Blend Kitchen
Staff at Blend Kitchen in Sheffield are getting a helping hand on the employment ladder thanks to funding from South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF), through a grants programme to support professional development for young people.
SYCF’s Moving On Up programme was launched in 2021, to address unemployment for young people aged 14-30 years. Community groups were encouraged to apply if they were creating activities around pre-employment skills, establishing pathways and avenues to employment.
Blend Kitchen aimed to deliver one-to-one life coaching and employment support alongside engaging with business to showcase the multiple routes to employment on offer to young people.
Walking into Blend Kitchen on a rare sunny afternoon in Sheffield, is to step into a relaxed atmosphere, welcomed by smiling staff who are enthused by the time they spend here and the platform it provides for them.
Whilst speaking to their founder Chris Hanson and his business mentor Justin Rowntree, our visiting team consisting of Dr Julie MacDonald (SYCF Trustee and donor to the programme), Michelle Dickinson (Head of Philanthropy) and Akhlaq Hanif (Marketing and Communications Coordinator), were treated to a delicious Mexican themed lunch.
This is an amazing project this is removing barriers to employment for people facing a multitude of challenges.
Michelle Dickinson (Head of Philanthropy)
The make-up of the staff serving the food summed up the ethos of Blend Kitchen, with Tom helping out whilst studying at a local University and Josh, who is autistic, sitting down with us to share how working as a waitor, has helped his confidence by undertaking different tasks. He is now a popular member of the team!
Blend Kitchen is an amazing social enterprise supporting some of the more vulnerable people in our society. It was a privilege to meet the inspirational founder, Chris, his business mentor, Justin and also Jack and Davina, two of the young people they are supporting. And the food was absolutely delicious – I will certainly be going back!
Dr Julie MacDonald DL
Find out more
Take the leap and apply for funding from our grants programmes. Use the Search Our Grants wizard to learn more each available fund, the application process, eligibility criteria, and the incredible projects we've supported in the past.
Find out more
Take the leap and apply for funding from our grants programmes. Use the Search Our Grants wizard to learn more each available fund, the application process, eligibility criteria, and the incredible projects we've supported in the past.