Case Study - Jack Webley

Life Skills Cooking: A Recipe for Confidence and Growth

Jack, who had little cooking experience, joined our Life Skills sessions focused on cooking, which significantly boosted his skills and confidence. Before, his kitchen skills were limited to making toasties mostly, and his earlier experience in school Home Economics had left him doubting his abilities. However, as Jack engaged with the YMCA, this perception changed.

Over time, he tackled more complex dishes like mac and cheese and pasta Bolognese, learning to handle multiple ingredients and follow detailed recipes. A key moment came when Jack made mac and cheese for the YMCA drop-in event, which was a hit with over 50 attendees. This success marked a turning point, showing Jack that cooking wasn’t as difficult as he had thought, especially with a supportive team.

The positive feedback from his peers greatly boosted his confidence, and for the first time, Jack believed in his abilities. Inspired by the success, he recreated the mac and cheese at home, choosing to make it from scratch rather than buy pre-packaged food. This decision reflected his growing independence and belief in himself.

Beyond cooking, Jack’s teamwork skills and confidence grew as he realised the value of collaboration. The camaraderie and support he received further shaped how he viewed himself and his abilities, reinforcing lessons from the PX2: Becoming Me course he had done with the YMCA earlier.

Today, Jack feels more capable not only in the kitchen but in life. The experience taught him to trust his instincts, embrace challenges, and believe in his potential, transforming a simple cooking session into a journey of personal growth and self-belief.

We are proud of Jacks efforts and we know he is too. Jack is now part of the team cooking every week for our weekly drop ins, a service we hope to extend to further drops and groups the YMCA delivers weekly.