Boosting Holiday Clubs with the Power of Breakfast

Based at The Sanctuary in Castle Vale, The Pioneer Group are a housing association who work locally to access funding which supports the community’s most vulnerable families.

The Sanctuary is also home to Early Help, which offers signposting and support to families, while providing year-round provision for children and young people.

“My child has really enjoyed socialising and being involved in activities.” Parent

The Pioneer Group Bring it on Brum! programme, is aimed at children aged 8 -16, particularly those in the Castle Vale area, aiming to create a safe space for young people.

“Without the funding from Bring it on Brum!, we wouldn’t be able to provide a club during the holidays. Being able to provide support during the holidays has strengthened our relationships with families and has helped us develop closer relationships with other local providers in the area, enabling us to work more strategically across Castle Vale.” The Pioneer Group

As part of their Bring it on Brum! programme, The Pioneer Group took part in Hakuna Fruitata, a project designed specifically for the Bring it on Brum! HAF programme, aiming to provide practical, interactive and engaging workshops for young people aged 5-16 so they can experience more food-based activities in a ‘no worries’, ‘no pressure’ environment.

At the Sanctuary, the food-based activities are adapted to target all age ranges and include young leader-led cooking sessions, fruit-tasting and a new breakfast club.

The breakfast club, run by young leaders from The Sanctuary, became incredibly impactful when blended with the Bring it on Brum! programme. By introducing breakfast, the morning attendance increased and the staff saw a significant change in the young people’s behaviour throughout the remainder of the session.

“I find it really fun and I get to spend time with loads of people and make new friends” Participant

“I like it because they take good care of me” Participant

It was also a fantastic opportunity to give the young people the opportunity to lead, including planning the menu and budgeting as well as preparing and serving the food.

“The young leaders project, with the introduction of breakfast club was a game changer. It reduced ‘hangry’ children and their overall behaviour was better. As a team, it made us realise how many children were coming to the HAF club hungry. The difference in children’s attitude to activities, engagement and ultimately enjoyment has been fantastic to witness. We will definitely look to include breakfast provision for our young people in the future.” The Pioneer Group