Kitchen Garden Program

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation

The Kitchen Garden Program is a positive, preventative health and education program that supports wellbeing, learning and development outcomes, enabling positive skills and habits for life.

Overview

Alignment with Be You Domains

Mentally Healthy Communities
Family Partnerships
Learning Resilience
Responding Together

Alignment with Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)

Children are confident and involved learners
Children are connected with and contribute to their world
Children are effective communicators
Children have a strong sense of identity
Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

Alignment with Australian Curriculum

English
Health and PE
Humanities and Social Sciences
Mathematics
Science
The Arts

Target audience

Early learning
Primary school
Secondary school

Target groups

Small group
Whole class
Whole school

Aims

The Kitchen Garden Program is a holistic program that aims to support children and young people's healthy physical, emotional, educational and social development. The program aims to improve school engagement and social connection for children, young people, their families and communities, enabling them to form positive food, health, sustainability and wellbeing habits for life.

Program theory

The program's approach to health promotion through pleasurable food education harnesses the power of values-based messaging and positive psychology. The program is aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework, National Quality Standard and the Australian Curriculum. It is included on the Wellbeing panels of state education departments, and on ARACY's Wellbeing in Education panel for its demonstrated impact in all 6 domains of the Nest, Australia’s wellbeing framework for children and young people. The program is also aligned with the World Health Organization's Health Promoting Schools, the National Children's Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, and the National Preventive Health Strategy.

Topics

The program aims to positively influence mental health and wellbeing by improving food literacy and behaviour; building life-long skills, confidence, agency and pride in achievements; supporting all types of learners to experience school success; increasing physical activity and the therapeutic benefits of green spaces and nature connection; and engaging students, families, and communities in school life thereby building social capacity and connection.

Cost

Early learning services: $975 for a 24-month membership, followed by $440 for a 24-month renewal. Primary schools: $1650 for a 24-month membership, followed by $440 for a 24-month renewal. Secondary schools: $1650 for a 24-month membership, followed by $440 for a 24-month renewal.

Program structure

Educators deliver the program to children and young people through hands-on kitchen and garden experiences.

Instructor

Educator
Wellbeing leader

Instructor training

Educator training is offered through a combination of online webinars and professional development sessions, ongoing one-on-one phone/online individualised support appointments and optional face-to-face workshops.

Supporting resources or materials available with program

Manual
Online webinars
Posters
Workbook
Other (please specify)

Other materials

Resource packs, an online members' portal and an online individualised support tool.

Ongoing support

Training, guidance, support and educational resources are available throughout the course of the membership. Ongoing support is available for members and is offered at no extra cost via a dedicated support line, one-on-one phone/online scheduled support sessions, email or web forms. Schools may opt to participate in extra Professional Development sessions (in addition to those included in the membership) at approximately $45 per person, per session.

Parent involvement

Attend program sessions with child
Online resources

Origin of program

Australia

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation

Program authors

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation

: PO Box 104,Abbotsford VIC 3067 Australia

: 610384151993

: info@kitchengardenfoundation.org.au

: Visit website

Ratings

4/4 Evidence

3/4 Implementation

Summary of evidence factors

This is a summary of the evaluation or research study characteristics that contribute to the program’s evidence rating.

Positive impact on at least one outcome for children and/or young people?	Yes
Link between program description and theory of change	Comprehensive
Study design	Quasi-experimental
Independence	Completely

Summary of implementation factors

This is a summary of the program’s characteristics that contribute to its implementation rating.

Feedback sought from participants	Yes
Feedback sought from instructors	Yes
Groups program is not suitable for	Assessed and reported
Training provided during study	Face to face train-the-trainer in person
Ongoing instructor support provided during study	Yes

Context

This is a summary of the context in which the evidence for the program was established.

Study Participants	Primary school
Country of Study/s	Australia
Location of Study/s in Australia	VIC
Evaluation of program in culturally and linguistically diverse populations	Yes
Evaluation of program in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people	Yes
Evaluation of program in low socioeconomic groups	Yes
Developmental based adaptations to program design and delivery	Yes
Evaluation of program in children and young people with disability and/or learning difference	Yes

Last updated: 8 July 2024