Nutrition Skills for Life: Information for staff and volunteers

Training

We provide a range of courses specifically for staff and volunteers which are accredited by Agored Cymru. These can be delivered face to face or virtually.

Community Food and Nutrition Skills Level 2

This course is for you if you work with individuals, families or community groups and would like to pass on evidence-based, consistent food and nutrition messages to others and also deliver Level 1 accredited food and nutrition skills courses. It will develop your knowledge and skills in food and nutrition and will provide you with ideas and resources to use with community groups supporting them to eat well.

There are interactive sessions of discussion and activities covering topics such as: Healthy eating guidelines and the Eatwell guide, factors affecting food choice and eating well on a limited budget, food labelling.

Agored Cymru accreditation: This course is Level 2 and worth three credits.

What participants have said:

"Very informative course that I have taken lots from. Excellent resources."

"Thoroughly enjoyed and feel confident to deliver basic nutrition to primary school children."

“I really recommend that anyone involved in community food projects take the course, it's absolutely excellent.”

“I have learnt the importance of a well-balanced diet and how I can deliver this to Key Stage 2 children in a way that can keep them interested and enthusiastic.”

“It was a lovely course with good knowledge and experience and lovely friendly staff.”

Community Food and Nutrition Skills for Early Years Level 2

This course is for you if you work in the community with young children and their families e.g. childminders, play workers, childcare practitioners, those who train and support childcare settings and Flying Start staff. This course will develop your knowledge and skills in food and nutrition for young children and it is particularly relevant to those who prepare meals or snacks and are involved in menu planning.

There are interactive sessions of discussion and activities, including benefits of good nutrition and hydration in the early years, implementing good food and nutrition in the early years, menu planning and promoting nutrition in your own role.

Agored Cymru accreditation: This course is Level 2 and worth two credits. Completion of this course can also contribute to your setting achieving the Gold Standard Healthy Snack Award Plus.

What participants have said:

"Really enjoyed this course. Will definitely be encouraging all staff to attend this course. All knowledge will be taken back to my setting. Amazing tutor."

"Amazing informative course."

“We have used the information to change our menus in nursery and to update our food policy. I would definitely recommend this course to colleagues who have not yet undertaken it – Diolch!”

“This training has been very beneficial and staff came back from it full of ideas.”

For further information or to book a place, please contact the Nutrition Skills for Life Team via email: SBU.NutritionSkillsforLife@wales.nhs.uk

Be inspired by our simple, nutritious snack ideas and explore our recipe videos here

Get Cooking

Being able to cook is an important life skill. Knowing how to prepare food, ways to use healthier cooking methods and trying new tastes can help us all make healthier food choices.

Nutrition Skills for Life support ‘Get Cooking’ courses. These relaxed cooking sessions are designed to give participants, including members of the piblic, the foundations of creating meals that are bursting with nutrients.

Course overview:

Sessions are 2 hours a week for a total of 7-8 weeks
Fun and informal sessions in a relaxed environment
Free to attend. All ingredients provided.
Help you develop knowledge and skills of a balanced diet, healthy eating messages and food safety.
Try new meal ideas for yourself and your family
No prior experience necessary
On completion, you will be able to make at least 12 healthy recipes that are quick, easy, and tasty; with a recipe book when you finish the course

Health and Community workers:

Please support and promote this course to the people you work with. Please ask them to get in contact by e-mailing: SBU.NutritionSkillsforLife@wales.nhs.uk

If you are interested in training to be a Get Cooking tutor, you would start with the Community Food and Nutrition Skills Level 2 course – details above.

Gold Standard Healthy Snack Award

Eating well and active play are essential for young children to enjoy good health and well-being, to help shape eating habits for life and to help them to be a healthy weight by the time they start school. One of the basic principles to ensure healthy eating for children of all ages is to eat a wide variety of foods to enable children to get all the nutrients they need for holistic growth, wellbeing and development

The Gold Standard Healthy Snack Award recognises and celebrates that a childcare setting provides nutritious, healthy snacks, and a positive eating environment.

The Gold Standard Healthy Snack Award is open to:

day nurseries,
Flying Start groups,
playgroups,
meithrins,
childminders, and
after school clubs

Being part of the scheme shows a commitment to children’s health and encouraging healthy eating.

For childcare settings and early years workers:

Achieving this award will set you apart from other settings. It will:

Promotes good practice to parents
Highlights a high-quality snack time within your setting
Benefits the health and wellbeing of the children, young people and families you work with
Shows that your setting is putting recommendations from the Welsh Government’s Food and Nutrition in Childcare Settings Best Practice Guidance in place.
Ensure your setting delivers the highest possible standard for food and nutrition
Contribute towards evidence toward nutrition phase of the Healthy Pre-School Scheme.

The Gold Standard Healthy Snack Award Plus is an enhanced award, recognising that staff in the setting have accessed and completed community Food and Nutrition Training.

If you would like more information on achieving the Gold Standard Healthy Snack Award, or to access the training, please contact: SBU.NutritionSkillsforLife@wales.nhs.uk