Family Activities Case Studies

A’s story- UK

A was referred to us by Surrey Square School

“When I first joined Kids in the Kitchen I had a lot going on. I was in and out of a very chaotic relationship, I had 3 young children that I was trying to look after but everything was all over the place. 

Going to pick up my bag of ingredients gave structure to my week. It was somewhere to go, something I had committed to. Growing up no one cooked in my family. My mum just went to Iceland and put things in the oven. I am the first one in my family to cook a recipe and at 39 years old I am trying ingredients that I have never eaten before, they are completely new to me. 

I now have the ability to look in the cupboard and think “I have this and this” and I can put a dinner together. It takes the stress away from feeding my kids. The kids are enjoying it too, trying new things. They now see the kitchen as their space too as we can cook together. I am hoping they will continue cooking and cook with their families one day.”

Because she felt comfortable at Kids in the Kitchen A felt confident enough to come to our parenting courses. She has participated in courses designed to help parents manage their anger and their children's anger, parenting teenagers courses as well as workshops on helping children manage their mental health. 

She says “With 3 young children and an ex partner who was erratic and chaotic the parenting courses brought me stability. There was so much chaos in my life so I found it comforting to be around mums who were going through similar things. The parenting courses gave me something to focus on, a bit of guidance and input. It was a time to look forward to, I could vent in a really safe environment.” 

During these courses we became aware of A's natural ability to emphasise with parents that were struggling so asked her if she was able to co facilitate some sessions. She said ‘yes’ and did a brilliant job, drawing parents out of themselves and instilling confidence in others. 

A often joins us in the school holidays for craft activities, and trips out. 

She says’ to be part of all these activities with all the chaos going on in the background was amazing. The people were lovely and welcoming which made me want to come as I knew I could be myself. It's all been so beneficial to me. I don’t like to think about where I would be now if I hadn’t been involved with Burgess Sports and started this new journey.”

A has since got a job, but whenever she can she pops in to see us. 

B’ ( Lebanon - From participation to facilitation).

B heard about us from a local primary school. One of her children was in Year 6 and she was beginning to experience the challenge that the teenage years can bring. She wasn’t sure what to do so when she saw we were running a course for parents of teenagers she lept at the chance to participate.This is what she had to say about the course. “My first impression was that even though the group was big there was no judgement at all. It was so informative and I learnt so much from it. It made me look at my own behaviour and reflect on what I was doing. It was very eye opening.  I began to see changes at home, I became more of aware of how I listened to my children and my home felt a bit more peaceful”

B got so much out of the course that she began to look out for other courses we were running. She has now done courses on managing anger, helping support her childrens safely online, workshops on child mental health as well as a course for parents of special needs children. 

Having participated in the parenting courses so enthusiastically and having demonstrated an ability to communicate and listen effectively B struck us as an ideal candidate to help facilitate the further sessions so we asked her and to our delight she agreed. B says that facilitating makes her feel part of the community, where she was given something, now she is able to give something back. She says she still enjoys meeting new people and learning from them too. 

B was also accessing our boxing session before she went back to work. She says “it was fun and it was the only exercise I was doing! It really helped being able to take my daughter as I wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise. 

B is also passionate about our ‘Kids in the Kitchen’ programme. 

She says “ Kids in the Kitchen came at just the right time. After the pandemic we needed more food, we were feeling isolated, it brought us back to life, helped us feel human again. Suddenly I felt part of something, I have made good friends here. The food gets us together but it's about much more than food.  It's a space to talk freely to other women. In Ramadan people who were fasting came to lunch even if they weren’t eating, we came to chat, we can share our problems. 

C is from Afghanistan

Kids in the Kitchen is a great project because it started at just the right time during the pandemic when everyone was really struggling financially. It was a great opportunity to spend time with the children in the kitchen. We could forget what was happening outside because we were having fun inside. 

There was such a positive feeling on the WhatsApp group, no one was competitive, we were trying new dishes and sharing our cultures.

I learnt a lot on the parenting courses, I got lots of information. We could also share our experiences,learning and reflecting and making changes. 

