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Cooking in a College – Gypsy/Travellers making changes in Inverness

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cooking

 

At the start of 2008 I was approached by a mum on the Gypsy/Traveller Site in Inverness asking if I could organise a course on sewing and lace making. After some discussion with colleagues I had to inform her that this type of thing was not available at the moment but I would keep my ear to the ground!

Shortly after this Inverness College ran a taster event for the Vocational Pathways Programme. which caters for young people from 3rd year upwards. Two girls from the Gypsy/Traveller site attended the cookery session, and following this I was approached again by the same mum and also 2 other mums who enquired if they could join the course. I explained that this might not be appropriate as it was for school age children but would see if something could be arranged for them.

Together Linda King, School/College Liaison Officer/Work Experience Co-ordinator, and I worked with the college and the Gypsy/Traveller mums and plans were put in place to start a cookery course towards the end of the year. Throughout the planning process the Gypsy/Traveller women were consulted with, regarding suitable times and recipes and it was agreed that a 7 week cookery course would start in October. Seven signed up (1 teenager and 6 adults), of whom 7 attended for week 1, and 6 attended for the rest of the classes.

cooking   cooking

Enthusiasm during the planning, the realisation of this and participation in the course was evident. Although it took nearly 9 months to actually get the course underway the Gypsy/Traveller learners were appreciative of the preparation work that was needed to make the course happen - and they stuck with ‘us’ to the end. They provided the information regarding times, recipes etc and were pleased with the end result – their cooking course.

The sessions were a great success with the women working well as a team whilst learning new cooking skills and recipes. Richard Denis, a French chef, had the ingredients ready to use and demonstrated initially, after which the women cooked their own food. He was impressed with their team work and their keenness to learn, and also their acknowledgment of safety and hygiene. Feedback from the women was very positive; they enjoyed Richard’s approach and found his teaching style appropriate to their needs.

cookingAll the Gypsy/Travellers who attended travel regularly, yet throughout the course no one went away! Some of the women have asked to attend another course, based around hair and beauty and developing sewing skills, again preferably in the evening. Plans are in place to try and make something happen again for this year.


Karen MacMaster
Development Officer Interrupted Learning
May 09

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