New Collaboration for Youth: Bringing Food Joy, Education, and Job Training

The Geitmyra Junior Chefs project aims to prevent school dropout among youth and promote better public health. With support from Kavli Trust and a grant of 1.6 million Norwegian kroner, they offer valuable job training and food knowledge to 250 young people.

The three-year training program is an initiative from the Geitmyra Food Culture Center Foundation for Children and targets young people aged 14 to 19. With a focus on reaching vulnerable youth, Geitmyra Junior Chefs also collaborates with the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV), schools, and child welfare services to recruit and support young people at risk of dropping out of school and the workforce.

Food joy, achievement, and opportunities

The ambition of the Junior Chefs program is to prevent dropout from school or work while establishing a sustainable model for youth job training in the food industry.

Through a combination of practical training, supervised work experience with chefs, and paid assignments in a youth-run catering business, participants take part in a real work environment where they gain both practical and theoretical food knowledge, a sense of mastery, and work experience.

Knowledge and skills that promote healthy eating habits and reduce food waste are central to the training.

The 1.6 million Norwegian kroner grant from Kavli Trust supports the foundation’s main priorities: preventive efforts to improve children’s and youth’s mental health—especially through projects promoting inclusion, life skills, and education—and initiatives focused on climate and environmental sustainability, emphasizing responsible consumption and production.

A Win-Win for Individuals and Society

Ingrid Paasche, CEO of Kavli Trust, describes the project as an innovative training program that can create positive change both for individuals and society as a whole.

“Young people gain valuable work experience that can strengthen their future employment prospects. At the same time, they acquire important knowledge about healthy and sustainable food choices. The food industry receives support to recruit more young people, and by developing a sustainable model for youth work training and food enthusiasm, the project also helps prevent school dropout and promotes better public health, creating lasting societal benefits,” she explains.

“That’s what we call a win-win project, and Kavli Trust is very pleased to partner with this exciting new initiative for children and youth,” Paasche adds.

Facts about Geitmyra Junior Chefs

• The project is an initiative of the Geitmyra Food Culture Centre for Children, aimed at youth aged 14 to 19.
• Its goal is to prevent school dropout, improve public health among young people, and strengthen recruitment to the food industry.
• Geitmyra Junior Chefs works closely with the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV), schools, and child welfare services to ensure recruitment and follow-up of youths at risk of dropping out of school or work.
• Through work training, a youth-run catering company, and with support from renowned chefs, young people gain valuable work experience, a sense of achievement, and healthy, sustainable eating habits.
• Kavli Trust has granted 1.6 million Norwegian kroner to this three-year training program, enabling participation for 250 youths.