I was isolated. I came to this country new, in 2017-2019 I didn’t know anyone! I tried to speak to my neighbours but they just looked at me and didn’t speak back. When I joined Burgess Sports I met lots of people. I got to know so many people that when I was offered a new flat I asked to stay on the Aylesbury because the community I had discovered was so good. I had to move away but I believe we are still in each other's hearts. 

Can you describe a memorable moment or experience you had during the programme/project?

The Easter egg hunt was memorable! Clare was dressed as a bunny! I had never seen this before so I didn’t realise it was her until my son told me, it was such a surprise! 

Another wonderful experience was when I was asked if I could make a cake for a fundraising bake sale Burgess Sports were having. I was so excited making that cake, it was wonderful to be able to give something back. When I got a message saying the cake I had made was gone I was so happy! 

On Mothers Day we were given pamper boxes. When I opened the box and saw the candle, the chocolate and the body cream I felt so valued and precious. My self esteem went up that day. I thought to myself ‘Yes, I am a mum now’. I still have some of the things I received that day. I still like to look at them and remember. 

How do you feel about your future now compared to before you participated in our programme/project?

In my country parenting is very different from here, you have everyone around you to help but here it is more pressured so it was very good to get this support and talk with others experiencing similar situations. 

What would you say to someone considering joining our programme/project? I would tell them its a 100% great experience and that they will learn a lot!

Child A case study :

Child A has been part of our programmes since 2013. They are one of six siblings from a lone parent household. Their mother would sign up the children onto the multi-sports camp every holiday to keep the children occupied over the holidays. Initially, Child A was very shy and introverted, and they didn’t enjoy being physically active. They would sometimes hide between trees and find excuses to avoid participating. As the years went by, Child A became more familiar with the coaches and started making friends with regular participants. They began to engage more and enjoyed attending the programme.

Child A’s eldest sister was one of our first young ambassadors. The role models such as his sister and coaches within the programmes allowed Child A to flourish within the multi-sport camp as the programmes went by, eventually developing a fond interest for sports. Child A eventually moved up into ambassador programme, following in the step of their older sibling. As Child A moved into the next stage of our programme, they made multiple friends, leading to them gaining a sense of community and belonging, providing them a reason to stay.

Child A has gained several qualifications during their time with Burgess Sports. These include sports activator courses, first aid, safeguarding, and, most recently, a Level 2 qualification in multi-sports, which qualifies them as a sports coach.

In 2022, Child A transitioned from being one of our young volunteers to a paid part-time position at our after-school reading club. The club was attended by 10 different children on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays which provided an excellent opportunity for Child A to start coaching a small group and work 1-1 with the children in reading. Delivering sessions at the after-school club gradually boosted Child A's confidence in leading various sports activities for the children. After being assessed by our team of coaches, we agreed as that Child A was ready to deliver sports activities at our multi-sports camp. Since the summer of 2022, after being with us for 11 years, Child A has reached the top of our young ambassador ladder and has become an outstanding sports coach.

“When I first came to Burgess as a participant, I didn’t like it and kept to myself and was a nuisance to the coaches at the time, hiding away from everyone. Despite this, as I got older, they still took me on as an ambassador putting me on many courses to improve my skills and confidence, allowing me to coach sessions with assistance from them and eventually becoming a level 2 qualified multi sports coach, now working for Burgess Sports. With Burgess I have learned a lot about what it means to work in a team, but above all else the greatest lesson that I learnt from my time with burgess is the importance of community and they to this day the people here act as an extended family for me and I hope to stay in touch with them frequently even as I move into my next stages of life”.

Child C:

Child C, a Year 6 student, has been attending our afterschool reading club for the past two years. During this time, they have read Charlie Turns Into a Chicken, Mr. Stink, and Gangsta Granny. When they first started with us, they were very shy in reading out loud in pairs. Over the duration of the programme, they have gained confidence in reading with the coaches and improved their reading skills. Previously, they were below their age-related reading level, but by the end of July 2024, they had achieved their expected reading level. This shows the significant impact and progress Child C has made through attending the afterschool reading club for two years.

Child V:

Child V, a Year 5 student, rejoined our programme. They are currently below their age-related reading level, partly because they have only been in the United Kingdom for 3 years and their English is improving. At the start of the programme, they were five terms behind their age-expected reading level, but by the end, they had improved by two terms.