North Shields social hub helps care-experienced people gain skills
The 25-year-old, who was referred to the project by the council's carer leavers team, said: "The pantry has not only given me really useful skills and experience, but it keeps me busy doing something that feels good."I've picked up so many skills for my CV, from cooking to budgeting to communicating with people. "I've learned to make meals from scratch - curries, pies, my own pizza dough."
The venture is a joint project between North Tyneside Council, Future Foundations Health Information and Advice Virtual School (HIVE), a specialist teaching and youth service based at the hub.Elected Mayor of North Tyneside Council, Karen Clark, said: "Not only does it support our residents to access more affordable food, it provides a space for our care-experienced people to build skills for life. "The community spirit is palpable and it's evident that it's bringing people together in a really positive way."
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