Find out more: https://www.healthyvalleys.org.uk
Healthy Valleys is a community-led health initiative that supports communities in rural South Lanarkshire. We focus on providing opportunities for local people to improve their health and wellbeing and build stronger communities in areas of deprivation or where there are service gaps. Our resilience is our strength allowing us to quickly adapt to support the ever-changing needs of the community since 2003. We aim to tackle food poverty, social isolation and loneliness through various opportunities that promote physical health and wellbeing.
We feel we implement the dignity principles within all of our group work in general, including food work - setting the scene for a safe space and a meaningful experience for all who attend. Our tagline for our community food work is ‘Connect, Support, Nourish and Thrive’ which in itself includes some of the dignity principles. For this presentation, we reflected upon how we might identify dignity principles at play in our existing food work and also what the experience of our beneficiaries in attendance was. We interviewed a participant (nominated on behalf of the whole group) from a recently completed cooking course we delivered within the ‘Recovery Community’.
Note: To make our group work a meaningful experience, we start by finding out more about each person before the session/course begins, or through discussion (appropriately) on the day if this is the first time we are meeting the person - one to one or as a whole group, or a combination of both of these approaches, usually guided by what the participant feels comfortable with. We aim to gain a better understanding of personality, food or meal likes and dislikes, subtly assessing skill levels (which may be very different in each group), medical and social considerations such as allergies and intolerances, physical or mental health conditions, if people eat alone or with others, what their motivation for joining is and any expectations they might have.
At our groups we make a point of including everyone in the decision-making process, ensuring that as an individual they have a sense of control. The ‘theme’ of the first session is usually chosen by the cook tutor, designed specifically to gather this information (as stated above), to better understand the dynamics of the group, especially if participants are all meeting for the first time, and to make people feel safe and comfortable in the group to participate in the way they feel they can. The cook tutors can then tailor the remaining sessions according to the needs of the group, revisiting and reflecting after each session to ensure each person feels valued and able to feel a sense of control.
“We discussed what we were going to make as a group decision. Everyone felt involved and part of the decision making.”
The cost of food can be a barrier to some of our beneficiaries so we try to make the recipes as cost effective and nutritious as we can, not using “fancy” ingredients but basics and adding herbs, spices and little tweaks to give you flavorful food without expense. Healthy Valleys ensures inclusiveness of accessibility by ensuring that sessions are available to all by delivering locally, therefore reducing barriers of transport costs which enables people to take part in their local community.
“Everyone felt part of it, included and welcome. The recipes were not expensive, with easy to follow instructions. Nothing complicated, think it was perfect.”
We included time to eat together at the end of the session, around a properly set table, everyone sharing the food they had made with the others. This was time for discussion on what and how you made your dish, feedback on the food cooked and what to do next session. It also gave the beneficiaries time to chat.
“Eating together was valuable for guys who live on their own to have a meal together. Sharing the food with others gave us pride in what we did”
Group discussions and opinions are valued, sharing hints and tips, allowing the sharing of ideas on taste, texture and cooking.
“Everyone felt valued in their opinion – everyone mucked in”
“I cook now – make an effort never did before. Mainly when I take notion”
"I should do more but I live at home and Mum has the dinner ready when I get in from work”
“I’m comfortable making meals I’ve made before, but still need reassurance with new recipes”
“I’ve made the burgers and sweet potato fries loads of times, and the meatballs”.
" I Enjoy making lentil soup, I make a pot and take it for lunch at work. The family eat my cooking and enjoy it”.
“Cooking with others in the group had its plusses and minuses, I’m quite happy working on my own”.
“Was good working alongside everyone pitching in, everyone helped with the dishes and tidying up”.
Group dynamics can sometimes be challenging, especially with people who have a different skill level, have conflicting personalities or come from different backgrounds. This is why we take the time to get to know people as individuals, and to create a welcoming environment for all.
We have used the Dignity in Practice resources for our service specific training with volunteers and during staff team meetings to help us have a better understanding of how we can build on what we do, especially if we notice that we might be missing something. It has been helpful to give consideration to dignity principles when delivering sessions, reflecting post-session, when someone new joins in or if we notice someone is feeling excluded.
Have a look at the Dignity Tools & Resources or the Dignity in Practice Website. It has been extremely useful for us to review what we do from a different perspective and to make changes and improvements where we can.