Safety is the absolute number one priority of Rebel Gardeners food education activities. Whether it’s cooking, gardening, entrepreneurship, or something else, our goal is to always stay ORGANIZED and CLEAN.
The first step to accomplishing this goal is think through and write down the entire process of the planned activities. Start with the desired end-point (such as a small group of students preparing and distributing 100 smoothies to their peers) and work backwards to determine every individual step needed to create the desired result. For each step, consider the following questions:
- How will I ensure this happens safely?
- What do I need? What do I have already? Who do I need to train?
- How will I ensure this happens cleanly?
- What do I need? What do I have already? Who do I need to train?
- How will I organize the needed supplies?
- What do I need? What do I have already? Who do I need to train?
This series of questions combines a needs assessment with and asset map. You will discover that most of the things you need to stay safe, clean, and organized you already have, it’s just a matter of finding them in your school and in your community.
Let’s run through this exercise for our ‘preparing and distributing 100 smoothies example’.
First, what is the end point?
- Kids distributing 100 smoothies to their peers.
- What do I need to do this safely?
- Calm, orderly line for people waiting for smoothies.
- Supply needs:
- Training needs: line organization
- Calm, orderly line for people waiting for smoothies.
- What do I need to do this cleanly?
- Clean hands for people handing out smoothies (sink, soap, gloves, paper towels).
- Supply needs: running water, soap, gloves, paper towels, plastic cups
- Training needs: hand-washing, smoothie pouring
- Clean hands for people handing out smoothies (sink, soap, gloves, paper towels).
- How will I organize the supplies?
- Keep cleaning and serving supplies in separate rodent-proof plastic bins that are stored 6-inches off the floor.
- Supply needs: 2 rodent-proof plastic bins that will fit supplies, supply inventory sheets
- Training needs: how to take inventory
- Keep cleaning and serving supplies in separate rodent-proof plastic bins that are stored 6-inches off the floor.
- What do I need to do this safely?
- Kids preparing 100 smoothies.
- What do I need to do this safely?
- Respectful, motivated kids.
- Supply needs: recruitment materials
- Training needs: how to make a smoothie
- A recipe or idea of what kind of smoothie you want to make.
- Supply needs: recipes
- Training needs: how to read/write a recipe
- Frozen fruit, juice, yogurt
- Respectful, motivated kids.
- What do I need to do this cleanly?
- How will I organize the supplies?
- What do I need to do this safely?
