Gateway Health and GOTAFE Wangaratta, in conjunction with Age-Friendly North East Victoria, have established an intergenerational cooking program, bringing together older people who receive services from Gateway Health with GOTAFE apprentices completing their hospitality training.
Through intergenerational practice, people share skills and knowledge, gain support, and reduce ageism.
The projects were evaluated by the John Richards Centre for Rural Ageing Research.
The Intergenerational Cooking Project
The Intergenerational Cooking Project created opportunities for social interaction between older people in Wangaratta and GOTAFE hospitality apprentices through a community lunch.
- Community lunches at Gateway Health are part of the Active Rural Communities program.
- GOTAFE Wangaratta operates a five-week lunch service program for the public as part of student assessment.
- Hospitality apprentices prepared a set menu lunch and packaged meals in appropriate takeaway containers. Lunches were eaten from the packaging in the dining space.
- Following lunch, GOTAFE apprentices came to the table with the diners to discuss the meal.
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Young and Old Learning Kitchen Skills (YOLKS)
This project evaluated a short-term intergenerational cooking program to provide learning opportunities for older men and apprentices.
- It engaged third-year GOTAFE hospitality apprentices completing the core unit ‘Coaching others’, and Gateway Health clients receiving home support services, including learning to cook.
- Apprentices planned and delivered coaching to older men in specific cooking skills during eight weekly sessions in the GOTAFE commercial training kitchen.
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