butchery with the Beyond Food Foundation masterclass.
Beyond Food Foundation’s mission is to inspire people who are at risk of, or have experienced, homelessness to gain meaningful employment through its United Kitchen Apprenticeship scheme. Apprentices spend 13 months working in the professional kitchen at Brigade Bar & Bistro, London, followed by 7 months employment with a partner organisation.
For the past five years, GRA has been delighted to support the Beyond Food Foundation with a team development programme, focused on improving collaboration and self-confidence for new apprentices entering the scheme.
The apprentices visit our outdoor learning centre to learn more about themselves and how this enhanced self-awareness can be applied to a working environment. Through a range of activities and challenges they have opportunities to try new experiences, push the boundaries of their comfort zone and enhance their teamwork. This culminates in a team challenge against the clock to replicate the pressures of the fast-paced environment of working in the kitchens and apply lessons learnt throughout the day.
Max is the lead facilitator each year for the Beyond Food Foundation programme and this time it was his turn to learn something new. Max commented, “It was an excellent day and it was great to spend time with the apprentices in their own environment. I was really impressed to see how far they’ve come in just a few months and to see what an incredible environment the Brigade is to learn in.”
Image Source: GRA
