Kitchen Garden - Burnie

Burnie

Montello Primary School

Kitchen Garden Program

CAPITOL SHOWCASE

Innovation in Action

Showcasing excellent community-based health and wellbeing initiatives

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Why was this program needed?

• Many Burnie residents face challenges associated with socioeconomic disadvantage, including impacts from social determinants of health.

• Reduced access to good nutrition, physical activity and social inclusion may contribute to a range of conditions, including overweight and obesity.

• However, local programs focused on community strengths provide great opportunities for improved health and wellbeing.

• Montello Primary School is one of nine primary schools located in Burnie, with an enrolment of approximately 330 students.

The Montello Primary School Kitchen Garden is centrally located, with raised beds, workshop, potting shed, chicken house, and pond. The garden is a great space for students and teachers to engage with learning activities.

• The school places great importance on building strong relationships with families and the community.

• The Kitchen Garden Program was developed based on a need for greater knowledge and understanding of students in healthy eating and food production.

Kitchen Garden Program goals and activities

Positive outcomes for the Burnie community

• School funding and generous community donations helped establish the garden, with raised beds, workshop, potting shed, chicken house and pond.

• The program is highly valued by the school community with strong commitment and support from school leadership and families more broadly.

• Kitchen classroom spaces facilitate linkage of garden to kitchen, with two dedicated staff members delivering the curriculum.

• The program has led to enhanced community connection, with enthusiastic support from many local and national organisations.

• Program goals are to increase understanding of growing food, healthy eating and the science involved.

• Teaching staff have observed increased student participation, engagement and teamwork with involvement in the program.

• This includes learning skills in gardening and cooking, encouraging healthy diets, understanding life cycles and sustainability, and creating a safe and welcoming space for students.

• Participation has led to improved knowledge and skills in gardening and cooking.

• Garden activities include planting, harvesting, animal care, art work and carpentry projects.

• Kitchen activities include recipe recording, meal preparation and enjoying the meals prepared.

• Students are provided with a scrap book to record activities, taken home at year’s end for ongoing support.

Further information: https://utas.edu.au/health/community-programs/capitol https://montelloprimary.education.tas.edu.au

• Specifically, students develop deeper understanding of healthy food production, nutrition and meal preparation.

• With improved nutrition and social connection, this program contributes to better health and wellbeing for Burnie children and families.

CAPITOL (Critical Age Periods Impacting the Trajectory of Obesogenic Lifestyles) is a community-based and community-driven project which aims to build capacity in North-West Tasmania to more effectively prevent obesity. This content has been produced in collaboration with Montello Primary School staff.