Five young people. Six mentors. An afternoon filled with fun and laughter.

Facilitated by CIP mentor Ruth, the cooking class opened the door for young people and their mentors to come together for a shared experience outside their usual routines. Each mentor and mentee pair quickly settled into cooking groups, choosing their own dishes and working side-by-side to bring them to life.

 

Amal and his mentee baked brownies and prepared tuna pasta.

Wen and his mentee worked together on an authentic fried rice.

May and her mentee created a nachos and cheese dish.

Oscar and his mentee made homemade sausage rolls.

Patricia and her mentee crafted protein balls.

Emerald and her mentee baked churros, even preparing a second batch when the first proved too popular not to share.

 

Across the kitchen, conversations flowed as ingredients were chopped, mixed and shared. Music filled the room as young people and mentors laughed, danced and compared their creations. With a boom box in hand, Community Integration Lead North and West Malia Vaeoso Seumalu moved from one cooking station to the next, keeping the energy high.

 

As mentor and mentee pairs moulded their plates and bowls, the real impact was unfolding around the kitchen benches.

 

Several young people who had initially been hesitant to participate chose to stay, learn a new skill and share a meal with the group. For one young person from RAMP, simply giving it a go opened the door to new connections and experiences that they may otherwise have missed.

 

Another young person proudly prepared his fried rice with minimal support from mentor Wen, demonstrating the confidence to ask questions, test ideas and persevere until he achieved the result he was aiming for.

 

"I loved today. It was the most fun I've had in a while. Thank you. It means a lot," said JG.

 

ET said the highlight of the day was "being with other young people and getting to know them."

 

Mentors valued spending meaningful time with their mentees not only in a different setting but a new experience outside of their fortnightly routines.

 

"Thanks for this, the bond between JG and me have elevated to a new level," said CIP mentor Wen.

 

As the afternoon drew to a close, participants gathered to sample one another's creations, celebrating the effort and contribution that had gone into every dish.

 

Through consistency, encouragement and shared experiences, mentoring relationships become a source of support, belonging and growth for young people. It is these relationships that sit at the heart of the lasting legacy created through Kids First's Community Inclusion Program and RAMP.