Professional Learning
Whether you’re looking for training about teaching nutrition to students or starting a school garden you’ll find plenty of options below. Some of these sessions are discounted or exclusive for schools taking part in Fresh Tastes so it’s worth checking if your school is involved.
The Food&ME resources are a series of evidence-based nutrition education units for teachers linked to the Australian Curriculum, and they align with the Australian Dietary Guidelines (2013). Free online and face-to-face training is available to help educators use Food&ME in the classroom. All options are ACT TQI accredited.
The foundation run face-to-face workshops in Canberra throughout the year about how to integrate cooking and growing experiences into classroom teaching. Their workshops include ‘Delivering Kitchen Garden Classes’ and ‘Growing Your Kitchen Garden Program’. They also have online courses for educators looking for a flexible learning option. Schools involved in Fresh Tastes may be able to access this training for free.
This free program provides a range of support for schools to improve environmental sustainability. They run regular face-to-face workshops throughout the year including ‘Eco Bus Tours’, ‘Supporting Sustainable School Coordinators’ and ‘School Food Gardens’. All sessions are ACT TQI accredited.
School canteens, as registered food businesses, must have at least one food safety supervisor. Food safety supervisor training can be completed either online or face-to-face. The ACT Health website has information about the food safety supervisor role and training needed. The Health Protection Service can be contacted on 02 5124 9700 for more information.
There are face-to-face Food Safety Supervisor training options in the ACT (costs involved), including:
- Nutrition Australia ACT, in association with NAQ Nutrition Training, offer canteen-specific training. Contact 02 6162 2583 or email info@act.nutritionaustralia.org
- Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT). Contact 02 6207 3188.
For a full list of all registered training providers, please visit Training.gov.au.
It's recommended that everyone involved in food handling at school (including canteen staff, volunteers and educators) complete this free 2-hour online training. It provides a basic understanding of safe food handling to make sure any food or drink provided to students at school is safe for consumption.
Schools involved in Fresh Tastes can access a free 40-minute workshop from Get Kids Cooking that covers all the practical aspects of cooking with students at school including hygiene, safety, storage allergy requirements and using produce from the school garden.
Nutrition Australia ACT can run a one-hour onsite session for school staff and P&C/Community council members to learn about the traffic light food classification system. The session covers practical tips, ideas and healthy ingredient swaps. Schools involved in Fresh Tastes may be able to access this training for free. There is also an online course coming soon for those who need a flexible learning option.